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By Guy Page
Education property tax bills will increase by a statewide average of 5.9 percent next fiscal year, the December 1 education tax rate letter released Dec. 1 by Vermont Commissioner of Taxes Craig Bolio projects.
“We know Vermonters are already struggling to pay for this year’s unprecedented increase in property taxes, I expect another projected increase will be difficult to hear,” Bolio said. “It’s important that we continue to work together to find solutions to make our education funding system sustainable.”
This letter is based on specific calculations outlined in State law and is a result of collaboration by the Department of Taxes and other state agencies, Bolio said.
Property tax projection “unsustainable,” House Speaker says
Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski Tuesday afternoon called the recent rate of property tax increases, including the 5.9%, “unsustainable. “
“This pattern cannot be continued,” Krowinski said. House committees are on notice that it’s “all hands on deck” as they will be asked for input into solutions, she said. The problem of school funding touches every community and all parts of the Vermont economy, the leaders said.
If not 5.9%, what is the goal number? Legislators “need to do the work” before that figure can be decided, Ways and Means Chair Emilie Kornheiser said.
The solution will include cutting spending. When asked, both Krowinski and House Education Chair Peter Conlon said reducing the universal school lunch program is “on the table.”
Scott, GOP, Dem Senate and House leaders respond
While noting that ‘many will claim victory’ at a single digit increase after two years of double-digit hikes, the projected increase was greeted with dismay by Gov. Phil Scott.
“With an already high tax burden, the last thing Vermonters need is yet another property tax increase,” Scott said in a Dec. 2 statement. “I know many will claim victory, and celebrate this increase being limited to single digits. But the fact is, with this projected increase, Vermonters will have seen a 33% increase in education property taxes in the last three years. This is the result of unsustainable costs, an aging demographic, and smaller workforce.”
Scott said he hopes legislators will actually cut Vermonters’ property taxes.
“I am hopeful legislators will take a moment to reflect on how difficult any increase will be and work with my administration to reduce the tax burden on Vermonters who simply cannot afford more and make changes necessary to achieve long term sustainability. This increase could have been substantially more – and still could be – so I want to thank school administrators and school boards who have made difficult decisions because I know it’s not easy.”
Senate Minority Leader Scott Beck and House Minority Leader Patti McCoy echoed that a 33% property tax increase over three years is no cause for satisfaction.
“This year’s Letter projects an average tax bill increase of 5.9% next year. This is on top of this year’s 13.9% increase. The average Vermonters education property tax will have increased by one-third over the past three years if today’s projection holds,” the two GOP leaders said in a joint statement Dec. 2.
“For many years, Vermont Pk-12 spending increases have far surpassed Vermont’s tax base, inflation, and wage and economic growth. Vermont’s total spending on Pk-12 education next year is projected to increase 6% to $2.44B. This does not include Vermont’s Agency of Education, which is paid for by the General Fund. District education spending is projected to increase by 5.4% next year, the three-year growth has been 26.5%,” Beck and McCoy said.
“Vermonters clearly voiced their opposition to increasing education property tax rates in the most recent election and House and Senate Republicans are committed to working with Gov. Scott’s Administration, and our legislative colleagues to reform the Education Fund so that it is transparent, understandable to Vermonters and establishes a closer connection between district spending decisions and local tax rates.
In a study commissioned by the Vermont NEA, the Public Assets Institute asserts that Vermont schools can be fully funded and property taxes kept stable by increasing funding from other sources, including non-property tax revenue.
Beck and McCoy nix that idea – and with enough members in 2025 to support a possible veto by Gov. Scott, their opinions now hold weight.
“Some have proposed that education tax increases can be averted by simply dedicating additional revenue to the Education Fund or cost-shifting. Others believe if we craft a correct system of penalties and thresholds, the problem can be solved. We strongly disagree with such thinking and will oppose plans that do not include fundamental systemic reform to the Education Fund.
“House and Senate Republicans are resolved to do our part to ensure Vermont children receive an excellent education at a price Vermont taxpayers can afford. We look forward to working with Gov. Scott’s Administration and our legislative colleagues to provide tax relief for Vermonters,” Beck and McCoy said.
In November 2024, the Vermont Agency of Education published its Vermont Education Funding Report which explains Vermont’s education funding system and compares it to other states.
Additional resources for understanding education tax rates are available on the department’s website.
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Categories: Education
Are they waking up, as this title states ??, or just more smoke and mirrors ??
“Projected 5.9% property tax too high, Scott, State House GOP leaders say. ” So why is there going to be an increase again, Oh, that’s right, we have progressives in charge, and they have plans for money they don’t have.
As a lifelong Vermont taxpayer, I live within my means, so why aren’t the state government agencies and so-called policymakers living within their means ??, Oh, that’s right, they don’t care they have an agenda, progressive at that !!
Wake up, people, and ask your elected official, ” Why,” that’s if they’ll answer at all, as
You don’t matter, but your dollars do, the dollars you don’t have dollars.
They don’t care, so how about seeing the complete budget list, and let’s see if we have a balanced budget, and a spending stream for the last few years, Yeah, that’s what I thought !!
Ineptness comes to mind.
Re: “Ineptness comes to mind.”
Spot on! This is the primary point we must consider. It’s not that they are ‘waking up’. Or that we’re ‘waking up’. It’s that they, and most of us in fact, don’t know what else to do to change direction. It’s not that they don’t care. Our politicians won’t answer… because they can’t answer. The only thing they can do is to keep talking – ‘word salads’. Unless and until they’re replaced by Vermont’s electorate, this is what we have. We have to change course before they can.
No, they will not be able to fix the system “by reducing” some taxes, but that is the biggest lie they want you to believe.
Here’s the real problem, we are so fundamentally wasteful and self-serving with the people’s tax money they can’t fix it within the system that they have built. The system they have built is smoke and mirrors, good ole boy, network, government and their associates getting rich off of keeping Vermonter’s poor. Their system cannot address the problem, it created the problem, and it is the problem. We’ve essentially gone to a socialist system, under the cloak of a “democracy”. We’ve been told so many lies, the press and it’s NGO’s and it’s “non-profits” and the lobbyists have all gotten rich of the Vermont taxpayer.
We are paying way more in tax, we are under way more pressure than the peasants under a feudal system. Even then they only took 33%.
There is so much financial corruption, self-serving, misdeeds, gross negligence, that we could easily cut our taxes by 50% and get better services. The system will say it’s impossible and they are correct, in order for THIS system to function, they need all of your money and control of all of your activities….that is the socialist system.
The Vermont Swamp in Montpelier needs a big tidal flush.
Clearly that is not going to happen with current swamp loving creatures in control
Stop the grift.
“I do not say that democracy has been more pernicious on the whole, and in the long run, than monarchy or aristocracy. Democracy has never been and never can be so durable as aristocracy or monarchy; but while it lasts, it is more bloody than either. … Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” John Adams
Yes, yes, yes….. and that is why “democracy” is a transitional government. Chaos, then someone has to “stop the chaos” which is usually the one who started it, then they place their people in power and rule as an oligarch.
In Vermont’s situation, being small it was easily subverted from different outside sources of self-interest and import. They did it quietly, they would love to have rank choice voting, and that’s not to give the Republicans a chance, not it’s to assure they are in control at all times.
There was a great interview, with a young representative on this site, clearly spoke about the oligarch in Vermont, 10 people or less make all the decisions and it’s decided before the session starts.
We have been subverted, which is the highest form of warfare, taken over, willingly without firing a shot. Vermont has been subverted; we need to take it back.
Neil,
I think you are in luck, according to Copeland Hanzas ranked choice voting is up for debate this year. She let it slip in her “we got the election right” (they didn’t) speech.
Rather than 5.9%, they’ll find a way to reduce it to 5.4% and then strut around proclaiming how they cut your taxes.
Proposal for Guy Page:
Please list all email addresses of these clowns. We need to harrass them daily. Flood their mailboxes daily with several. Make their online lives miseralble. Maybe we can collectively crash the servers.
Every legislator is listed here, 2025 session will be updated when they convene.
https://legislature.vermont.gov/people/
Let Guy do the heavy lifting and reporting.
Frank, thank you.
Sadly, most, if not all, are adept at hitting their DELETE keys, much the same way most of us do with spam mail. The bottom line is they don’t want to be bothered hearing from us. Several times I have read legislators state something to the effect of, “I’ve heard from many constituents are against this BUT I THINK . . .” Hopefully they will continue to hear from us from our votes.
I would have bet this was going to be 10% so I’m already surprised… Give it time they will find a reason to.
5.9% is this some retail store pricing strategy to make it seem less? why not 6%
get ready for the shift in spending, stealing from other buckets, can you say transportation funds like they have done in the pass. they need to cut state payroll, sue the state employess union for not paying any childcare tax. get rid of free meals for all students, etc
Sorry, my bird feeder will stay empty this winter so i can save money for next years property tax increase. The birds are lined up on the power wire waiting for the can to be filled, now what shall i tell them???? For every bad action there is a counter action.
So give illegals a raise in pay and expect the taxpayers to foot the bill. John rodgers ran on stopping this insanity, I hope he was serious and does something because Vermont homeowners can’t afford any more taxes!!
How can it cost 2 4 billion to educate the students of Vermont? With a population of 640k how many kids are in school? This seems crazy.
Quick search days anywhere between 78k snd 82k school age children. The cost seems out of whack.
It’s 72,093 Kindergarten thru 12th grade students.
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Appropriations/FY%202025%20Budget/6.%20Education/W~Heather%20Bouchey~AOE%20FY25%20Budget%20Book~2-20-2024.pdf
in “…a $ 2.7 billion education system with an [AOE] operating budget of
just over $ 55.7 million and 176 positions.”
Can you do the math?
Doesn’t add up at all… Supposedly it costs on average 18 – 20k per student according to the state lists: https://education.vermont.gov/data-and-reporting/financial-reports/tuition-rates
Your number of 82,000 school age children is correct for 2022-2023:
https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/vermont/2024/09/10/agency-of-education-seeks-to-assess-educational-needs-in-vermont/75069647007
Quick math of 82,000 * 20,000 = 1,640,000,000 o 1.64 billion dollars.
2.44 – 1.64 billion is a difference of 800 million dollars… Which coincidentally is 50% of 1.6 billion.
Someone is lying somewhere…..
Jay,
I would say that all of those people get paid about 94.5k on average. 60% of a companies budget is usually payroll. So right off the bat it’s 33million for employees pay. That comes out to 189K per employee, which when you factor in time off, benefits, healthcare, 401k and all of that an employee usually costs double.
With that said and the prices of everything now, is a 94.5k salary enough to live on? Many articles now say it’s not, certainly not enough to afford a home. So are we really paying them too much?
I would think that there are too many of them, 176 employees is larger than more than 80% of the businesses in Vermont.
“Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski Tuesday afternoon called the recent rate of property tax increases, including the 5.9%, “unsustainable. “
“This pattern cannot be continued,” Krowinski said. House committees are on notice that it’s “all hands on deck” as they will be asked for input into solutions, she said. The problem of school funding touches every community and all parts of the Vermont economy, the leaders said.”
Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black, or perhaps more accurately the survivors of November 5 scared sh!+less about the next referendum in two years. It’s a bit late honey, here’s projecting for another double digit loss in the house among the Ds & Ps on the next go around!
A few things here. Vermonters CANNOT take anymore of this taxation. No matter where the increases are implemented, the punishment against Vermonters continues. 33% in 3 years is unsustainable. Did the current majority “get the message” when some of their colleagues lost their jobs? Do they know that now they HAVE to play ball with the Republicans or as Phil Baruth has stated, will they continue forth with their agenda? I will say this. Once my job offer comes through in the Volunteer state, I am out!
Just exactly what are we getting for all this spending? Test scores are terrible and budgets are mostly out of control. Why does the legislature keep going back to the well for more? We are depleted.
“The solution will include cutting spending. When asked, both Krowinski and House Education Chair Peter Conlon said reducing the universal school lunch program is “on the table.””
Now, I am not a proponent of the lunch program as it stands, I find it sickening that their first thought is taking AWAY from the kids. Why not put the “feeding trough” on the table? There are thousands of non-teachers at the trough pulling down 6 figure salaries to “administrate” and be “supervise” each other. The student population continues to decrease yet the number of paid employees continues to rise. Take away the “free lunch” from those at the top and work our way down from there.
Or they could cut some staff and change the retirement program from ‘defined benefit’ to ‘defined contribution’.
There are more than 18,000 people employed in the AOE’s education system – not counting independent sub-contractors. Again, that’s for 72,093 K thru 12 students. That’s one full-time equivalent worker for every four students. And while the students and the workers move on over the years, the ‘defined benefit’ retirement program each worker receives must be paid for in perpetuity by taxpayers. And their benefits pretty-much match their annual salaries. So, just imagine how many AOE employees have retired to greener pastures in lower taxed states. The ‘defined benefit’ retirement programs are insane.. kinda like Vermont voters who approve of this grifting.
When I asked my local representative what she thought of the ‘defined benefit’ issue, she said she didn’t know anything about it. That it was too ‘complicated’. So I challenge anyone with any common sense to address this aspect of costs.
But, as usual, I won’t hold my breath. No one reads this stuff anyway.
Jay,
This was doubtless the same rep who, after penning a letter in November of 2021, perfunctorily published by a local weekly, bleating for a renewed state of emergency based upon PCR test results, when asked, “What does PCR stand for,” replied, “It’s a scientific term.”
This is what happens when sociology majors are escorted into government.
In fact, Jay, THIS is the educational focus of your rep: “Listen Up!” Check out their list of VT students’ “demands,” and how many of the items start with, “more”.
https://www.listenupvt.org/about-4
For argument’s sake, let’s say last year’s average increase was 17%.
Let’s go with an average increase this of 6%.
The compounded 2-year growth rate could be 24%.
Many businesses would die for this kind of growth.
The false dichotomy is, of course, that the increase in annual AOE revenue is offset entirely by the annual loss of income shared by taxpayers, not to mention that half of AOE graduates fail to meet grade level standards. Thus, the only people benefiting from the revenue growth are the education system administrators, employees, subcontractors, and material suppliers. Shareholders (i.e., parents and taxpayers) are simply left holding the empty bag.
Jay, the exact point of my post. The old adage holds true, “too many chiefs and not enough indians.” Oh, and add to that list the never-ending resorting to consultants.
It just struck me, that the AOE would never consider the adage I referred to and the use of it has likely been banned in all public schools.
Aloha & Blessings………..Property taxes which are continually funneled into the Education system have been a thorn for Homeowners for eons. By short of ‘firing’ all the vermont government and shuttering all schools, it appears Vermonters are in a pickle. If property taxes keep getting raised, elders will be affected the most. Other folks will be forced to move to a lesser taxed state and who in their right mind from other states would move to vermont to pay high property taxes with little to no functioning industries? The ultimate question – Why do we need public schools and why can’t ‘home schooling’ be the solution? Home schooling would dramatically reduce property taxes and the need for all these teachers. Folks would argue and say, it would put teachers out of a job…………I say find another way to earn an income than off the backs of homeowners who are getting bled dry. I rather a ‘teacher’ be vetted and teach children in their home. This way ‘parents’ can drop of their children and pay that person directly, just like any other service. No need for school buildings or a bus system; both with huge overheads. That need I remind everyone, is being paid via PROPERTY TAXES.
………….. Compulsory Education Laws: Background – FindLaw – 1852 – Is it any wonder why ‘parents’ are having no authority over their children’s education, health and wellness and the ‘school system’ does whatever the heck they want such as [jabbing vaxxes into children and teaching children whatever the school boards see fit through mandated STATE enforced curriculums, that aren’t teaching but instead ‘indoctrinating’ children into distorted negative agendas. How many folks have gone through and are still in battles within the interconnected Court [orchestrated and done by design] system inclusive of CPS and the foster care system?
How many PARENTS AND CHILDREN HAVE BEEN RIPPED APART because of this 1852 law???
Also Explains how DEI and sexual perverted material has entered the school systems in recent decades. Maybe another reason why presidential elect-prevailing CIC Donald Trump wants to implode the Department of Education———return authority and guardianship back into the parent’s hands completely; once and for all.
In America, compulsory education started in the 19th century. Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to enact a compulsory education law in 1852. It had already passed a similar law in 1647 when it was still a British colony. The 1852 law required every city and town to offer primary school focusing on grammar and basic arithmetic. [These next two sentences are the most poignant points] Parents who refused to send their children to school faced fines. In some cases, authorities stripped them of their parental rights. [Now does it make sense why I wrote what I wrote above] Their children became apprentices to others. This move set a model for other states, establishing nationwide school districts and state boards of education. During that time, many states enacted compulsory education laws. These laws worked to take education out of the hands of parochial schools. They turned schools primarily into the purview of the state. These actions came about in a growing response to the fear of “immigrant” values and the Catholic Church. The Supreme Court later overturned these laws. They did so because they required students to attend only public schools.
Homeschool Laws By State [this is the link] – IF as a Nation, Parents want more control over how their youngin’s are taught without the deep state/cabal corrupted State influence, why then is the following criteria a must for every STATE with varying degrees of regulations – 1. Options for Homeschooling 2. School required for ages 3. Notification required 4. Teacher qualifications 5. State mandated subjects 6. Assessment requirements 7. Immunization requirements.
I will never move as i want to watch all of you posters go crazy. Oh you birds lovers, they will get feed when the house and senate members give up their free meal card and have to pay for their own food.
The universal law of “cause and effect” escapes lawmaker and bureaucrat calculations, either knowingly or ignorantly. There is also the default tactic of all lawmakers and administrations to kick the can down the road when an issue becomes too complex, too costly to tackle and fix – even though it was their doing that created the issue from the start. For the most part, willful ignorance is bliss under the Golden Thunder Dome and within the Capitol Complex.
Perhaps the current gaggle of greedy, self-serving geese are facing the proverbial brick wall set up by decades of incompetence, collusion, and conspiracy to commit fraud. The only thing they have accomplished since the 1980’s is create volumes of Acts = mountains of paper that require more labor and more money from taxpayers, individuals and businesses alike. Looking at Vermont from the 40,000 foot view today, what has all their Acts and regulations brought us, the People? It has forced many to leave the State, many businesses to shutter or decline coming here, and insurmountable debt and indebtedness for the average worker and resident. They created a behemouth industry of welfare recipients and an industry serving welfare recipients. Those who poured in from California or other “blue states” have found their grifters paradise. They are mostly delusional and force their flawed ideology to destroy our State just the same as the one they fled.
The biggest point about education and education funding, the players in this game all have a sizable cut of a shrinking pie. They won’t do the real math, they just make it up as they go. For decades, they ding the taxpayers to keep shelling out into the bottomless pit known as “education funding.” When the Federal spigot of funding slows to a trickle, it will be a real problem that will require a real solution. From what I see from the current clowns at the podium, they are clearly not up to such a task nor were their predecessors. Enjoy the burning bag of dung handed down and try not to choke on the spoils of the greed and lobbyist incentives.
BLACKMAIL, BRIBERY, AND EMBEZZLEMENT ARE A DIRTY BUSINESS.
Pay for education through a kinetic tax. Tax the dollar everytime it moves. Give each town a block grant and that is what they get. Turn the control back to the towns. After the school tax is worked out then you can move onto health care, ect. After a few years the tax dept can be eliminated as we know it.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, hire me to DOGE these school districts. The bloat/waste (I’m very familiar with it) would blow John Q Public’s doors off. We often say…..”if the taxpayers only knew!”, when discussing the waste in front of us daily.