Douglas Regrets Failure To Reduce School Spending

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(Host) Governor Jim Douglas says one of the biggest disappointments of his eight years in office is the failure to reduce spending on schools.

Douglas says whomever replaces him as governor will have to tackle the issue again.

VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports.

(Kinzel) Douglas made his comments after allowing a bill that provides financial incentives for schools that voluntarily consolidate into larger districts to become law without his signature.

The Governor says state spending on education isn’t sustainable because Vermont’s student population is dropping at the same time that the number of school staff is increasing.

He argues that the problem becomes much more difficult to solve with each passing year:

(Douglas) "To be perfectly honest I would say that’s the area in which I have the greatest disappointment because for at least 5 years in a row I’ve proposed to the Legislature changes in how we pay for our public schools and they’ve done almost nothing."

(Kinzel) Douglas said he decided to sign the new voluntary school consolidation bill because it really doesn’t do anything – right or wrong:

(Douglas) "There probably will be some legislators who wave the bill and say look look at the progress we’ve made toward controlling education costs and improving the quality of education and consolidating districts to which we should all say that’s ridiculous the bill doesn’t do much of anything."

(Kinzel) Douglas says he’s come to the conclusion that school consolidation can be successful only if a mandatory approach is taken:

(Douglas) "I’m skeptical about whether a voluntary approach will work…we have a voluntary consolidation plan now and it isn’t having a lot of effect."

(Kinzel) Douglas criticizied what he called "the state’s Education Lobby" for maintaining the status quo. One of those groups is Vermont NEA – the state’s teachers union.

Spokesperson Darren Allen says the passage of many local school budgets demonstrates that the current system is sustainable and produces very good results:

(Allen) "If the Governor is frustrated that he hasn’t been able to convince Vermonters that his very narrow view that Montpelier knows better than local taxpayers how to run their schools then he should not be surprised that the Legislature didn’t ever take him up on his offer."

(Kinzel) Allen says his group doesn’t oppose the idea of voluntary consolidation – what it opposes is the imposition of a mandatory plan:

(Allen) "We don’t believe it is appropriate for the Governor to basically cram down the throats of local voters here’s what you’re going to do I’m from Montpelier and I’m going to save you all from yourself."

(Kinzel) In a departure from previous policy, Allen says Vermont NEA will endorse a candidate in this year’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. That announcement is expected in the next week.

For VPR News, I’m Bob Kinzel in Montpelier.

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