Hello Friends,
The big news this week is the governor’s plan for the future of education in Vermont. It is a drastic change from our current system, but perhaps now is the time for a major overhaul? There are many details which still need to be presented, and then discussed at length. Some will emerge this week when the governor presents his budget. One thing is for sure, given the mandate from the voters to stem the rise in property taxes and other pressures on the system, not everyone will be happy. Maybe no one will be. And, perhaps a dramatic change is the best long-term decision to be made when we look at the state as a whole. For sure, this plan drastically reduces local control. It also simplifies the system – going from 119 school districts to five. The state would set per-pupil spending, and would centralize services and standard making.
To get caught up on the plan and see some analysis, please go to this Vermont Public story, www.tinyurl.com/4fxdh3um. We need to hear from you – what do you think of the plan? No decisions have been made. This is just a proposal. And the details will be important. The House and Senate Education Committees and the money committees are coordinating and taking lots of testimony in the coming weeks. You can view all proceedings of the General Assembly on YouTube, in real time or at your convenience.
In my committee, Energy and Digital Infrastructure, we are taking lots of foundational testimony on how the various power and communications systems work. For example, last week we heard from the utilities like GMP, the organization that controls the state’s power grid (VELCO), and the organization that controls the New England grid. These groups are doing a good job focusing on reliability and cost, but the changing climate (more severe storms, wetter snow, higher winds) has increased costs dramatically.
Sincerely,
Rep. Chris Morrow
Andover-Londonderry-Weston-Winhall
cmorrow@leg.state.vt.us