Governor proposes revamping Act 60
3:36 p.m.
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By Louis Porter
Vermont Press Bureau - Published: January 8, 2009
MONTPELIER - School spending has been largely outside the control of Vermont's governors and up to local board members. Not anymore, if Gov. James Douglas succeeds in getting sweeping changes he proposed Thursday through what will likely be a dense thicket of opposition.
In his fourth inaugural address, which at that at times sounded more like a budget speech, Douglas proposed a series of law changes that would limit per pupil spending next fiscal year in schools across the state to the current year's levels, and shift more education costs onto the Education Fund. The limits on spending would not just apply to the portion of education funding that passes through the state government's hands, but - unless local voters decided otherwise - would limit the local portion of school spending as well.
For school districts with declining enrollment - many of the districts across the state - that would mean a drop in actual spending in schools that collectively have seen increases in spending despite dropping numbers of students.
Meanwhile he would propose using the savings for a property tax reduction of more than $40 million and to prevent some of the cuts in General Fund spending that will be required to fill a massive budget gap expected next year.
"In fact, the state will collect no more from residential taxpayers next year than it has this year, a welcome change for struggling Vermonters," the Governor said.
The changes would last for one year, Douglas said. Then he will offer an as-yet-undrafted replacement for the statewide school financing system of Act 60 and its replacement Act 68.
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