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Legislators ask recalcitrant voters to pass school budgets
By Guy Page
Voters in the Washington County towns of Marshfield and Plainfield who voted Yes on their school budget at Town Meeting and then had a decisive change of heart will vote for a third time Tuesday, June 4.
Also, legislative leaders are publicly pleading with Addison/Rutland school voters to not blame their local school boards for the property tax increases that have led to repeated rejection of budgets at the polls.
Two key legislators, both of whom voted for the current school funding formula that contributed to double-digit property tax hikes deplored by many voters statewide, say the local school boards are not to blame.
“These districts can’t responsibly cut more. It is time to approve their budgets so school leaders can plan for the next school year and provide the vital programs and services that so many students need,” Rep. Peter Conlon (D-Cornwall, Chair of House Education Committee) and Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison, Chair of Government Operations Committee) said in an op-ed [“School boards have done their jobs, now pass budget,” May 28 Addison Independent.]
Hardy is facing a primary challenge in the Democratic primary for the two Addison County state senate seats. Rep. Caleb Elder of Starksboro has announced he will run against incumbents Hardy and Chris Bray.
Conlon and Hardy blamed the big property tax increase on the state school funding formula, ”inflation, a 16% hike in health insurance costs, and a dramatic increase in student mental health and remedial education needs,” and decline in federal funding. They hope the third and even fourth time will be the charm in these three school districts:
- Slate Valley Unified School District (Benson Village School, Castleton Elementary, Fair Haven Grade School, Fair Haven Union Memorial High School, Orwell Village School). Budget up for fourth vote today, Thursday May 30, is identical to the budget rejected the third time.
- Mount Abraham Union School District (Bristol, Monkton) – budget rejected twice (Town meeting, April 16). Vote set for Tuesday, June 11.
- Otter Valley Union Unified School District (Brandon, Goshen, Leicester, Pittsford, Sudbury and Whiting). Vote set for June 11.
The op-ed was published as about 20 school districts across Vermont still have not approved school budgets. School districts without approved budgets by July 1 may borrow 87% of current operating expenses, month by month, until a budget is approved. VDC will provide an update on the ongoing Property Tax revolt on VDC-TV’s Friday at Four.
Part of that news coverage will be the curious situation in Plainfield/Marshfield, where the “Yes” vote for the Twinfield school district was close enough at Town Meeting to permit a revote. The revote saw the school budget rejected. Next step will be a third vote 7 AM – 7 PM Tuesday, June 4 at the Plainfield Town Clerk’s Office.
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Categories: Education, Local government
Re: “These districts can’t responsibly cut more. It is time to approve their budgets so school leaders can plan for the next school year and provide the vital programs and services that so many students need,” Rep. Peter Conlon (D-Cornwall, Chair of House Education Committee) and Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison, Chair of Government Operations Committee) said in an op-ed [“School boards have done their jobs, now pass budget,” May 28 Addison Independent.]
That these districts can’t be responsible is precisely the reason why they shouldn’t be running anything.
The fact is, these boards can do two things that will lower education costs and improve outcomes, as VT Statutes Annotated clearly indicates.
“The school board may both maintain a high school and furnish high school education by paying tuition to a public school as in the judgment of the board may best serve the interests of the pupils, or to an approved independent school or an independent school meeting school quality standards if the board judges that a pupil has unique educational needs that cannot be served within the district or at a nearby public school. Its judgment shall be final in regard to the institution the pupils may attend at public cost.”
But even better would be for these district school boards and their electorates to do what the Village School of North Bennington did. North Bennington closed its public school and reopened it as an independent school.
I’ve pointed this out umpteen times in the past. But clearly, no one is reading or considering the policy, or they just don’t give a darn, or they’re part of the cabal receiving their livelihoods from the corrupt monopoly.
And BTW: Beware of reconsideration votes on previously passed school budgets. There are those in my high school district who want to reconsider the budget that passed because they believe it to be too low. They want to increase spending even more.
>>>: “These districts can’t responsibly cut more. It is time to approve their budgets so school leaders can plan for the next school year and provide the vital programs and services that so many students need,”<<<
First thing that stuck in my craw was the audacity of this comment.
You hit the nail on the head.
Hey Vermonters! Get out and get people Registered legally to VOTE and get out and VOTE Red, Red, Red, Red, Red vote on or before August 13th 2024
Folks get out and get off the couch!!
school boards have been reckless and irresponsible, all that covid money poured in and they began spending, now that there’s no covid money they expect the tax payer to continue the endless gravy train. At a time when school enrollment is dropping, costs continue to rise. Vermont spends more per pupil than a majority of states with lower test scores as a result. It’s time for a change.
99% correct Carla, you forgot to add that with the lower test scores, the board and leadership is ok with 50% proficiency, but if the students get a 50% on a school test, they fail. Where is the accountability?
Carla, all that COVID money was actually used to fight the pandemic of systemic racism declared by the United Nations and World Bank. Much of that money and grants were used to pay for equity staff and programs. Most people do not know that the UN declared that 3 pandemics were occuring simultaneously: the pandemics of COVID-19, System Racism and Hate Speech.
“Conlon and Hardy blamed the big property tax increase on the state school funding formula, ”inflation, a 16% hike in health insurance costs, and a dramatic increase in student mental health and remedial education needs,” and decline in federal funding. They hope the third and even fourth time will be the charm in these three school districts:”
“state school funding formula”: that legislators are directly responsible for, including Hardy. & Conklin among many others. Why should voters approve budgets that are high because the legislature failed???
“inflation”: talk to sleepy Joe about that.
“16% hike in health insurance costs”: let the insured pick up part or all of the increase like the rest of world (private sector) has to routinely do.
“dramatic increase in student mental health and remedial education needs”: maybe stop indoctrinating students with confusion about what/who they are, forcing useless mask wearing, instilling constant fear about EVERYTHING, and maybe focusing on teaching real academic subject matter effectively, so that there will be no need for “remedial” follow up.
“decline in federal funding” aka ONE TIME PLANDEMIC FUNDING: don’t build budgets on funding you KNOW is not going to continue.
Good place to start is for EVERY legislator who had a hand in the botched funding formula and now it’s come back to bite them in the @$$ to step down and let’s get some new blood under the dome.
There, fixed it, no cost, you’re welcome.
I’m sorry, but schools have added so much beyond their core purpose over the years that they now claim are “essential” that budgets have exploded. Voters have tolerated it, but no more. Special ed, free lunch and breakfast, mental health, DEI… it’s gotten to where the 3 R’s are the smallest part of an “education” today.
And why did healthcare balloon 16% in one year?? Mine didn’t go up that much, and if it did, my employer sure isn’t going to shoulder all that; it gets shared.
Something stinks, and voters can smell it.
Hardy and Bray ? Get rid of both of them ! Win, win !
The end around game being played now is property”reappraisals.” The deficit spending is coming to bite cities and towns in their budget hindends. So, they are now instituting the Operation Tincup tax levy thievery. Reports across the nation are saying there are multi-billions being levied on property owners through reappraisals. They will not stop until every dime is taken out of our pockets into theirs. The labor necessary to pay government debt or personal debt will never be equal, jusitified, or paid in full…that is where every American is at now.