LETTER: Voting yes, board chair asks for budget support

April 26, 2024

Dear Harwood communities, 

Speaking for myself as a Vermonter, I am torn over our current situation. I am angry at our legislature for not understanding the depth or the urgency of the problems we face. Don’t they have kids? Grandkids? Don’t they pay taxes? Where is their resolve to actually fix our broken education funding system? They have heard from school boards and superintendents from all over the state, the people have spoken, they know it is on them to fix the problem, but their idea of fixes, are half measures. 

I am in a unique position, it is my job to put the kids of our communities first, ahead of my own feelings and frustrations. While I understand why people are screaming to vote down this budget, and keep doing so until the state does something, I am voting yes and hoping at least 51% of our citizens do too, for our students and our school communities. This is not their fault, but they are the ones who will pay the real price. 

I am the very new chair of the Harwood Unified Union School Distrtict School Bboard, which is composed of 14 people from our six towns, none of whom got on the board to raise your taxes! This group is highly motivated to work on the issue of the budget in the coming year, to look at all our options, to be creative. Our new superintendent and CFO are also on board to find actual solutions while also applying pressure in Montpelier to force changes that we hope will matter. 

Please vote on or before April 30th. As I said, I will be voting yes and I hope you will, too. We have work to do, and we need to get busy doing it. Which means we need to pass this budget. 

Sincerely, 

Ashley Woods 

Warren School & Harwood alumna 

HUUSD board chair