• Latest

Vote ‘No’ on Revised Montpelier School Budget

April 14, 2014

News From The Forty & Eight (40&8) Voiture 646

January 31, 2023
The Winter Renaissance Faire is Back for Its 6th Year

The Winter Renaissance Faire is Back for Its 6th Year

January 31, 2023

Investment in Women is Needed to Grow Workforce for Infrastructure Projects

January 31, 2023

Cancer-Fighting Advocates Call on Gov. Scott to Protect VT Kids; Increase Tobacco Control Program Funding

January 31, 2023
African Queen (1951)

Notorious (1946)

January 31, 2023

RAD Denounces Threats to Organizing for Safe and Inclusive Schools

January 24, 2023
African Queen (1951)

The Heiress

January 24, 2023

Meet Your Chamber

January 24, 2023
Just Some Thoughts

The Purpose of Pendulums

January 24, 2023
Capital City Concerts offers a Free Family Concert on Saturday, January 28 in Montpelier

Capital City Concerts offers a Free Family Concert on Saturday, January 28 in Montpelier

January 17, 2023

VSAC’s College & Career Pathways Events Offer Workshops on Campuses Across Vermont

January 17, 2023

National Endowment for the Arts Announces Grants to Support the Arts in Vermont

January 17, 2023
  • Home
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
Monday, February 6, 2023
The World Online
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
    • Weddings & Engagements
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
    • Weddings & Engagements
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The World Online
No Result
View All Result

Vote ‘No’ on Revised Montpelier School Budget

vt-world by vt-world
April 14, 2014
in Letters & opinions
0

 

Editor:

 

In a letter to the editor in The World urging people to vote no on the Montpelier school budget proposal in March, I ended with the statement: “It is only by saying no to the proposed school budget that there might be some hope of conveying to those who control the purse strings that we’re not in la-la land but dealing with limits – not the least of which are financial.”

Well, that hope was dashed. The day after the proposed school budget was voted down, Sue Aldrich as chairwoman for the Montpelier School Board told VPR news that the loss was in part due to organized efforts to galvanize opposition.

The fact is, it was an organized and well-funded group called Friends of Montpelier Schools that took out a $450 ad in The Bridge this week to try to influence the outcome of the re-vote next week. And it was the Montpelier Schools System that took out a $900 ad (from school tax monies?) in The Bridge this week to do the same. Those of us who can’t afford significantly higher school taxes obviously can’t afford to pay for costly ads to influence the voting.

Putting the revised (but barely improved) school budget proposal in context; residents in Burlington, Colchester, Rutland, St. Johnsbury, and Bennington along with some 30 other Vermont cities and towns – together representing about 26% of the students in the state – voted down their respective March school budgets. It’s worthwhile to note that the proposed school property tax increases that went down to defeat were less (in some instances, significantly less) than the 13% increase proposed for Montpelier. In Burlington for example the proposed (and roundly defeated) school tax increase was 9.9%. But in Montpelier the School Board is coming back with a proposal that would still mean a whopping 11.8% increase over last year.

A quality public education for Montpelier students is essential. There is no question about this. The challenge is how to achieve quality within financial constraints and without demanding of those who have less that they give up what little they have.

Montpelier needs to have a school board that is representative of the community as a whole – comprising individuals who can make decisions which balance the needs of the schools with those of the whole community. Until such time, a ‘no’ vote on this ‘revised’ budget is the only appropriate action. It’s very important that everyone who has concerns about the budget gets out to vote on April 15.

 

Lew Friedland

Montpelier

Previous Post

In Support of a Livable Wage

Next Post

Berlin Concerned About Opiates

Next Post

Berlin Concerned About Opiates

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This Week’s Ads

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
The World
403 US Route 302
Barre, VT 05641
Phone: (802) 479-2582

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

No Result
View All Result
  • Art Exhibits
  • Audit and Reader Surveys
  • Births
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Daily Horoscope
  • Fall Guide
  • Food & Recipe
  • Home
  • Obituaries
  • Ongoing Events
  • Pay Your Bill Here
  • Senior Living Edition
  • Showtimes
  • Submit Birth Announcement
  • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
  • Submit Engagement Announcement
  • Submit Listing to our Local Directory
  • Submit Sports News/Photo
  • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Testimonials
  • The World Coupons
  • Weather Forecast
  • World Deadlines
  • World Distribution Map
  • World Rate Card
  • World Rates and Ad Sizes
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • About Us
  • Vermont Lottery
  • Advertising Information
  • The World Staff
  • Advertising Inquiry
  • Submit Letter To The Editor
  • Local Directory
  • Poll Results
  • Local Deals
  • Classifieds
  • Submit An Article To The World
  • Events
  • The World – This Week’s Online Digital Edition
  • The World Auto & Sports

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In