In Response to Jemima Talbot:

In a recent edition of the Reporter, Jemima Talbot submitted an opinion letter concerning school boards, property taxes, and the governor. I’d like to speak to some of her key points. 

The Healthcare Crisis is the reason for skyrocketing property taxes. “In 2018, Vermont moved public school employee health benefits to statewide bargaining.” Who is Vermont in this statement? Vermont is the legislature which was controlled by a supermajority of Democrats both in the house and senate. According to research, the vote to pass this bill was heavily influenced by the Vermont NEA and the vote totals ran largely along party lines. Governor Scott allowed this bill to become law without his signature since the Democrats had full power to overturn his veto. 

“We’ve painfully cut 100 positions over two years. How much more can we cut while maintaining educational outcomes that are consistently above the state average?” Considering Vermont ranks well under the 50% mark nationally, I’m not sure that achieving consistently above the state average is a noble goal. Historically, some of the highest performing schools were not heavily funded or heavily staffed. Quality and quantity are not mutually exclusive. 

The letter cites “The Education Reform And Act 73 promises of universally welcomed goals: improve education quality and reduce costs.” Though I agree with Ms. Talbot’s disdain of Act 73, the fault does not belong entirely to the governor. What brought Vermont to Act 73? Ms. Talbot failed to cite Act 127 of 2022 that essentially threw the state into a tailspin of increased property taxes all from the votes of a Democrat-dominated House and Senate. 

What is the number one reason for healthcare to be bargained at the state level? Equity.. The number one reason for redistribution of state funds in Act 127? Equity. The number one reason behind Act 73? Equity. (Just fyi: when researching each of these laws and the reasons behind them, AI overview listed equity first. When referring to educational equity, the real intention, according to AI, is equity of outcomes.) 

I raised 3 children. They were all given similar opportunities with related funding. They went to the same school. They grew up in the same house with the same parents. By all measures, they grew up in equity. However, their outcomes are not all the same. How can we expect a statewide system involving 80,000+ students to achieve equity of outcomes when no one can achieve it under their own roof? Is this unachievable goal worth throwing Vermonters into a property tax crisis that is driving many to other states? 

What is this focus on equity of outcomes doing to our academics? Since 2018, Vermont NAEP scores have seen a steady decline moving from the top 25% nationwide to the 2024 numbers where the NAEP website describes Vermont as “significantly lower than National public [schools].” Coincidentally, Vermont began its educational equity journey in 2018. 

Though I agree with many statements Ms. Talbot made, I also believe the blame for both the high property taxes as well as the steady decline in educational outcomes needs to be spread

further than just the governor. Until the 2025 session began, our legislature was controlled by a supermajority for at least 7 years resulting in the current educational disaster. Let’s lay much of the blame at their feet.

-Lynn Smith

Open letter to Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak:

So called “leaders” like yourself are the REASON people like Good get killed.  You embolden them to BREAK THE LAW which puts them at great risk.  Your behavior is beyond irresponsible and if anyone else gets killed it will be your fault and the fault of your ilk.  

The people in danger are our brave ICE agents who put their lives on the line to enforce our laws.   They are getting very dangerous people out of the country who have no right to be here.   Look at the list of people they have arrested – are you okay with children getting raped and Americans getting killed, robbed, beaten?   Are you okay with illegal aliens bankrupting our future generations?   What is wrong with you?   Do you think this is okay as long as it happens to other Americans?  It is okay as long as nothing happens to you?   Why would you think that is okay?   

I just watched you do what you always do when speaking in congress – make a FOOL out of yourself and US!    Stop it!   Stop inciting violence and going against the laws you swore to uphold.

Seeing your judgment is this bad, I am calling on you to step down and be replaced in your role with someone who has the wherewithal to not put constituents at risk.

Shame on you.   Step down!

-Karen Rowell, from the once great Burlington, VT which your party ruined.