Dear Gov. Phil Scott,
I was deeply surprised and dismayed that you publicly announced your intention to vote against the Washington Central School District budget so close to Town Meeting Day. The timing of this announcement prompts me to seek clarification and raise several important questions.
As a resident of Berlin, I wonder whether you had the opportunity to attend any of our budget meetings to gain a fuller understanding of the thoughtful and deliberate process behind the development of this budget. I do not recall seeing you at these meetings, and your perspective would have been welcomed.
Given the influence your words carry across Vermont and especially within your hometown, I am concerned about the impact of your statement. Your comments focused primarily on property taxes, without reference to the academic, social and emotional needs of our students and families. Following the recent decision to keep Worcester and Calais schools open, our district must now distribute already limited resources across five elementary schools. This reality inevitably affects programming and opportunities for growth and learning for our young learners. Public statements of opposition at this late stage may further complicate an already challenging situation.
I was also struck by the absence of acknowledgment of the district’s core values, shared commitments, strategic plan and student outcomes. While property taxes are unquestionably an important issue, voting against the school budget does not address the structural cost drivers — health care, infrastructure and so on — that impact education funding.
Announcing opposition so near to Town Meeting Day does not, in my view, reflect meaningful engagement with the district that serves the children of your community. Given the significance of your role, your voice carries substantial weight, not just here in your hometown, but across the state as well. If there are concerns about the budget, it would have been constructive to share them during the months-long development process rather than in the days immediately preceding the vote.
The budget approved by the board is grounded in our shared values and our steadfast commitment to serving all students. It was presented to voters with humility and hope, reflecting both fiscal responsibility and our responsibility to provide meaningful educational opportunities. While we agree that Vermont must continue to examine and improve how education is funded, reducing opportunities for students is not a long-term solution.
I remain profoundly dismayed by both the timing of your announcement and the absence of engagement during the budget development process. Nevertheless, I look forward to more direct dialogue moving forward. I respectfully urge you to review the full materials available on the board resource page and reconsider your position.
Respectfully,
Flor Diaz Smith
Chair, Washington Central School Board
