Property tax relief versus school budget growth
Even with multi-year education reform, property taxes remain a flashpoint: roughly half of a projected ~12% hike was tied to school spending growth and half to the hole left by prior one-time buy-downs. Scott proposed another ~$105 million buy-down to halve the increase while warning districts not to raise spending when state relief appears; critics and administrators debate whether reforms will actually deliver lasting savings.
Should Vermont keep using state funds to buy down property tax increases while school budgets grow?
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Sources
VTDigger — https://vtdigger.org/2026/01/20/gov-phil-scott-unveils-9-4-billion-state-budget-proposal
About half of the projected 12% tax hike would come from an expected jump in school spending... The other half of the spike is the result of a fiscal hole left by Scott and legislators’ decision to use about $100 million to blunt property taxes in 2025.
Gov. Phil Scott — https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-01-20/watch-listen-phil-scott-2026-budget-address
I propose dedicating $105 million through Budget Adjustment and the Big Bill for property tax relief. This will cut the projected increase by about half... This money is to ease the burden on taxpayers, not to create space for school budgets to continue to grow.
Vermont League of Cities and Towns — https://www.vlct.org/weeklylegislativereport/2026-legislative-wrap
the more than $9 billion budget passed by the legislature included the governor’s proposed property tax buy-down, using more than $100 million in one-time expenditures to hold next year’s property tax increases
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
- Replace property taxes with progressive state taxes so schools are fully funded without local bills
- Continue large ongoing state buy-downs and accept higher school spending growth
- Use temporary buy-downs only while reforms try to slow spending growth
- End buy-downs soon and require districts to cut budgets to match revenue
- Cap or roll back school spending and property taxes aggressively regardless of district votes