By Guy Page
Gov. Phil Scott is ‘leaning towards voting no’ on his local school budget, he said at a press conference today.
Asked by Vermont Public reporter Pete Hirschfeld how he plans to vote on his local school budget, Scott, a Berlin resident, said taxes will add almost $1,000 for a $200,000 home. (Scott’s own home is listed at $339,000, Berlin town officials told VDC. If true, his increase will be $1,556.) “That’s substantial,” he said.
“I haven’t done my homework yet,” the governor hedged, promising to do so before he makes his decision. “But it’s a significant increase….I’m leaning towards voting against it.”
Urges spending restraint
Scott noted the flood of new costs Montpelier is imposing on Vermonters, including:
- 20% increase in DMV fees
- $100 million child care tax
- Clean Heat Standard (Cost unknown but expected to be high)
- $200 million statewide property tax increase, which he called a “disaster”
“We have to separate want from need. We have to be realistic,” the governor said. “More than what you fund and what you don’t. It’s about priorities…..legislators shouldn’t be promising without a plan (to pay for it).
“I will continue to have your back and advocate for fiscal discipline,” Scott urged Town Meeting voters through his speech. “Your voice matters, so please use it.”
Defends $1 billion pricetag of grid upgrade
Responding to a reporter’s skepticism about the Vermont Department of Public Service estimate of $1 billion to upgrade the electricity grid to accommodate 100% renewable instate power, Gov. Scott called on DPS official TJ Poor to explain the estimate. He said the estimate followed an 18 month process of studying data and discussing impacts with stakeholders.
Sees homeless hotel room rates going down
Gov. Scott said the State of Vermont may be able to extend the homeless hotel program through June 30 if negotiations to reduce per-night room payments bear fruit.
Scott confirmed the State is seeking to lock in an $80/night payment. More and more motel owners are realizing that the lower payments will become the new reality, he said.
The Legislature will have its say but Scott said he expects the lower rates to pass in legislation.
Sees state official DUIs as ‘one-offs’
VDC asked Governor Scott: “We’ve seen a state’s attorney and a legislator arrested for DUI and your Dept. of Health emergency services chief suspended and under investigation for drinking. Is this indicative of the added stress public officials are under, and if so what are those added stressors and what can be done about it?”
Everyone has to adhere to the law,” Scott said. “…..It’s unfortunate that [the DUIs] happened. We see this time and again. It doesn’t seem to matter who you are, your social economic background, or what title you have. I’m hoping these are just one-offs,” he said.
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Categories: State Government
how far will govie scott lean to vote down school budgets/// then can he prove it///
So Vermomt’s so-called Governor, thinks the tax rate is too high, just think how citizens of low-income, retired citizens feel……………………….Fools in charge !!
I wonder if any legislators can balance a checkbook and live within their means, I know they don’t know what that means when comes to policies, inept is being nice.
As a Rule I have Voted NO! on every school budget and education related Ballot or Floor Measure at my Town Meetings since the passage of Act 60… With their usual disregard for the Facts of any Vermont Supreme Court Decision in Brigham, that Legislature chose to believe the Court demanded a statewide property tax, yet nothing could be further from the truth. The Court, perhaps correctly, decided the Equal Protection Clause meant the state shouldered a burden of funding equitably the “Opportunities” for access to educational programs. That is all.
Now that the 3rd seriously politicized and flawed system of taxation has collapsed, they are poised to re-interpret their old “interpretation” to fit the current political economy. Watch your back and your Property Rights! And pucker up…
AND VOTE NO EARLY AND OFTEN!!!
Voting NO on your local school budget does not equate to the closing, or the shutting down of your school. It simply means that the school board and administrators must use last year’s budget and do the best they can. Nothing wrong with that strategy. Yes, they have to jump through some administrative hoops – but it’s about time they did so transparently.
Further, the school board and administrators can deficit spend, if they feel they must. But at the end of the year, they have to declare that deficit and itemize the programs receiving the additional funding. Nothing wrong with that strategy either.
It’s one way to make the school board and administrators transparent in their process and accountable for the results. For once – kudos to Gov. Scott for the recommendation. Let’s see if he follows through.
Vote no! Everyone….
Voting YES for any public school budget is not “a vote for the kids”!
I work in a public high school and the amount of waste is astonishing. The teachers take the heat but Central office is where the FAT lies. They’re an insulated population, never spoken about, never work with kids, zero accountability and a lot of free time. All the while earning fatcat salaries. Think about 40 hours a week, 8 hours a day, what could they possibly be doing?
DEI Department (screaming racism to stay employed)
Curriculum Directors
Assistant Curriculum directors
Principal overseer (used to be super)
Bloated HR departments
Restorative Practice Director and staff (no more consequences)
ETC ETC ETC……….
Wait !Is this fiscal responsibility from Gov Scott when bill after bill he supports and let’s pass damages the hardworking ,taxpaying Vermonters. We see through it all .
Too late Phil. You’ve been steering the tyranny train in vermont for years. Now you smell the resistance and want to jump to save your name and reputation. We might as well have a admitted leftist as governor….what would be the difference except they wouldn’t be hiding their identity.
Wrong
vermont constitution declaration of rights/// no right to health care or education/// there was a bill in the senate to amend the vermont constitution to make it a right for education/// it never came out of committee/// they shoved in act 60 to cover this up///
way past time to vote down school budgets. of course on that rare happenstance a school board will normally make an insultingly low decrease.administration is always what needs to be first thing cut
After he told everybody voting in state, to vote down the budgets, now he is waffelling? What a guy, but isn’t that really caracteristic?
Give me a break, and get someone who can lead!!!!
Governor Scott better vote a super hard, solid NO!!!
You Vermonters are getting it shoved down your throats with higher taxes and increase on fees ! Don’t you think enough is Enough Vermonters??!!
Wake up Americans wake up Vermonters wake up!!
Vote Red, Red, Red vote Red period
Get-R-Done Patriots Get-R-Done Donald J Trump and other true Republicans running for office!!
God bless the USA 🙏🇺🇸🗽🇺🇸