Dear Editor,
I support Springfield’s proposed school budget and ask that you vote “yes” on March 1. A wide group of community members, including myself, worked for several weeks crafting our school budget. We asked tough questions ensuring that our tax dollars are being allocated wisely.
Springfield local taxes pay about 23% of the overall proposed $33 million budget. That is roughly $7.8 million in local taxes, of which, $3.5 million is from residential homeowners. Qualifying Springfield homeowners will receive $1.4 million back in property tax relief. The school budget is increasing by 1.71% from last year. And while the per pupil cost has increased 5.75%, the tax rate is going down 1.4 cents per $100 of property value. The bulk of the money comes from the State Education Fund.
When we vote down school budgets, it sets our town and our district back. We are in direct competition regionally to hire high quality teachers and staff. We cannot move forward in hiring without a budget – causing us to fall behind. This is especially important as we face a teacher shortage nationwide.
Staffing shortfalls make it difficult to meet our children’s needs in the classrooms. Without proper staffing, we cannot fully support students in their learning to recover from this pandemic.
This school budget is a good budget and worth supporting. It is well thought out and maximizes our resources. Please join me in voting “yes” to our school budget this year.
Sincerely,
Mary Krueger
Springfield, Vt.