This discussion was requested by a petition to the school board by
70-plus Fayston citizens who felt the Australian voting method,
currently used to vote for the Harwood school budget, provides a
broader opportunity for citizens to cast a
vote.
Last year just 60 voters cast ballots at the school meeting. They voted
a budget increase which, after applying the state's punishing education
tax process, was the main contributor to a shocking 17 percent increase
in Fayston's property taxes! Our school budget increased 40 percent
over the previous four years. This year, with commendable work by the
school folks, the budget increase has been held to 4 percent.
To help constrain excessive spending, the Legislature introduced a
severe "penalty" property tax if a school exceeds a set spending
threshold. Fayston is perilously close to the threshold and could go
over next year. A separate vote is required if the town exceeds this
threshold and incurs the penalty tax.
Adopting the Australian ballot will enable many more people to
participate in voting on their education property taxes. The state says
just 10 percent of voters vote from the floor whereas, using the
Australian paper ballot, 47 percent vote as they can do so in privacy,
at their convenience throughout the day, or by absentee ballot.
Come to the Fayston School on Tuesday afternoon, March 3, to discuss
and vote on the two Australian ballot articles, and also to hear about
and vote on this year's school budget. To find out more about the
Australian ballot process visit
www.sec.state.vt.us/TownMeeting/citizens_guide.html.
H. Wynne
Fayston resident
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