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Editorial
Dems
Vote to EXPAND Education Spending and RAISE Property Taxes
From VTGOP RollCall
In a truly jaw dropping vote,
Vermont House Democrats voted to eliminate the cost-containment cap on
Pre-Kindergarten enrollment that was part of the 2007 agreement for Pre-K
passage. This decision to further expand Vermont's already troubled K-12
education funding system puts Vermont property taxpayers on the hook for
what is potentially a $30 million tax increase.
The
vote was 80 - 52
(Roll
call printed below)
Words cannot describe how
irresponsible this vote was. Not only does this slam already overburdened
property taxpayers at the worst possible time given our economy and revenue
crisis, but it tosses out the legislature's promise in 2007 to evaluate
the effectiveness of the existing pre-k programs to see if they're even
working before an expansion of the program might occur.
From Act
62, 2007
Section 10
On or before January 1, 2010,
the commissioners of education and for children and families shall file
a written report with the house and senate committees on education regarding:...
(3) The statewide cost,
including the cost to the education fund,of providing prekindergarten programs
by or through school districts and any changes to that cost since the effective
date of this act.
(4) The annual expenditures
spent in support of prekindergarten care and education, with distinct figures
provided for expenditures made from the general fund, from the education
fund, and from all other sources, which sources shall be specified, from
the effective date of this act forward....
(6) The effectiveness
of prekindergarten programs in reaching quality program standards set forth
in department of education rule....
OR NOT! As of now, there
is no evidence that the programs are working, and no cost analysis has
been done. They voted to allow unlimited expansion anyway -- on your
tab!
At a time when all Vermonters
are tightening their belts, it is unacceptable that House Democrats would
vote to raise property taxes on hard-working Vermonters.
Vermont needs leaders who
walk the walk when it comes to putting the needs of their constituents
first.
______________
The legislators who voted
to increase property taxes to fund the expansion of an un-evaluated program
(with tens of millions of dollars of potential tax liability attached to
their decision) in the middle of a revenue crisis have demonstrated that
they are incapable of managing taxpayers' money responsibly.
Those
who voted to increase YOUR property taxes are:
Ancel, Democrat
of Calais
Atkins, Democrat of Winooski
Bissonnette, Democrat of
Winooski
Bohi, Democrat of Hartford
Botzow, Democrat of Pownal
Bray, Democrat of New Haven
Browning, Democrat of Arlington
Burke, Progressive of Brattleboro
Cheney, Democrat of Norwich
Conquest, Democrat of Newbury
Copeland-Hanzas, Democrat
of Bradford
Courcelle, Democrat of Rutland
City
Davis, Progressive of Washington
Deen, Democrat of Westminster
Donovan, Democrat of Burlington
Edwards, Progressive of
Brattleboro
Emmons, Democrat of Springfield
Evans, Democrat of Essex
Fisher, Democrat of Lincoln
Frank, Democrat of Underhill
French, Democrat of Shrewsbury
French, Democrat of Randolph
Geier, Democrat of South
Burlington
Gilbert, Democrat of Fairfax
Grad, Democrat of Moretown
Haas, Progressive of Rochester
Head, Democrat of South
Burlington
Hooper, Democrat of Montpelier
Howard, Democrat of Rutland
City
Johnson, Democrat of South
Hero
Keenan, Democrat of St.
Albans City
Kitzmiller, Democrat of
Montpelier
Klein, Democrat of East
Montpelier
Lanpher, Democrat of Vergennes
Lenes, Democrat of Shelburne
Leriche, Democrat of Hardwick
Lippert, Democrat of Hinesburg
Lorber, Democrat of Burlington
Macaig, Democrat of Williston
Maier, Democrat of Middlebury
Malcolm, Democrat of Pawlet
Marek, Democrat of Newfane
Martin, Democrat of Springfield
Martin, Democrat of Wolcott
Masland, Democrat of Thetford
McCullough, Democrat of
Williston
Milkey, Democrat of Brattleboro
Miller, Democrat of Shaftsbury
Minter, Democrat of Waterbury
Mitchell, Democrat of Barnard
Mook, Democrat of Bennington
Mrowicki, Democrat of Putney
Nease, Democrat of Johnson,
Majority Leader
Nuovo, Democrat of Middlebury
O'Brien, Democrat of Richmond
Obuchowski, Democrat of
Rockingham
Orr, Democrat of Charlotte
Partridge, Democrat of Windham
Peltz, Democrat of Woodbury
Perley, Republican of Enosburg
Poirier, Democrat of Barre
City
Potter, Democrat of Clarendon
Rodgers, Democrat of Glover
Shand, Democrat of Weathersfield
Sharpe, Democrat of Bristol
Smith, Democrat of Mendon
South, Democrat of St. Johnsbury
Spengler, Democrat of Clochester
Stevens, Independent of
Shoreham
Stevens, Democrat of Waterbury
Sweaney, Democrat of Windsor
Taylor, Democrat of Barre
City
Till, Democrat of Jericho
Toll, Democrat of Danville
Waite-Simpson, Democrat
of Essex
Weston, Democrat of Burlington
Wilson, Democrat of Manchester
Wizowaty, Democrat of Burlington
Zenie, Democrat of Colchester
Zuckerman, Progressive of
Burlington
If your legislator is listed
here, please take a moment to contact them by email or by phone to let
them know how disappointed you are by their vote. Contact information can
be found at the Legislative
Directory, or leave a message with the Sergeant-At-Arms
office by calling 802-828-2228.
Also, let your community
know how these "representatives" are voting with a letter to the editor
to your local paper. Here are a few links...
Burlington
Free Press
Times
Argus
Rutland
Herald
Caledonian
Record
Bennington
Banner
Brattleboro
Reformer
Valley
News
Newport
Daily Express
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