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Champlain Valley School District set for revote on FY25 school budget on Tuesday

HOCHUL SAYS LAWMAKERS ARE EXPECTED TO PASS BILLS TO DISPERSE THE FUNDS. VOTERS IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT… ARE SET TO HEAD BACK TO THE POLLS TOMORROW TO VOTE FOR A áááSECOND TIME ON THEIR SCHOOL BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. A MONTH AGO…ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF VOTERS REJECTED THE nearly 106 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET. that came WITH an almost 11 PERCENT TAX INCREASE. THE REVISED BUDGET… less than 102 million. the tax increase cut in half. WITH this important VOTE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS…SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS, PARENTS, AND even the high school STUDENTS… WERE VOCAL about THEIR STANCES today. NBC’S TYLER BORONSKI JOINS US LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM NOW… WITH THOSE REACTIONS… TYLER… (áááTYLERááá) (áááLIVEááá) BRIAN, LIZ… SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS SAY THEY’VE DONE WHAT THEY CAN TO DECREASE THE BUDGET COST… WHILE NOT MAKING ANY MAJOR STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO THEIR SCHOOLS… IT’S WHY HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS TOOK ACTION TODAY… URGING undecided VOTERS …TO PASS THE BUDGET THROUGH ON TUESDAY. A DAY BEFORE A MAJOR SCHOOL BUDGET REVOTE… THAT WOULD AFFECT FIVE DIFFERENT TOWNS…. CHAMPLAIN VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS… WERE PUTTING THEIR FEET DOWN… <STUDENT WALK OUT> ON THE STANCE THEY BELIEVE VOTERS SHOULD TAKE… <NIKHIL BLASIUS, CVU STUDENT BODY CO- PRESIDENT, DURATION: 5 SECONDS, “IT’S A LOT OF MONEY, BUT PEOPLE’S LIVELIHOODS, STUDENTS’ LIVELIHOODS, AND TEACHERS’ LIVELIHOODS ARE AT STAKE.”> CVU STUDENT BODY CO- PRESIDENT NIKHIL BLASIUS…IS WORRIED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND FACULTY POSITIONS THAT WOULD BE ELIMINATED…IF THIS BUDGET DOESN’T PASS AGAIN. HE FEARS HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT HIS HOME LIFE… WITH HIS MOM BEING A TEACHER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. <NIKHIL BLASIUS, CVU STUDENT BODY CO- PRESIDENT, DURATION: 8 SECONDS, “EVEN IF THIS BUDGET DOESN’T IMPACT HER, THE NEXT BUDGET MIGHT IMPACT HER. I WANT TO DO WHAT I CAN TO PROTECT MY MOM AND PROTECT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I LOVE.”> SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE FAIR REVISIONS… UNDER THE RECENT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES TO THE STATEWIDE SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA. PLUS THE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH INFLATION…AND THE END OF FEDERAL GRANTS. on town meeting day…THE $105.8 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET OVERWHELMINGLY FAILED. THE BOARD went back…and were able to cut $5- MILLION DOLLARS FROM IT… THE NEW PROPOSED BUDGET STANDS AT $101.8 MILLION DOLLARS WITH A 5.8-PERCENT TAX INCREASE. using a million DOLLARS in reserve TO OFFSET THE COSTS FOR TAXPAYERS. <MEGAN METZLER, CVSD BOARD CHAIR, DURATION: 11 SECONDS, “A ‘YES’ VOTE ALLOWS US TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF, AVOID FURTHER REDUCTIONS, AND GIVES US THE TIME TO MAKE THOUGHTFUL DECISIONS ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO MEET OUR MISSION AND VISION WHILE CONTAINING COSTS.”> IF PASSED…IT WOULD STILL ELIMINATE 42 FULL-TIME POSITIONS… A NUMBER SOME VOTERS ARE CONFUSED ABOUT… áNOTE: SOTS BACK-TO-BACK áNO LOWER THIRD HERE. WILL PUT A VOICE OF COURTESY INSTEAD AS HE WAS ONLINE AUDIO ONLY <STEVE LAMBRECHT, VOTER, DURATION: 8 SECONDS, “HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN HOW WE’RE HAVING A 5.8% INCREASE IN THE BUDGET YET LOSING POSITIONS? WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ROOT CAUSE OF THAT IS?”> <KEITH ROBERTS, CVSD BOARD MEMBER, DURATION: 17 SECONDS, “THE BOARD MADE A DECISION A COUPLE YEARS AGO TO ENSURE THAT EVERY EMPLOYEE IN OUR DISTRICT RECEIVES AT A MINIMUM $20 AN HOUR, REFLECTIVE OF A LIVING WAGE IN CHITTENDEN COUNTY. THAT COSTS MONEY.”> to prevent even more cuts…and more impact on the kids… some believe this budget needs to be approved this time around. <PAT TRUSKO, VOTER, DURATION: 5 SECONDS, “IT’S EXPENSIVE, BUT ‘WHAT DO WE WANT FOR OUR KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY?’> (áááTYLERááá) this type of re-vote has become wide- spread. across the state. ACCORDING TO THE VERMONT SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION… 34 SCHOOL DISTRICTS NEED TO REVOTE ON THEIR SCHOOL BUDGETS… SOME OF THOSE INCLUDE SOUTH BURLINGTON… ESSE

Champlain Valley School District set for revote on FY25 school budget on Tuesday

Voters in the Champlain Valley School District are set to head back to the polls on Tuesday to vote for a second time on their school budget for next year.On Town Meeting Day, about 60% of voters rejected the $105.8m budget that came with a 10.7% tax increase.School district officials have been trying to figure out how to make fair revisions under the recent legislative changes to the statewide school funding formula, plus the challenges that come with inflation and the end of federal grants.The board was able to cut $5 million.The revised budget stands at $101.8 million with the tax increase at 5.8%.A million dollars in reserve will offset the costs for taxpayers.”A ‘Yes’ vote allows us to support our teachers and staff, avoid further reductions, and gives us the time to make thoughtful decisions about the best way to meet our mission and vision while containing costs,” said Megan Metzler, CVU School Board Chair.If passed, it would still eliminate 42 full-time employees.This type of revote has become widespread across the state.According to the Vermont Superintendents Association, 34 school districts need to revote on their school budgets.Some of those include South Burlington, Essex-Westford, and Harwood Union.

SHELBURNE, Vt. —

Voters in the Champlain Valley School District are set to head back to the polls on Tuesday to vote for a second time on their school budget for next year.

On Town Meeting Day, about 60% of voters rejected the $105.8m budget that came with a 10.7% tax increase.

School district officials have been trying to figure out how to make fair revisions under the recent legislative changes to the statewide school funding formula, plus the challenges that come with inflation and the end of federal grants.

The board was able to cut $5 million.

The revised budget stands at $101.8 million with the tax increase at 5.8%.

A million dollars in reserve will offset the costs for taxpayers.

“A ‘Yes’ vote allows us to support our teachers and staff, avoid further reductions, and gives us the time to make thoughtful decisions about the best way to meet our mission and vision while containing costs,” said Megan Metzler, CVU School Board Chair.

If passed, it would still eliminate 42 full-time employees.

This type of revote has become widespread across the state.

According to the Vermont Superintendents Association, 34 school districts need to revote on their school budgets.

Some of those include South Burlington, Essex-Westford, and Harwood Union.