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Who will be standing in his way, and why?
by Rob Roper
Governor Scott is set to unveil his proposals for education reform this week, fulfilling campaign promises to lower property taxes which are a direct result of public school spending. But there are powerful special interests that want to keep that money flowing from your pocket to theirs. Chief among them, the Vermont Teacher’s Union, the VTNEA.
In case you missed the clip, WCAX featured VTNEA president Don Tinney declaring “We’re not spending too much money in public education. We’re having a difficult time funding it.” Uhhhyeah.
Not spending too much money?
Vermont now spends more per pupil — $27,000 on average – than any other state but one.
Since 2014, spending on our public school system has increased 42 percent, nearly $607 million dollars per year, to — inexplicitly — educate fewer and fewer students as our K-12 population declines. You know what else is dropping despite all this spending? Student outcomes. Vermont has fallen from a top performing school system to the middle of the pack, with this trend still pointing downward.
How is this allowed to happen? The public school special interests have the majority party in their back pockets. Of the 180 Vermont senators and representatives elected last November, 92 were endorsed by the VTNEA – all democrats and progressives except for one token Republican in each chamber.
And how does a candidate get that endorsement? By pledging to the VTNEA in their candidate questionnaire that you will not reform the system, you will not cut the spending, and, in fact have pledged to increase that spending for higher salaries and benefits – which means higher taxes – as a reward for the people who are running our public school system into the ground.
So, in the coming debate over the future of spending, property taxes, and affordability, if you want to know who in the Vermont legislature will be representing the government education special interests over your interests, here’s the list.
Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale CHI SE 1, Dem
Sen. Ginny Lyons CHI SE 1, Dem
Sen. Rich Westman LAM, Rep/Dem
Sen. Ann Cummings WAS 1, Dem
Sen. Andrew Perchlik WAS 1, Dem/Prog
Sen. Anne Watson WAS 1, Dem/Prog
Sen. Wendy Harrison WDH 1, Dem
Sen. Nadir Hashim WDH 1, Dem
Sen. Alison Clarkson WDR 1, Dem
Sen. Joe Major WDR 1, Dem
Sen. Becca White WDR 1, Dem
Rep. Robin Scheu ADD 1, Dem
Rep. Peter Conlon ADD 2, Dem
Rep. Matt Birong ADD 3, Dem
Rep. Mari Cordes ADD 4, Dem
Rep. Herb Olson ADD 4, Dem
Rep. Jubilee McGill ADD 5, Dem
Rep. David Durfee BEN 3, Dem
Rep. Robert Hunter BEN 4, Dem
Rep. Kathleen James BEN 4, Dem
Rep. Michael Nigro BEN 5, Dem
Rep. Scott Campbell CAL-ESX, Dem
Rep. Jana Brown CHI-1, Dem
Rep. Kate Nugent CHI-10, Dem
Rep. Brian Miner CHI-11, Dem
Rep. Martin LaLonde CHI-12, Dem
Rep. Tiff Bluemle CHI-13, Dem
Rep. Bram Kleppner CHI-13, Dem
Rep. Barbara Rachelson CHI-14, Dem/Prog
Rep. Mary-Katherine Stone CHI-14, Dem
Rep. Brian Cina CHI-15, Prog
Rep. Troy Hedrick CHI -15, Prog/Dem
Rep. Jill Krowinski CHI-16, Dem
Rep. Kate Logan CHI-16, Prog/Dem
Rep. Carol Ode CHI-18, Dem
Rep. Sarita Austin CHI-19, Dem
Rep. Wendy Critchlow CHI-19, Dem
Rep. Angela Arsenault CHI-2, Dem
Rep. Erin Brady CHI-2, Dem
Rep. Doug Bishop CHI-20, Dem
Rep. Gayle Pezzo CHI-20, Dem
Rep. Daisy Berbeco CHI-21, Dem
Rep. Chloe Tomlinson CHI-21, Prog/Dem
Rep. Karen Dolan CHI-22, Dem
Rep. Lori Houghton CHI-22, Dem
Rep. Lenora Dodge CHI-23, Dem
Rep. Ray Garofano CHI-23, Dem
Rep. Alyssa Black CHI-24, Dem
Rep. Edye Graning CHI-3, Dem
Rep. Trevor Squirrell CHI-3, Dem
Rep. Phil Pouech CHI-4, Dem
Rep. Chea Waters Evans CHI-5, Dem
Rep. Kate Lally CHI-6, Dem
Rep. B.M. Burkhardt CHI-8, Dem
Rep. Emily Krasnow CHI-9, Dem
Rep. Chris Taylor CHI-FRA, Rep
Rep. Dan Noyes LAM-2, Dem
Rep. Lucy Boyden LAM-3, Dem
Rep. Saudia LaMont LAM-WAS, Dem
Rep. Dave Yacovone LAM-WAS, Dem
Rep. Monique Priestly ORA-2, Dem
Rep. Jay Hooper ORA-WAS-ADD, Dem
Rep. Larry Satcowitz ORA-WAS-ADD, Dem
Rep. Leanne Harple ORL-4, Dem
Rep. Dara Torre WAS-2, Dem
Rep. Candice White WAS-2, Dem
Rep. Teddy Wazazak WAS-3, Dem
Rep. Connor Casey WAS 4, Dem/Prog
Rep. Kate McCann WAS 4, Dem/Prog
Rep. Ella Chapin WAS 5, Dem
Rep. Mark Mihaly WDH 6, Dem
Rep. Tom Stevens WAS-CHI, Dem
Rep. Theresa Wood WAS-CHI, Dem
Rep. Zon Eastes WDH-1, Dem
Rep. Laura Sibilia WDH-2, Ind
Rep. Michelle Bos-Lun WDH-3, Dem
Rep. Leslie Goldman WDH-3, Dem
Rep. Mike Mrowicki WDH-4, Dem/Prog
Rep. Emily Long WDH-5, Dem
Rep. Emily Carris-Duncan WDH 6, Dem
Rep. Emille Kornheiser WDH 7, Dem
Rep. Mollie Burke WDH 8, Dem
Rep. John Bartholomew WDR-1, Dem
Rep. Elizabeth Burrows WDR-1, Dem
Rep. Alice Emmons WDR-3, Dem
Rep. Kristi Morris WDR-3, Dem
Rep. Heather Suprenant WDR-4, Dem
Rep. “Coach” Christie WDR-6, Dem
Rep. Esme Cole WDR-6, Dem/Prog
Rep. Kirk White WDR-ADD, Dem
Rep. John O’Brien WDR-ORA 1, Dem
Rep. Rebecca Holcombe WDR-ORA 2, Dem
Rob Roper is a freelance writer who has been involved with Vermont politics and policy for over 20 years. This article reprinted with permission from Behind the Lines: Rob Roper on Vermont Politics, robertroper.substack.com
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Categories: Commentary, Education, State Government, Taxes
This is the problem with a democracy vs. republic.
51% can take all the money from 49% because of a majority, that is if you subscribe to “democracy” vs a republic where there are laws protecting the minority.
Who are the 10 people who make all the decisions in Montpelier???
We are run by unions, by special interests and lobbyists, who own and fund the above list. They could care less about Vermont citizenry.
This is why we wanted to tax the lobbyists….they aren’t citizens. Corporations are not citizens. Unions are not citizens…but they have the most power in our corrupt little state, our cabal know as Montpelier.
We have perhaps the most corrupt government in our nation, ethics grade of D- proves that out, our tax bill seconds the motion, our attempt to live affordably in peace with little success passes the motion.
We need change, not just a slight economic adjustment.
We don’t need more of the same as long as it doesn’t bankrupt Vermonters….thank you anyway Lt. Governor.
Let them have school choice, lol…….yeah watch what happens then!
They don’t want freedom for us because it’s opposed to the power and money they crave.
These people above are also not free to vote their conscience or for their constituents, they are told how to vote. If they don’t vote as they are told they are CANCELED, primaried…not given any power.
10 people in Montpelier set the agenda (given to them surely) and tell everybody to implement and vote accordingly.
Who are the puppet masters?
Who pays the puppet masters?
Who really controls power in Montpelier?
Is Montpelier a cabal, a republic or a democracy, would be a good question for Guy to ask the elected officials, followed up with a “why do you think that way?”
I believe you are correct Neil Johnson.
Where is the Republican plan to cut spending? There is a plan..?
How much money is being cut from spending and current budget?
How much lower will be next year’s budget?
Which legislator is compiling and reporting the savings?
We didn’t vote you in to keep current spending levels.
Tom they are really good at proposing nothing and doing even less.
The good governor needs to break the VTNEA chokehold on legislators,
not likely during his tenure as governor. Until the union/lobbyist/legislator money machine is vanquished, every Vermont resident will continue to subsidize the grift.
Education spending is now funded by so many “revenue sources” that simply reforming or changing the one doubles down on another- change the property tax formula and see the income (payroll) tax increase. The 1997 Brigham decision was wrong then and remains flawed despite almost 3 decades of legislative meddling and “funding” fixes. Until Brigham is struck down, it will be the shield that VTNEA and the legislature use to keep the grift system intact.
Frank, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. The Brigham decision found “that the current educational funding system denies equal educational opportunities in violation of the Vermont Constitution”. Act 60 equalized the funding, but not the allocation of that funding. If the Brigham decision cites ‘equal educational opportunities’ as its basis, that some students are allowed to use public funding to choose to attend an independent school, while others are not allowed to do so, is unconstitutional under Brigham.
The corruption occurs in the Vermont Supreme Court’s recent decision that the act of choosing a school does not constitute an ‘educational opportunity’. And, obviously, this is an incongruous claim that should be taken to the SCOTUS on appeal. And I believe that efforts are being undertaken to do just that.
But, in the meantime, the entire issue can be remedied by passing the H.405 School Choice bill that I spend so much time writing about. H.405 simply expands the provision of some parents being able to choose an independent school at public expense to all Vermont parents being allowed to do so. And when all parents have this choice, a true educational free market will take shape.
Mr Eshelman- Brigham was and is a tool to make an agenda into law, howard dean saw that it happened under his watch, one of his priorities at the time. Brigham built a shield around the VTNEA and the legislature to enact Act 60 and dozens of additional bills to “fine tune” the debacle. I agree that School choice should be part of the solution, however it will not be the main solution. As long as union/lobbyist pandering holds sway in the legislature, the public, constituent, taxpayer, tourist alike will be taxed to support the grift. The power of donor dollars is too great in Vermont.
Well clearly the Brigham decision did the opposite of the intention, which many of us knew, instead it has only made us stupid and broke, rightfully for passing this, but still.
Since Vermont is spending more per capita and NOT getting results the Brigham decision on that basis alone needs to be repealed immediately. Again, something the VTGOP could plead for, ask about, publicly call for, but alas, it will not come.
There are plenty of great ways to improve education and reduce spending on education, Jay mentions it all the time.
Every get the feeling Montpelier likes things just the way they are?