Pro-Israel supporters (left) wave Israeli, U.S. flags during parade on State Street in Montpelier.

By Guy Page

Montpelier will head to the annual City Meeting polls 7 AM – 7 PM Tuesday, March 4 at City Hall Auditorium  to decide on a range of important city and school matters.

In addition to a local option tax and city and school funding, voters in the state’s capitol city is among seven communities voting on a resolution condemning the State of Israel as a so-called “apartheid” state. The other four are Newfane, Winooski, Thetford, Weybridge, Vergennes, and Brattleboro. Burlington declined another effort to vote on the resolution, which has failed in the past. 

All of the communities – with the exception of Vergennes – have traditionally voted ‘left of center’ even by Vermont’s recent historical standard of voting ‘blue.’ Montpelier and Winooski also allow non-citizens to vote in elections. 

The resolution is condemned by the Vermont Shalom Alliance: “Anti-Israel ballot initiatives have infiltrated Winooski, Vergennes, Montpelier, Newfane, Thetford, Weybridge and Brattleboro, with divisive resolutions appearing in other towns. These initiatives, driven by the Vermont Coalition for Palestinian Liberation’s extremist agenda, promote misinformation, antisemitism, and fear — especially for Jewish Vermonters and their families.’

The VCPL says its “Apartheid-Free Community (AFC) affirms support for freedom and equality for all peoples and commits a community to working to end Israeli settler colonialism, occupation, and apartheid. These are the historical factors leading to the genocide in Gaza, and they are what we must challenge to win justice and democracy for everyone in Palestine.’

City Ballot Measures

In other business, Montpelier voters will elect council members from districts one, two, and three, each for two-year terms. Additionally, they will elect one commissioner for the Green Mount Cemetery and one parks commissioner, both for five-year terms.

Budget: A vote to appropriate $12,278,226 for city debts, current expenses, and state and county taxes for the fiscal year July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026 is on the ballot.

Compensation: Voters will decide on a $4,080 compensation for the Mayor and $12,240 (or $2,040 each) for Council Members for the upcoming fiscal yea5.

Local Tax: A proposed one percent (1%) tax on sales within the City will be up for vote. If approved, the first $50,000 of the proceeds in Fiscal Year 2026 will go to Montpelier Alive, and the next $100,000 will go to infrastructure projects.

Downtown Improvement: Voters will consider a special assessment to raise $62,000, at a rate of $0.0515 per $100 of appraisal value, on non-residential properties in Montpelier’s Designated Downtown. The funds will be used to improve the downtown streetscape and for marketing6.

Fire Truck: The city council is seeking authorization to borrow up to $2,200,000 for the replacement of the aerial ladder fire truck.

Community Funding: Voters will decide whether to appropriate $134,150 for the Montpelier Community Fund to support local non-profit organizations and individual artists.

Library Funding: A petitioned article asks voters to appropriate $464,255 for the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

Mosaic Vermont: Another petitioned article seeks $3,750 for Mosaic Vermont.

Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice: Voters will consider expenditures for Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice in the amount of $23,500.

Tax Stabilization Contracts: Voters will consider modifying the action taken in 1980 and 2001 regarding tax stabilization contracts. The proposed changes include limiting contract terms to ten years, setting valuations at no less than one-half of the property valuation, applying contracts only to additions/renovations exceeding $25,000 in assessed valuation, requiring two public hearings, and redetermining contract valuations upon reappraisal8….

Apartheid-Free Community Pledge: A petitioned article asks voters to advise the Mayor and City Council to adopt a pledge affirming commitment to freedom, justice, and equality for the Palestinian people, opposing all forms of discrimination, and declaring Montpelier an apartheid-free community, pledging to end support to Israel’s “apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation.”

Montpelier Roxbury School District

Montpelier voters will also participate in the Montpelier Roxbury School District election at the same time and place. Roxbury voters will vote at the Roxbury Town Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Elections: Voters will elect a School District Moderator, Clerk, and Treasurer for one-year terms. They will also elect two Montpelier School Directors for three-year terms, one Roxbury School Director for a three-year term, and one Roxbury School Director for the remaining two years of a three-year term1.

Budget: The proposed school budget is $32,634,264, which the school district estimates will result in per pupil spending of $14,796.81, a 7.58% increase.

Compensation: Voters will decide whether to appropriate compensation for School Directors: $1,500 for the Chair, $1,200 for the Vice Chair, and $1,000 each for other directors.

Reserve Fund: Voters will consider authorizing the Board of School Directors to hold any audited fund balance as of June 30, 2025, in a reserve fund for school operations.

Central Vermont Career Center School District

Voters in the Central Vermont Career Center School District, including those in Montpelier, will also vote on:

Elections: To elect one at-large director from the Barre Unified Union School District to serve a 3 year term, One at-large director from the Harwood Unified Union School District to serve a 3 year term, One at-large director from the Montpelier Roxbury School District to serve a 1 year term and One at-large director from the Washington Central Unified Union School District to serve a 2 year term.

Budget: Voters will decide whether to approve the school board to expend $5,103,189 for the support of the Central Vermont Career Center for the upcoming fiscal year