Education and Education Funding

Traditionally, Vermont schools have stood among the highest quality schools in the country.  We should be proud of that achievement and we must continue to support our education system.  Stowe schools, specifically, have provided quality education to many, including me.

However, the financing of our state's schools must be addressed.  While the underlying goal of Act 60 and 68 is an important one (to give each Vermont student substantially equal educational opportunity) in too many cases, the financing system the Legislature created has not achieved that goal.  Each year, more and more towns become sending towns, schools are struggling to maintain educational services and other programs, and property taxes have skyrocketed to unaffordable and unsustainable levels.

Repeal the Statewide Property Tax

In order to ensure that reforming this education funding system is the number one priority in the next Legislative biennium, we must repeal the statewide property tax effective July 2009.

The current Legislative leadership has refused to address this critical issue in any meaningful way, and it is time they did.

Putting the repeal into effect in July 2009 will give the Legislature and the Governor two years to work together to create a new funding system - one that is fair and equitable to all, and one that maintains the principles of the Brigham decision that every Vermont student be given substantially equal educational opportunity.

If the Legislature could create Act 60 in 127 days, I believe it can come up with a better, fairer system in two years.