As we approach the second budget vote on May 19th, I want to share the details of our revised proposal. Following the initial vote, our Board of Trustees worked diligently to find a path forward that honors our commitment to educational excellence while remaining deeply mindful of the community's financial concerns.
Navigating the Vermont education funding formula is complex. Factors beyond the District’s control - specifically the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) - have a significant impact on local tax rates. In fact, if taxes were based on school spending alone this year, our rates would actually be decreasing by 5.75%
To bridge the gap between student needs and taxpayer impact, the Board has made difficult, strategic compromises:
They have lowered the initial expenditure increase from 7.49% to 3.87%.
The initial proposal budget included the elimination of 8 full-time positions and reductions in transportation. Since then, they have reduced bussing further and found cost savings in benefits and salary changes.
Ultimately, the Board decided against further staff cuts. They found that the resulting damage to course offerings and student supports would be far greater than the negligible impact those cuts would have had on the tax rate
Through these measures and a change in the Yield, the Board has slashed the projected tax hike by 70% - bringing the estimated increase down from 9.80% to 2.91%.
A successful vote on May 19th ensures we avoid the costly interest and disruptions associated with starting the fiscal year without an approved budget.
We encourage you to review the attached flyer and visit link.mtsd-vt.org/budget for more information or attend our budget informational meeting on May 7, 2026 at 6:00 p.m in the MHS Library or via Zoom (https://link.mtsd-vt.org/MTSDBoard).
Thank you for your continued partnership and for supporting the future of Milton’s students.