Residents back at VT polls deciding whether to approve school budgets: Here's the results

As this school year draws to a close, it's crunch time for districts who have yet to receive approval for next year's school budgets.

On Tuesday, May 7, residents for two Chittenden County school districts − South Burlington and Essex Westford − showed up at the polls again to vote on education expenditures, which dictate how much taxpayers would owe in property taxes for the year.

Both budgets passed this time, which was the second election for Essex Westford and third for South Burlington. Essex Town, Essex Junction and Westford residents passed their budget with 55% voting in favor. The numbers amounted to 2,404 voting in favor and 1,925 voting against. In South Burlington, 56% of voters were in favor this time. In total, 2,242 voted in favor while 1,706 voted against.

The only Chittenden County public school district that has yet to get voter approval for its budget is Milton. It holds its third school budget election on June 4.

Contentious school budget season

Generally, schools can count on the support of the community to approve school budgets, but this year a variety of factors led to education property taxes rising by as much as 30% in the first round of budget proposals. Historic rejections resulted in half of the budgets of the eight public school districts in the county failing, and some failed on a second vote.

Taxpayers, school communities and the Legislature have found themselves on differing sides this spring, working to pay for critical school and student needs without stretching homeowners to their financial limit. The Legislature has been working on tweaks to the education formula through a yield bill. But, even by mobilizing quickly, it's unclear whether a solution will come soon enough to make a major difference this year.

School districts are aiming to have voter approval of their budgets by the start of the fiscal year, on July 1. This date gives school communities time to prepare for the return of students following summer break, which is usually late August. If Milton fails to pass its budget during the June vote, there may not be enough time to hold another election before the fiscal year begins.

School districts that do not gain approval can only borrow up to 87% of the current year's budget from the state education fund.

Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @aprildbarton.