2024 Legislature reconvenes tomorrow
by Alison Despathy
The Vermont Legislature reconvenes at 10 AM tomorrow. Here’s my wishlist for reshifting the focus back to serving Vermont and protecting the rights of Vermonters.
Support Representative Mark Higley’s bill H.74 and Repeal the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). For anyone paying a bit of attention to the Vermont statehouse over the past several years, the GWSA has been nothing but trouble. It has sucked all of the air out of the statehouse and dangerously interfered with Vermont’s ability to focus on what matters here. It has taken tremendous money, resources, energy and time away from legislation and action that would protect and steward our natural resources for generations to come and focus on infrastructure repair and planning versus the elusive carbon atom.
We need real world actions with tangible benefits in Vermont. Obsession with carbon is distracting the entire legislative body from necessary steps and costing all of us a lot of money.
Carbon is not Vermont’s issue. We have the lowest level of carbon emissions in all of New England. Vermont’s carbon emissions are completely sequestered by our forests covering 75% of our state. Any legislator who cannot refocus efforts away from carbon should move to China and help them deal with their rapidly growing coal situation.
Let’s sustainably conserve and steward Vermont lands and resources and move on from carbon. H.74 simply takes the GWSA and makes it goals instead of requirements. This allows for awareness of carbon emissions and in reality ensures that efficiency is the focus – efficient cars, heating systems, lifestyles, all of which are happening naturally as market forces demand this. An efficiency focus saves money and lightens the load thus bringing actual results.
H.74 also removes the Vermont Climate Council whose track record is severely lacking. They have ignored their subcommittees recommendations and not offered any worthy action. They are un-elected, unaccountable and are eating resources in the statehouse.
If H.74 passed, Vermont could no longer be sued for not meeting its carbon reduction goals. The last thing Vermont needs is to waste money on a lawsuit because we cannot reduce our already low carbon emissions in the time frame demanded by the GWSA. It is time for Vermont to get back to Vermont issues and H.74 opens the path for this to happen.
We will see if the floods were enough of a wake up call to bring the legislators back to earth working for a Vermont plan. Many have been closely watching the Public Utilities Commission process for developing the Clean Heat Standard. It is not pretty, it is actually torturous. The timeline and demands placed on the PUC are unrealistic. Again, it is eating up precious time, money and resources to develop a program that will never serve Vermonters, will not help the environment and brings financial burdens, more bureaucracy and a real nightmare to Vermont. Representative Charles Wilson has introduced a bill that would repeal the Affordable Heat Act and end the agony for the PUC, Vermonters, and small businesses. There is absolutely nothing beneficial that could ever come from the Affordable Heat Act.
Fund the Police, ensure public safety. Appropriate money for training programs, recruitment, and worthy pay for our law enforcement. These valuable public servants deserve respect and gratitude; they have not been treated kindly the past several years. Taking a percentage of the ever growing vice taxes in VT would be an appropriate use of funds to help keep Vermonters and our communities safe.Leave the hunters alone. These folks are our survivalists. These are the people who will be protecting and feeding the rest of us if trouble strikes, economies crash or supply chains fail. Recognize that the wisdom and traditions they carry have kept our ancestors alive and keep humans connected closely with nature. They epitomize the spirit of Ethan Allen, independence and self sufficiency. We should honor their wisdom and skills.
Hold Senator Baruth back from further Constitutional infringements on second amendment rights that allow Vermonters to protect themselves and their families, especially with the rise in crime and drugs that the state has experienced due to compromised laws that encourage crime. Not only is this common sense, it is the people’s Constitutional right.
Support teachers and students. All communities want to see their children receiving a high quality education and thriving. Teachers play an essential role in educating, supporting and nurturing children. Ensuring that they are adequately supported and their bases covered is essential to the success of our children. With a focus on teachers and students, independent audits of public school spending should be mandatory. This could significantly reduce the proposed education tax increases, ensure that money is used wisely and that schools successfully operate within their means. The new pupil weighting scheme wastes money and time with an even more complex funding structure. I am sure Representative Sibilia and Representative Sims meant well but this will not solve the problems the schools face related to poor academic performance and increased budget demands on an already overly strained tax base. Meaningful education reform is a top priority.
The current model for funding mental health at schools places the burden on communities. Of course, children should be supported but how much should a community be expected to cover for health services provided at the school is a key question. How many mental health staff and behavior interventionists can a community afford. Should health services even happen at a school? It is time to reevaluate this model and the expectations of cost on the community. Drawing clear lines on tech and screen time at schools will also help students connect with each other and support their education and health.
Prevent public school monopolies. Ensure that religious schools and independent schools continue to receive state funding for students. Explore Representative Arthur Peterson’s bill H.405 which aims to provide all Vermont students with school choice. High school could be considered as a starting point. Families deserve options for their children that align with their world views and priorities. Choice would allow this opportunity. Get schools competing and offering environments and curriculum that attract students and families. A variety of options are necessary, children thrive in different environments with different learning styles. Consider a legislative change to allow charter schools to develop to meet these needs.
Support the farmers. There is a wave of new guard farmers who want to raise food with sustainable and diversified practices on small scale farms that prioritize quality over quantity. Farmers should not have to engage in ecotourism to make a viable living. Many farmers are trying to shift their models to include environmentally friendly practices, amendments and closed loop systems. Ensuring that regulations are designed to support these paths and that farmers have access to resources, low interest funding and grants to establish or transition their farms, raise food, steward the land and nourish our communities is a vital priority.
H.23 is sponsored by Representative Larry Labor and offers a starting point in election integrity. This bill requires the Secretary of State’s office to mail general election ballots to active voters only upon request versus mailing ballots to all active voters. A general mailing very clearly brings risk. A voter should be asked to verify their identity and signature. Election integrity is essential to the sacred act of casting our vote. We cannot allow this process to be compromised or placed at risk. Preemptive action is key and will prevent a myriad of problems down the road as is happening in other states.
Vaccine reporting – H.189 protects Vermonters. Federal government regulating agencies have repeatedly failed the public. The Health and Human Services’ Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting Systems (VAERS) reported cases for covid vaccines higher than all other vaccines since the 1990s. Safety thresholds were ignored and manipulated. The Center for Disease Control’s own VSAFE data showed 7.7% of those vaccinated ended up seeking medical care. This is over 700,000 individuals out of 10,000,000 total. This information was only available after one and a half years of legal battles to access this data. Trust has been obliterated. It is up to the people to monitor adverse events related to vaccines for the sake of humanity, especially our children. H.189 builds the framework for this analysis in Vermont
The author is a clinical nutritionist in St. Johnsbury.
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Categories: Commentary, Legislation
Re: “With a focus on teachers and students, independent audits of public school spending should be mandatory. This could significantly reduce the proposed education tax increases, ensure that money is used wisely and that schools successfully operate within their means.”
Alison: I’m going to ask you to invest a little time here. School spending alone is a far more complicated process than almost anyone can readily fathom.
Public school budgets are routinely audited by independent accountants, by law. And sometimes, even the State Auditor conducts an audit.
For example, in 2015, Auditor Hoffer found that the State and Agency of Education were awarding ‘no-bid’ contracts for goods and services more than 40% of the time, in breach of State law. In 2019, he found eleven supervisory unions and the state’s Agency of Education had failed to check potential employees, contractors and student teachers against the state’s Child Protection Registry.
And while the financial reports supplied to the voters for approval are easy enough to evaluate, multi-million-dollar budgets are provided barely 10 days before the annual meeting, and even then, edits and revisions occur after that time period.
Even when a school budget is presented to the electorate for approval, the school board (usually under the direction of the district Superintendent) can reallocate the funding to whatever program or project they want to, after the budget is approved. And the board can run unlimited deficit spending over an above the approved budget as long as the deficit is announced to the electorate in the following year’s financial statements.
There are other financial shenanigans too. The school budget often includes projected Special Education funding. But it doesn’t project the ‘reimbursements’ the school receives the following year after the SPED funds are spent. Typically, anywhere from 40% to 95% of SPED costs are reimbursed the following year and included only in the Statement of Revenue. And voters never look at revenues. They are asked only to consider the budget year in and year out.
The real smoke and mirrors become evident in the so-called Equalized Student Enrollment (ESE) calculations that show the cost per student for a given budget proposal. In my K thru 8 Westminster school district, for example, the ESE is listed as 230 students or so. But, in reality, there are only 190 or so actual students in the school. That means the published ESE cost per student is significantly less than the actual cost per student.
And Michael Stack, a Bellows Falls Union High School (BFUHS) Board member, recently published an article on VDC stating that the BFUHS, that has about 300 students, is going to show an ESE of 700 students this year. I’m still trying to verify this ESE metric. But what it will mean, if correct, is that the cost per student published in the annual report for voter approval will be less than half the actual cost per student.
And as long as we’re on the subject – when I served on a local board, more than ten or fifteen years ago now, I found that school administrators would list certain costs that typically do not qualify for State and Federal support grants, as obscure line items in cost categories that do qualify for those grants – just to increase the grant prospects. I’d be hard pressed to prove that today. But specifically, I saw advertising expenses, for example, nested in the costs of a so-called gender-equity program.
As I’ve mentioned many times before, the only way to get a handle on school expenses is to put them in a free-market setting. Give each parent a voucher and let them choose the programs that best meet the needs of their kids. Let free enterprise and the law of supply and demand do its magic.
support mark higley
Ahh, but for yet more Front Porch Forum propaganda.
It’s difficult for reasonable people like Representative Mark Higley to gain traction when cronyism is so rampant on other social media outlets, like FPF.
Issue No. 1213 • Dec 27, 2023
Switch from Fossil Fuels and Save with GMP!
Announcement • Green Mountain Power • Acorn Ln, Colchester
“Starting January 1, 2024, Green Mountain Power (GMP) will continue its popular rebate programs to help customers save when they switch from fossil fuels….”, etc., etc..
And,
“Also starting in January, GMP is updating its heat pump program to expand access to the super-efficient heating and cooling technology by more than doubling its enhanced, post-purchase heat pump rebate for income-eligible customers to $2,000.”
And just where does the financing for these rebates come from? GMP ratepayers and taxpayers, I’m guessing.
Not to mention the PUC approvals by public utility commissioners, like Margaret Cheney, wife of Peter Welch who served on the “powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee”, and the donations they received a while back from various communications companies the PUC regulates.
https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2018/04/19/welch-takes-campaign-cash-from-telecom-regulated-by-cheney
I’d recommend that Mr. Higley make his case on all of the FPFs forums. But, given past experience, I doubt they’d publish it. Perhaps he might make his case here on VDC. It seems to be the only open forum left in Vermont.
Thank you so much Jay. I am with you on the voucher and choice and options for students. I have closely followed the articles and comments related to education and have learned so much. As you know better than many, education in Vermont is deeply hurting on all levels – academic, funding structure, curriculum, infrastructure etc. As a homeschooler, I had not tuned in until the last few years and as I watch education taxes increase, academic performance decline, and funding become grossly complicated and symptomatic, it is clear that we need an overhaul and new model.
Here in the NEK, there are a number of successful public and independent schools, many towns with choice have some great options for their students. Danville is one of the few towns here that does not have choice- many families move out for high school to have options for their children. We are currently trying to explore what makes the most sense here for the town- conversations have started, especially because of failing infrastructure and need for a solid game plan.
With a legislative change, VT could do charter schools with either public or private sponsors Do you have an opinion on this?
And thank you for always taking the time to share research, experience and numbers- it is helpful.
could some one tell me who is the owner of green mountain power///mocking//to treat with contempt or ridicule///please do not hurt others peoples feelings///
GMP is, of course, now a part of an international conglomerate. In the beginning, 1893, it was the Vergennes Traction Company. More recently it was one of several independent public utilities producing some but mostly distributing electricity in Vermont. It later merged with Central Vermont Public Service, another of Vermont’s major utility companies. Long story short, GMP, previously a publicly owned company, is now a wholly owned subsidiary of a massive energy conglomerate headquartered in Canada, and controlled by the government of Quebec through a complex corporate structure called Noverco. It is the same group that owns and controls Hydro-Quebec (the fourth largest producer of electricity in the world), Gaz Metro/Energir, and several other energy companies. The conglomerate also owns all of the hydroelectric dams on the CT River. These are ‘the big boys’.
Fortunately the truth about FPF is surfacing, especially as VDC readers share more stories of censorship and outright shut down. I am officially kicked off FPF. When I ran for Rep, they let me submit writing. Our crew had some great conversations/debate going on with legislators and locals. At first they were posting my writing, I shared Higley’s bill, tons of info about the horrible and dangerous unaffordable heat act, called out Rep Campbell often. Then I was told VDC was no longer acceptable on FPF and my length for commenting and number of submissions was reduced. It was a slow death. I shared free pears, herbs, plants, made some great connections. Then done- just as you said Jay- no emails, no notice- done. I reached out and they did get back to me – I think I was in violation of maybe 2.7/2.8? – misinformation and dominating a conversation. So much for serving the community. As a wise friend shared- FPF are hall monitors and highly detrimental to our communities and free speech. To not allow people who care to share their opinions and work to inform their neighbors about issues that directly impact them is high level disservice.
This was also a well done expose on FPF if people haven’t caught it yet.
https://www.frontporchflimflam.com/
It is an unfortunate position to be in these days. Have a dissenting opinion and no place to have it published. And in many cases, having it published here is preaching to the choir. Not that I’m complaining by any stretch……
Indeed, I am extraordinarily grateful for this venue and the people commenting… all of the people. I may not like their opinion or viewpoint. But I will defend their right to say it or in this case, write it. And I sincerely want to see it. I may not have given that impression in the past and have been outright foolish in my responses, but at this moment, I see the wisdom in opposing viewpoints and its necessity in our lives.
I’m reminded of some passages out of “Live Not by Lies” by Rod Dreher. We may not precisely look like Soviet Union era totalitarianism or it’s cousins, but for many intents and purposes we are wading in the shallow end. And there is no lifeguard.
I am from a generation that believes if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. I don’t know how to honorably motivate the conservative members of my community into action. And if we fall into using the same techniques as our opposition, how then are we different or better? Shouldn’t we all ascribe to being better? Not to lord it over anyone but to show that the high road can be the most beneficial for all. I believe that we should. Without a goal there is wasted energy. My own district representative is fairly goalless and clueless and yet garners an impressive amount of support in my area. I have tried to point out his inability to make common sense decisions and to gather appropriate data and uses his time to write pointless blogs and take selfies while in session. But obviously, that is what my neighbors want. Someone of little substance but makes them feel good.
I no longer have a solid and simple solutions for our state or nation or indeed our civilization, and as some quasi-nameless commenters here have stated, maybe we are lamenting the past “Boomers, scared of their own shadow and a world that has passed them by are more than willing to destroy Western civilization for one more chance to own the libs before they meet Rush Limbaugh”. But I know that person’s rhetoric is just inflammatory for the sake of being inflammatory. And although I consider myself a Gen-X’er, technically I do belong to the very end of the Boomer generation. But I’m not scared of my own shadow. I am scared, if that word must be used. Scared that what was once wonderful about our world, our civilization is being tossed aside like a Red Bull can along Route 7. Without nary a thought of its significance or the consequences.
I do so fervently hope I am wrong about what is likely to come to pass this year. But I am as prepared as I can be and still aiming to be better.
I wish all of the citizens of my town, district and state and of course the nation and the world, some peace this year, to remind them of what is worth standing up for in this world. And to take heart and stand fast in your moral foundation. Do not let them frighten you into doing things that will make you ashamed. I know this will happen and there isn’t much we can do as we are all weak and all sinners. But do shore up your foundations. Let us support each other, regardless of our political views because… divided we fall.
Pam, I can assure you that you are not part of my generation and are indeed a Boomer, but I wouldn’t want to be associated with them either. I do agree that 2024 will be a wild ride and 2025 the last Boomer turns 62, is eligible for Social Security and we can start cleaning the mess.
Wow, Allison: so much info to digest here. It’s so easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees.
Re: Representative Arthur Peterson’s bill H.405
Why is this the first time I’m learning about this bill? It was submitted to the Education Committee almost a year ago. Did Mr. Peterson promote it on FPF?
Folks, H.405 … proposes to allow all Vermont students to attend the school of the student’s choice, paid for by a School Choice Grant issued by the Agency of Education.
I’ve just read the bill on this link. https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2024/H.405
Surely, it will require a little tweak here and there. But it hits the nail on the head.
I would like to ask Allison and Mr. Peterson to let us know, here on VDC for starters, what we can do to promote this bill. I, for one, will prepare to submit letters to the editors of various local and regional publications (FPF notwithstanding).
I suggest everyone who is concerned about their future carefully read the bill. It’s not rocket science and it pretty much mirrors existing Vermont governance on School Choice Tuitioning.
Allison, feel free to contact me via email.
I forgot to mention that one of the tweaks I recommend for H. 405 is the inclusion of a stipend for parents choosing to homeschool their children. Perhaps that’s asking for too much in one fell swoop. But in my experience with education, homeschooling is the ultimate in creating an efficient and comprehensive educational free market… a discussion I hope we can continue.
Jay, you think that paying people to stay home is the ultimate in creating the free market? That makes no sense. Who is going to verify that the kids are learning? How do we know that the parent is qualified? In order for this “free market” to work, it would require a lot of government oversight unless you want kids learning that Jesus rode a dinosaur. (but maybe you do, idk)
Re: “.. you think that paying people to stay home is the ultimate in creating the free market?”
This is a false equivalency.
First, a homeschooled student typically does not just ‘stay home’. Second, allowing parents to choose the programs from the vast array of education services they believe best meet the needs of their children is the epitome of free enterprise. In that regard, homeschooling may not be the exclusive choice a parent makes.
Homeschool curricula aren’t provided exclusively by parents. Homeschooling means the curricula is ‘directed’ by the parents and may include tutors, co-ops (e.g., ‘pods’), and collaborations with neighbors, business apprenticeship and internship programs, and various public and independent schools. The possibilities are virtually infinite – as opposed to the current one-size-fits all criteria promulgated in many teacher education programs.
Re: “How do we know that the parent is qualified?”
What qualifications are you referring to? A teacher certificate, or an Ed. M? How’s that working for us today? How many ‘para-educators’ are in the public-school classrooms? Teacher certification today is little more than a ticket to salaried step-raises. Student academic outcomes obviously have no bearing on credentials.
Re: “In order for this “free market” to work, it would require a lot of government oversight.”
This is another a false equivalency. Government oversight in a true educational free market is limited to the government providing for the enforcement of contracts between individuals involved in the educational programs.
“Government has three primary functions. It should provide for military defense of the nation. It should enforce contracts between individuals. It should protect citizens from crimes against themselves or their property. When government– in pursuit of good intentions tries to rearrange the economy, legislate morality, or help special interests, the costs come in inefficiency, lack of motivation, and loss of freedom. Government should be a referee, not an active player.” – Milton Friedman
If anything, it is ‘government oversight’ that has created the problems we’re now experiencing.
Re: “…unless you want kids learning that Jesus rode a dinosaur….”.
This is a classic ‘straw man’ fallacy. Have you ever heard anyone claim ‘Jesus rode a dinosaur’, except, perhaps, someone who might make the claim as a straw man fallacy. Have you considered the nonsense kids are being taught in public schools today?
And then ask yourself how many national spelling bee champions are homeschooled. Never mind the National Geographic award winners, the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) award winners, and GSN National Vocabulary Champions that are homeschooled.
Just one month ago: “One of the latest recipients of the Congressional Award Gold Medal (the’ highest honor for civilian youth) credits her success to homeschooling.”
Does this mean no one will fail when choosing to homeschool their children. Absolutely not. Everyone fails from time to time. That’s how we learn. But when everyone fails, as is more and more the case in the public-school monopoly, no one can tell the difference between success and failure.
I suggest everyone do browser searches on homeschooling. Consider the pros and cons. And remember, homeschooling is but one School Choice option, an educational curricula directed by the parents. It is not, as some will have us believe, a case of parents locking their children in the basement.
thank you h. j. e. for information about green mountain power///so this is the group that keeps raising my light bill/// always a name at end of the road//
Consider this: GMP pays so-called green energy producers, the solar folks, the biogas and windmill folks, about 21 cents per kwh for the power they run back on the grid. At the same time, Hydro-Quebec is charging us about 7 cents per kwh for its hydro power. For every kwh of power we buy from HQ, we save at least 10 cents per kwh.
The reason GMP goes along with this is because, as a regulated utility, its profit is capped as a percentage of its operating costs. So the more GMP pays in operating expenses, the higher its allowable profits. So the GMP/Hydro Quebec folks make out either way.
And again, guess who one of the three PUC commissioners is who regulates GMP in Vermont. Yep, Margaret Cheney, wife of Sen. Peter Welch.
Replying to Alison’s post regarding Front Porch Forum, seems that it is long past time that FPF is challenged by a competitive forum offering that is truly open to all. Wondering if Guy has ever given this any thought, maybe a for profit venture off shoot of VDC along the lines of FPF, but one which allows all viewpoints without the “hall monitors” squelching the peoples’ voice? What do ya think Guy?? Would be great if a VDC Forum alternative was able to give FPF a run for their money. Competition would force them to be accountable for their decisions and actions. Heck, that is how Google’s search engine began, as a competitor to the Alta Vista search engine. Remember Alta Vista?
I’ll bet he has. But I can attest to the fact that Guy has plenty on his plate at this time. OTOH, perhaps someone would like to organize such a web site independently. I suspect, if it’s well executed and managed, that VDC would consider a collaboration.
Cool idea! Takes shoe leather and seed money. See you at the State House JB.
Yes- Representative Peterson’s school choice bill is impressive and would help so many children and provide a real solution to the mess we face here. He has a lot of great bills for VT. It would be awesome to try for a real VT grassroots campaign for school choice versus all the special interest campaigns masquerading as grassroots VT- VPIRG case in point-
Chris- thanks for the laugh. I remember you had used that comment before. I am a homeschooler for 20 years. Connected with hundreds of homeschoolers in VT and throughout US. It is beautiful. So many different styles and approaches.
Jay- thank you for responding to Chris, I couldn’t have covered it better. Education is your wheelhouse and your breadth of knowledge and clarity of thought continually amazes me. Thank you.
Only thing I would add Chris is that there is a beautiful groundswell homeschooling movement growing in every state. Parents who are choosing to try and make it work and be with their children and juggle schedules, jobs and spending to provide a unique amazing homeschool experience that is different for each and encourages the spark that all children have. Homeschooling is not for all and it always looks different but the vast network of support and options growing is incredible. My family chose this because time is precious and we like to spend it wisely- there are so many adventures to have and so much to do. We shop at thrift stores, raise our food, love libraries, don’t have Disney, Amazon, Netflix or a bunch of extra payments to try and make it happen. We have prioritized this lifestyle because our kids are happy and thriving and can follow their passions. Options are critical. People need options to determine their best path. Homeschooling is one of many avenues. The assumptions around it are mostly false. Tons of great kids and families experiencing life in their own unique way. So much to learn in the real world. And honestly homeschooling my children has been the absolute best education of my life also. I wouldn’t change it for the world and I am glad more are trying to make it happen.
JB- see you at the statehouse. Back Porch Forum would be awesome. Definite shoe leather and seed money required. The back porch is where all the fun happens anyway.
wonderful comments enjoyed reading everyone.