This commentary is by Peggy Stevens of Charleston.
Act 73 of 2025 “establishes a process for Vermont to transition to a reimagined system of public education” — that’s according to the state’s website explaining the law. The legislation is supposedly designed to streamline Vermont’s education system and alleviate the burden of education expenses on property tax payers.
I attended an informational meeting put on by the North Country Supervisory Union school board chair and superintendent in an effort to answer questions and concerns community members have about the impacts of Act 73 in our supervisory union.
I came away astonished that this legislation was ever passed, especially by legislators who claim to be fiscally conservative. The bill has “reimagined” a funding system that is uncertain about what the ultimate cost will be. If you ask me, it is a pig in a poke, something that is bought or accepted without knowing its value or seeing it first.
The 17-page handout from the Joint Fiscal Office provided at the meeting included many “estimates” for various projected costs. There are instances of “unknown” and “yet to be determined” and “impact is unclear” in those 17 pages that could have severe unintended negative consequences for our schools and students, especially in rural Vermont. People need to know they were being sold an idea that makes it look like something is being done to help taxpayers when it can’t be proven! Many communities are actually likely to see an increase in taxes! So, potentially no gain and lots of pain
Of course, any piece of legislation cannot be absolutely certain what final costs may be, but this act seems to be chock full of uncertainty. Worse, in addition to financial repercussions, is the loss of local control. Our area schools will not have local boards and representation, in a school district potentially spanning from Canaan to Lowell to Glover that will have one school board of five to seven individuals chosen in “voting wards.” Folks will no longer vote on town school budgets, instead the boards of these “mega districts” will determine how the money is spent.
I am sure there are many areas where education costs could be shared, streamlined and trimmed without leaving the future of our education funding system in jeopardy. Let’s first work within our existing supervisory unions to not just “imagine” but create effective change that would serve everyone’s best interests, especially our rural community schools, their students and teachers, and our taxpayers.
Talk to your legislators. Act 73 would best be repealed and brought back to the drawing board. We deserve a better process, and our students and taxpayers deserve a better future.
