Category Archives: Budget, School

Surging Home Values Aren’t Causing Vermont’s School Tax Spike—Spending Is

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Why Vermont’s Rising Home Values Don’t Automatically Raise Your School Tax Bill A common misconception among some homeowners and public officials is that surging home values in Vermont are a significant contributor to the increase in school property taxes. But while education finance is a complex topic, rapidly increasing home values are not the direct cause of the double-digit percentage increase in your school tax bill. Instead, spending on education is the main factor driving changes in your taxes. If Continue reading Surging Home Values Aren’t Causing Vermont’s School Tax Spike—Spending Is→

A Taxpayer’s Perspective on the Norwich School Board Budget Guidelines

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The Norwich School Board recently took the first step in shaping next year’s budget by adopting its “2025-26 Norwich Budget Guidelines.” As these early discussions begin, many of us in town are already feeling the strain from this year’s nearly 17% increase in school property taxes. Unfortunately, it is not going to get better. While Vermont’s funding system aims to promote a fairer distribution of resources across all schools, the reality is that some of us are left questioning how Continue reading A Taxpayer’s Perspective on the Norwich School Board Budget Guidelines→

Increase class size at MCS?

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Now that some dust has settled for this year on financing Act 127, I wonder if our School Board should address the difficult question of increasing class size (students per section) at Marion Cross School. Under H.850, which is now law, school boards can delay the vote on their budgets until April 15 in order to rework them. If I am correctly reading the materials from the Norwich Budget Presentation on December 6, 2023, MCS could go from three sections Continue reading Increase class size at MCS?→