Vermont

Vt. lawmakers scour for Ed Fund revenue following Town Meeting Day massacre

Published

10 months ago

March 14, 2024

Vt. lawmakers scour for Ed Fund revenue following Town Meeting Day massacre

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – How can Vermont find more funding for education, and are new education-financing reforms needed? School superintendents who saw the voter backlash to double-digit property taxes on Town Meeting Day say they can’t cut their budgets anymore and instead want lawmakers to find additional money for the Education Fund, to offset the need for higher taxes.

Superintendents across Vermont are still digesting last week’s Town Meeting Day results, where voters rejected an unprecedented one-third of local school budgets.

“Our communities have told us we need to make cuts, but they have also told us that they want the best education possible for their children,” said Flor Diaz Smith, chair of the Washington Central Unified Union School District.

Thirty districts voted down their school budgets and school administrators say costs across the state are spiking with schools absorbing more costs that don’t involve academics.

“The reality is our school funding system is disguising the true cost of mental health and social services and other costs in the state,” said Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union Superintendent Lynn Cota. She says many districts are re-warning school budget votes for the spring that could include laying off staff and cutting programs.

“This is all crystalizing, school districts are in a tough position,” said Rep. Emilie Kornheiser, D- Brattleboro, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. She says lawmakers plan on raising other tax revenues to help ease the pressure on property taxes. That could include taxes on streaming services, software, sugary soft drinks, and the sales tax. “When we’re making decisions around the Education Fund, we want to make sure it is a more progressive revenue source than the property tax.”

Governor Phil Scott opposes raising any taxes and says lawmakers need to focus on cost containment. “That’s $225 million; 20% increase; 30% of the budgets fell. That’s unheard of in Vermont. We’ve got a problem on our hands,” he said.

State lawmakers are also looking to find efficiencies including letting districts join in transportation and mental health contracts together and by putting more funds toward community schools. They are also advancing a bill to create a school construction aid program, which was a big driver of school budgets this year. Some say it’s also time to resume discussions about school consolidation from where the Act 46 school merger measure left off.

But while districts go back to the drawing board, they say that they can’t take on more programs or expenses. “We need help. What we don’t need is new obstacles or mandates from the Legislature that reduce our funding or stretch our budgets even further,” said WCUUSD’s Flor Diaz Smith.

It’s still too soon to see what the exact tax rate will be because there are still over a dozen districts that need to hold votes, in addition to the 30 revotes.

Vermont

Vermont has 4th highest rate of homelessness in nation, data shows

Published

1 hour ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

Vermont has 4th highest rate of homelessness in nation, data shows

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – New data shows Vermont now has the fourth highest rate of homelessness per capita in the country. But that’s down from the second highest in the nation last year.

Federal data shows disasters elsewhere are pushing other states higher.

Since winding down government-funded hotel rooms for the homeless, Vermont has struggled to find enough shelter space.

Providers say despite dropping in the national ranking, Vermont is still in a homelessness crisis.

“Through the last several months we have been straight out. We are utterly exhausted from the level of provision of services keeping to keep people alive and out of the elements,” said Julie Bond, the executive director of the Good Samaritan Haven.

Later this month, Vermont will participate in the national Point in Time Count to assess the needs of the homeless. But even then, experts say that data has limitations.

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Vermont

When will the polar vortex reach Vermont? See forecast of when cold temps are coming

Published

9 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

When will the polar vortex reach Vermont? See forecast of when cold temps are coming

What is the polar vortex?

The polar vortex is a large area of low-pressure and cold air that typically swirls around the Earth’s poles, particularly the North Pole.

unbranded – Newsworthy

The new year brings a wave of cold temperatures to much of the country, including Vermont.

A polar vortex, which is a large pocket of cold air that swirls in place over the North and South Poles, is expected to spill south and push Arctic-level temperatures across the country next week.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, the surge of cold temperatures is expected to hit most of the eastern part of the country.

NOAA’s latest forecast has most of Vermont likely to see below freezing temperatures throughout most of next week. Here’s what to know.

When will polar vortex reach Vermont?

A polar vortex bringing a surge of Arctic temperatures is expected to reach most of the country, including Vermont, mid-next week through Jan. 14, according to NOAA.

According to AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva, the polar vortex blasts are expected to hit from Jan. 3 to 4, Jan. 7 to 8 and Jan. 11 to 12.

Some parts of the country, like the northern Plains, could face a risk of heavy snow next week.

AccuWeather forecasters are predicting a possible snowstorm impacting metro areas including Boston later next week.

How cold will it be in Vermont during polar vortex? Temperature forecast

During next week’s polar vortex, some parts of the country could reach temperatures as low as -30°F, according to the latest AccuWeather forecast.

Temperatures in Vermont are expected to reach peak lows between Jan. 8 and Jan. 10. AccuWeather’s forecast has the northeast, including Vermont, hitting somewhere between 0 and 10°F on those days.

“This could end up being the coldest January since 2011 for the U.S. as a whole,” said AccuWeather’s lead long-range expert Paul Pastelok.

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Vermont

Vermont H.S. sports scores for Thursday, Jan. 2: See how your favorite team fared

Published

17 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

Vermont H.S. sports scores for Thursday, Jan. 2: See how your favorite team fared

Emma Hodgson 24-point performance leads Essex girls basketball to win

Emma Hodgson was dominant in the paint, scoring 24 points leading Essex girls basketball to the champions game in the MMU Holiday tournament.

The 2024-2025 Vermont high school winter season has begun. See below for scores, schedules and game details (statistical leaders, game notes) from basketball, hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, Nordic/Alpine skiing and other winter sports.

TO REPORT SCORES

Coaches or team representatives are asked to report results ASAP after games by emailing sports@burlingtonfreepress.com. Please submit with a name/contact number.

►Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter:@aabrami5.

►Contact Judith Altneu at jaltneu@gannett.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @Judith_Altneu.