OPINION: Why consider rejecting the HUUSD budget? Reason #1: Fairness

February 7, 2025 | By Steven Martin 

There are plenty of people in the community representing how responsible the proposed school budget is.

But I have heard from numerous people with a differing perspective. I would like to offer some data and comparisons related to fairness. I admit that I have a biased point of view (like everyone). For full disclosure, I am a retired senior. I do not have children in the Harwood Unified Union School District school system, though I have two grown sons who attended these schools. I might add that as their parents, my wife and I considered it our responsibility, not the taxpayers', to feed them and provide for their child care. 

I would like to offer here only information on the school budget compared to other aspects of financial life in our community and the state.

In the proposed FY26 budget, salaries and benefits total $35,145,598 (or 71%) of the total requested expense of $49,209,926. While aware that there has been a looming tax crisis coming and that wages and benefits comprise over two-thirds of the school budget, in early 2024 the administration and school board decided to approve FY24-FY26 support staff increases of 6%, then 5%, then 5% over three years PLUS the added benefit of paying wages during lunch time (equal to 6.66% in wages) beginning in the second year. This pay increase accumulates to 23.5% over the three years of the contract. Also last year, after having the budget defeated twice before it was approved on a third vote, the administration and school board approved teacher wage increases averaging 6.5% per year for three years (FY25-FY27) for a compound increase of 20.8% over three years. 

So, for just the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, the support staff increases are 5% current year FY25 plus added paid lunchtime (equal to 6.66% in wages) plus 5% in FY26 year, for a total combined two-year increase of 17.5%. The teachers' increase for the two years is 6.5% for 2024-25 and 6.5% for 2025-26 for a total combined increase of 13.4%. 

If approved, the two-year increase now requested in the school budget would be $49,209,927 and $45,422,241, equal to 8.3%. Vermont seniors on fixed incomes received Social Security increases of 3.2% increase in 2024 and 2.5% in 2025 (a two-year combined increase of 5.8%). 

To try to match up as closely as possible with known or proposed data, I compared school budgets, salaries and/or expenses beginning July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025 with Social Security increases realized on Jan. 1, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025 which will fund these budgets at tax time.

Here is how the situation looks to me when boiled down. 

• Two-year totals for school years 2024-25 and 2025-26:

• Support staff approved pay increase of 17.5%

• Teachers approved pay increase of 13.4%

• Average Vermont property tax increase last year alone of 13.8% (this year unknown)
  School budget increases (if FY26 is approved as requested) totalling 8.3% 

• Vermont seniors - Social Security increase of 5.8%

• Working taxpayers – what percent did your household income increase in 2024 and 2025?

The video recording of the Jan. 22 Harwood school board meeting is available on the HUUSD YouTube website. That is where the school board made the decision to ask voters for a $1.3 million increase in the budget over last year while supposedly working to reduce spending. Should you view it, you will find the following direct quotes within that video:

• At 2:56:30, just prior to the board vote that approved the increased budget warning, Superintendent Michael Leichliter reminds the school board, “We're one of the highest spending districts in the state.”

• At  2:56:40, I believe it is Finance Director Lisa Estler that is heard off camera adding, “We are, amongst the 119 school districts, we're the 14th highest cost per pupil.”

The school administration and school board can present to you how their costs have increased in recent years. Some things were out of their control, like state legislators deciding in Montpelier to continue the Universal Free Lunch program, originally funded with COVID-19 emergency funds and now continued at state taxpayer expense. Some things were within their control, like providing relatively generous pay increases and now even paying some employees while they are enjoying what was previously their unpaid lunch time.

As taxpayers, we have two levers available to us to insist on changes. One is to change our state legislators. That next opportunity comes in November 2026. The other is by rejecting any school budget increase on Town Meeting Day. That choice will be made on March 4.

However you may feel about the fairness of the proposed school budget compared to taxpayer household budgets, please vote on March 4 and make your opinion known.

Steven Martin lives in Waterbury.