I hope the spring holidays, longer days and recent protests have lifted spirits like they have mine. I left Harwood’s impressive spring musical, Hadestown, feeling fortified by the power of song and the depth of local talent. In the State House last week, we started off with a public hearing on the ICE raid in South Burlington and ended with time honoring Vermont’s winter Olympians and ski legends, including Paula Moltzan and Bill Koch.
Legislators also bid an emotional farewell to Rep. Topper McFaun from Barre Town, who is retiring after over 20 years of service on the House Human Services and Health Care Committees. This week, Rep. Candice White and I will participate in a nonpartisan “Braver Politics” workshop for legislators featuring expert facilitation from the Valley’s own Kathy Cadwell. I’ll be returning to Harwood this Saturday, April 11, for the free Vermont Changemaker’s Summit, a full day with speakers, workshops, and networking with Vermonters working to make change. Visit vnrc.org/vtchangemakerssummit/ for more info and to sign up.
The long-awaited House Education Committee bill, H.955, which builds on reforms envisioned in Act 73 from last year, has arrived. To strengthen our public education system and stabilize how we fund it, the bill jumpstarts regional collaboration between districts that follows a proven model used in other states. H.955 seeks to increase efficiencies, educational opportunities, and cost savings while adding capacity for communities and districts to explore strategic mergers where it makes sense by: 1) creating seven mandatory statewide Cooperative Education Service Areas (CESAs) that will provide regional special education resources, business and administrative services, and supports for union school district creation; 2) calls for facilitated regional study committees to identify voluntary mergers that could achieve educational benefits, align with local priorities, and be cost-effective; 3) adds updated contingencies for the implementation of a new statewide funding mechanism (foundation formula); and 4) requests a Joint Fiscal Office contracted study of how pre-Kindergarten education funding could fit within our education finance system. The foundation formula, which most states use to set a per pupil spending amount, is contingent on the establishment of larger districts as envisioned in H.955 as well as further financial analysis that is due back to the General Assembly in December of this year.
H.955 is now in the hands of the House Ways & Means Committee as it responds to the directives in Act 73 and those proposed in H.955, including foundation formula tweaks and categorical grants that will go to districts; special education funding that will meet federal requirements; requirements for implementing the new second home nonhomestead tax classification; consistent appraisals that lessen reliance on the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA); school construction and school debt from past construction – any effort to operate at scale will mean newer, better buildings that are possibly in new locations; how to use state and local bonding, and state/private partnerships for school construction; school reserve guidance using consistent accounting principles; pre-Kindergarten funding analysis; and equitable transportation funding among districts. There's a lot more ahead for this bill, including inevitable changes in the Senate. Please stay in touch with your ideas and concerns as this bill evolves.
Another important process that’s garnering a lot of conversation is the bumpy rollout of Act 181 and its implications for rural land use and housing development. The Rural Caucus held a listening session last week that included comments on this topic, especially around how the most ecologically sensitive land areas, called “tier 3”, will be mapped and regulated. The Vermont Caucus for the Economy also tackled this topic, focusing on the housing pieces of Act 181 with Let’s Build Homes and a regional planner from Chittenden County. I appreciate the chance to hear from members of our community with their perspectives and would like to organize a local forum for a deeper discussion. The House Environment Committee is hearing from Vermonters now as it contemplates additional changes to S.325, the bill that came over from the Senate that would slow down the implementation of some of Act 181’s provisions.
Meetings/coffee hours
Please join Rep. White and me next Monday, April 13, 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. at the Big Picture Theater & Cafe to discuss these and other topics of interest and concern. For morning people, join me at Twisted Halo on Tuesday, April 21, 8 to 9:30 a.m. or at the Three Mountain Cafe on Saturday, April 25, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
