Burlington to Vote on School Budget, Town Meeting Day is March 1st
Burlington, VT In advance of Town Meeting Day, Burlington School District (BSD) has published a number of resources designed to help voters have all the information they need to vote on the School District’s proposed budget. BSD’s 2021 Annual Report is now available online along with a budget one-pager that explains next year’s proposed budget, and a line-item budget.
“This year’s Annual Report is a great reminder of how we are working to advance the principles of equity, engagement, and deep learning in all that we do,” said Superintendent Flanagan. “It is encouraging to look back and remember that we raised the Black Lives Matter flag at all of our schools, created and staffed an Office of Equity for the first time, began Superintendent Advisory Groups, and took steps to improve our math, science, literacy, and special education offerings, and co-constructed a new five-year strategic plan with our community. I am excited about the work that has been done and what we can accomplish next year.” The District’s Annual Report can be found online or at Fletcher Free Library, the Miller Center, and City Hall.
Flanagan noted that the District entered budget season keeping in mind the fact that Burlington had just completed a citywide reappraisal, many individuals continue to face financial uncertainty from the pandemic, and the District would be putting a bond proposal on the November ballot for a new high school and technical center. “With that in mind, the FY23 budget only proposes operational increases associated with costs that typically increase yearly, such as wages, health insurance, and utilities. In addition, the District operated with a surplus for the seventh consecutive year, and were able to apply $2.1 million of these funds directly to support the FY23 budget as part of our strategy to limit the impact on taxpayers,” said Flanagan.
As a result, BSD is proposing a budget increase of 3.29%. Even though the budget is increasing, BSD estimates that Burlingtonians could see a 6.78% education tax rate decrease because of a $90m surplus in the State’s Education Fund. This rate could change if the legislature decides to use that money to support other initiatives.
Complete budget details can be found at wwww.bsdvt.org/budget
