Taking no action on education reform is not an option

To the Editor:
On December 1, we received another double-digit estimated property tax projection. The continued growth in our property taxes is unsustainable and unaffordable for Vermonters across the state, and is forcing school districts to make difficult cuts that are impacting our students. Last year, we passed comprehensive legislation to transform our education system and today’s property tax projection is a reminder why this critical effort must continue. There are more tough conversations and difficult decisions ahead, and we must keep Vermont’s kids at the center.
Act 73 has spurred many discussions since it was enacted last spring and Vermonters have been engaged in helping to chart the path forward for our education system. As is the case with most legislation, there are a wide range of opinions on the direction we should take moving forward. It’s important for all of us to remember that the challenges before us are decades in the making and we will continue to see double-digit property tax projections and loss of educational opportunities for kids if we do nothing. This coming legislative session, we can make real, meaningful change to provide better educational opportunities for our kids. Taking no action is not an option.
The education system is the largest taxpayer-funded system we have in Vermont, supporting kids and families in every community - there is no one single policy change that will fix the problem before us. Legislation we passed last year, including health care reform initiatives, are already making a difference in lowering the cost. It will take a variety of changes to make a difference and we must be united in our mission to make sure that our public schools have the resources they need to support all of our kids, at a price that Vermonters can afford.
Jill Krowinski
Chittenden-16, Speaker of the House