ANGELO LYNN

As Town Meeting gets underway as early as this weekend in some Addison County towns, and next Monday and Tuesday for others, most residents will face much lower school taxes than the prior year, and modest increases in their town budgets. The sticker shock on some special bond votes, however, will test the community resolve of some voters.

Here’s a quick run-down of the major decisions voters throughout the county will face at Town Meeting:

SCHOOL BUDGETS

Compared to the “perfect storm” that conspired to send school taxes through the roof last year, this year’s school budget increases are tame. At Bristol-based MAUSD, for example, the upcoming budget is projected to decrease just over 1 percent. At Addison Central Supervisory District, the budget is up just under 2%, there’s a 1.9% jump at Vergennes-based ANWSD, while the budget at OVUU is up 4.5%. That’s a huge difference from the average increase of about 13% seen in last year’s budgets. State sources cite the average increase for school budgets this year will be 5.9%.

That doesn’t mean school tax rates will correspond with those budget increases, but it’s certain they’ll be far less than the sky-high rates seen last year that consequently spurred the Legislature and Gov. Scott to consider a whole-scale restructuring of Vermont’s educational system.

It’s not entirely clear what has allowed school boards across the state to reign in school spending this year, though the phasing out of Covid-related federal funds last year (while still maintaining some of those related costs) was certainly a significant factor. And while school reform is the main focus of this year’s Legislative session, at least this year voters should feel confident school board members and district school administrators have worked hard to keep costs, and school taxes, down to a manageable rate.

School budget information for each town in Addison County is included in the Town Meeting previews in today’s A-Section.

The one exception to the more-modest increases in area school budgets is the 8.9% increase in spending for the Patricia Hannaford Career Center. (See the full story in last week’s Addison Independent.)

TOWN BUDGETS

Town budgets, predictably, are all over the place depending on a town’s particular needs. High health care costs continue to be the biggest cost driver of larger towns with bigger work forces, but even a majority of town budget increases are at or very near inflation.

Brandon’s budget, for example, will see a 2.25% increase in spending compared to last year and that includes $92,500 devoted to the Brandon library and $82,580 for the town’s rescue squad — both nonprofits that are operated as separate entities from town government.

In Bristol, however, residents will consider a police budget that is 9.85% higher from the current year, and an overall 8.12% hike in overall town spending compared to last year.

Middlebury voters will consider a town budget that reflects a 6.9% increase. Major costs include a $429,369 jump in contracted employee wages and benefits, and a $123,451 jump in capital improvements.

In Salisbury, town residents are eyeing a general fund budget that is 4% higher; while Shoreham is eyeing a 7% hike in general fund spending and Starksboro is looking at a minimal 1% increase in general spending.

All towns have a mix of special interests to consider, including some bond votes; many have separate road budgets to approve; as well as a host of other money items and town decisions to consider. A Town Meeting preview of each of the county’s 23 towns, and Brandon, are provided in a special seven-page report it today’s issue. Included is election information for town and school board positions, town and school budgets, and special bond votes for select towns. Read the news about your own town, of course, but it’s also instructive to read a few of the other town reports to gain perspective.

And, of course, participate. Democracy doesn’t work without you, the citizen. And we need public voices speaking up now more than ever — on all things. Let’s start by being active at home.

Angelo Lynn