By Guy Page
Following eight ‘Super Tuesday’ school budget revotes Tuesday, April 16, the total of revoted budgets statewide now stands at three passed, 11 rejected.
At Town Meeting March 5, voters in 30 school districts rejected their school budgets, mostly due to concern over the proposed 20% statewide property tax. Since then, 14 of the school districts have submitted revised budgets to voters. Revotes are pending in the other 16 school districts. Several other districts statewide have yet to hold their first 2024-25 school budget vote.
School districts without an approved school budget by July 1 will be allowed to borrow up to 87% of current funding, while they continue to submit budgets for voter approval.
Last night, school voters found the revised budgets lackingh in Milton, Fairfax, Springfield, the Mount Abraham Union school district, the Lamoille North school district, and the Lamoille South school district.
Voters in two districts found the new budgets acceptable. Champlain Valley Union School District (Williston, Shelburne, Hinesburg, Charlotte, St. George) and the Paine Mountain School District (Northfield, Williamstown) approved their revised budgets.
Champlain Valley Union School District serves relatively wealthy ‘bedroom’ communities in Chittenden County. The high school student council led a walk-out Monday in support of the school budget. The vote was Yes 4358, No 2947, according to a CVUSD Facebook post.
The six no votes Tuesday raises to 11 the number of school districts that have voted down school budgets twice. The others are Georgia, South Burlington, St. Johnsbury, NEK East, and Slate Valley (an Addison/Rutland county district).
Vote totals from yesterday include: Milton 635 (yes – 1,114 no), Fairfax (508-608), and Mt. Abraham Union School District in Addison County (907-964), Springfield, and the two Lamoille County supervisory unions are not yet available, but the No vote has been confirmed.
Lamoille North Supervisory Union is a PreK-12 supervisory union & school district serving Belvidere, Cambridge, Eden, Hyde Park, Johnson, and Waterville. Its revised budget featured a $357,000 (2.26%) decrease from the budget rejected at Town Meeting.
Like many school districts down 0-2, Lamoille North is sharpening its pencils for another budget vote before July 1.
“We are writing to report that the Revised FY25 Lamoille North Modified Unified Union School District Elementary budget has been voted down,” district officials announced on its Facebook page last night. No totals were provided. “This revised elementary budget does not include any new programming or initiatives but continues the current level of services and educational opportunities provided for our elementary students. Without a passed budget by July 1, 2024, our capacity to serve our students is greatly diminished.
“The School Board will continue to work on providing a reasonable and responsible FY25 MUUSD elementary budget. There will be another opportunity for our community to pass a budget before July 1, 2024. More information on the next vote will be coming next week.”
The final tally for the No vote in Morristown/Elmore school district is not available.