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Quick news & insight on the people’s money
Cutting school budgets could get expensive
As the opening day of school approaches, local school officials gear up for the next budget season, and some campaigning politicians continue to insist that education is a luxury we can no longer afford, Vermont parents and others might like to get a glimpse of the future by reading a recent New York Times article.
“Scissors, Glue, Pencils? Check. Cleaning Spray?” describes how other states are responding to the wave…
Continue reading Cutting school budgets could get expensiveFiscal Facts: A Key to Better Policy Debates
It may be too late for this year’s August primary elections, but for the general elections, Vermont’s political parties might want to collaborate to create fiscal fact kits for all of their candidates. It could help voters become better informed, and perhaps prevent candidates from making promises they can’t or shouldn’t keep.
The fact kits would be separate from position papers, but they would establish a common foundation on which…
Continue reading Fiscal Facts: A Key to Better Policy DebatesBudget cuts should start with what’s not working
One criticism of the budget-cutting Vermont has done in recent years is that money and personnel have been reduced, but the mission has remained largely the same. There are fewer state employees, who have less money to spend, but they’re expected to do the same job.
That’s not good management. You can’t give people 75 percent of the resources they need and expect them to get all of their work…
Continue reading Budget cuts should start with what’s not workingBlog Posts
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