Gov. Phil Scott doubled down Thursday on the need for education governance and finance reform despite over 90% of school budgets approved by voters on Town Meeting Day. Scott said he’s appreciative school districts kept their spending tight to not raise property taxes as much as last year so the state can try and buy down the statewide average increase of 6%.He added that despite districts listening to him, the status quo of local control is still not sustainable because the state doesn’t have money to pay down property taxes every year.A part of Scott’s proposal to get the rate down to 0% is using the money it costs to fund universal school meals and roll it back to needs-based.However, Scott acknowledged Democrats have stood firm against that, and now it’s up to them to find a different funding source. “I look forward to their proposals to find $17 million worth of cuts in other areas, and I’m not advocating and will not raise any taxes or fees to fill that gap, so at this point,t it’s on them to come back with a suggestion of what they would cut,” Scott said. If a compromise can’t be made it’s possible there is no buy down. Recently state senators unveiled parts of their own plan that would create seven districts and two supervisory unions. When asked about it Scott said he’s not dead set on his five district proposal as long as consolidation happens.
Gov. Phil Scott doubled down Thursday on the need for education governance and finance reform despite over 90% of school budgets approved by voters on Town Meeting Day.
Scott said he’s appreciative school districts kept their spending tight to not raise property taxes as much as last year so the state can try and buy down the statewide average increase of 6%.
Advertisement
He added that despite districts listening to him, the status quo of local control is still not sustainable because the state doesn’t have money to pay down property taxes every year.
A part of Scott’s proposal to get the rate down to 0% is using the money it costs to fund universal school meals and roll it back to needs-based.
However, Scott acknowledged Democrats have stood firm against that, and now it’s up to them to find a different funding source.
“I look forward to their proposals to find $17 million worth of cuts in other areas, and I’m not advocating and will not raise any taxes or fees to fill that gap, so at this point,t it’s on them to come back with a suggestion of what they would cut,” Scott said.
If a compromise can’t be made it’s possible there is no buy down. Recently state senators unveiled parts of their own plan that would create seven districts and two supervisory unions. When asked about it Scott said he’s not dead set on his five district proposal as long as consolidation happens.