Editor’s note: This commentary is by Gary Murdock, of Orwell, who is a cost estimator for a global engineering and construction management firm.
Like it or not, Gov. Phil Scott’s health care savings proposal is a natural extension of our quasi single payer education system. The statewide education tax and income sensitivity makes everyone’s school budget everyone’s problem. A bloated budget in one community affects the taxes paid by a resident on the opposite end of the state. This is why I find the opposition from the education establishment and the Democrats they support so blatantly hypocritical. They want to preserve local bargaining of health benefits in one town, and force someone who couldn’t find that town on a map to pay for it.
So here’s my solution for the Legislature to solve the problem: finish what they started and institute a single payer education system. Here’s a bird’s eye view of what the new system would entail:
• The statewide education property tax would end for residential property, a to be determined rate would remain for nonresidential. All income sensitivity rebates would end.
Let’s face it, local control is smoke and mirrors, Act’s 60/68/46 put an end to that.
• All school employees would become state employees, the Vermont NEA goes the way of the buggy whip. Imagine Act 46 on steroids, one all-inclusive statewide school system. Resources will be shared across the system, no more supervisory unions and the borders they create.
• This new system will be managed by one elected official from each county that shall meet and do their business during the regular legislative session in Montpelier. One elected rep per county is critical to prevent a Chittenden County dominance. These new elected representatives would replace the current House and Senate education committees. This would help reduce political influence, these individuals will answer to the residents of the counties that elect them, and not House and Senate leadership.
• This new system will be funded by the tax on nonresidential property, and a combination of income and sales taxes.
• School choice under this system would be expanded. Tuitioning of students would no longer be needed, a student can attend the school of their choice.
This proposal should be a Progressive-Democrat dream come true. It’s the ultimate in fairness, as all schools receive identical resources, paid for based on income and ability to pay. No more crippling property tax, no more duplication of services, and complete equality across the entire system. Let’s face it, local control is smoke and mirrors, Act’s 60/68/46 put an end to that.
I would love to see the numbers crunched to see how the state fares under this proposal.
