Budgets and school bond

My family has lived in South Burlington for over 48 years. I am now retired and on a fixed income where I am looking at a 2.98% increase in the city budget. I’m also looking at a 11.8% in the school budget, plus a bond vote of $209 million dollars. If the bond vote passes for a new high school and middle school, as a homeowner whose house is valued at $350,000, I will pay an additional $1,500 a year for the next 30 years.

It seems that year after year, for the past 20 years, our city leadership has presented budgets increases to the taxpayers of South Burlington. This year, they’re asking for a 2.98% increase. This increase doesn’t seem very much but multiply the increase percent by a few millions of dollars. Our city leadership claims the increase is due to employee raises or health insurance. To this point, do we need to give pay raises every year to our employees? The private sector does not make it a habit.

In regard to health insurance, employees need to contribute more to their health insurance. In the city budget, there are items budgeted for one year but not the next year, yet the total budgets always increase year after year. It would be nice to have a level-funded city budget for a change.

In regard to the school budget, if this bond vote passes for a new high school and middle school, homeowners whose houses are valued at $350,00 will pay an additional $1,500 a year for the next 30 years. Keep in mind that the interest paid on the bond of $209 million for 30 years is over $10 million.

One of the reasons for building a new high school is space. The high school takes in 170 plus tuition students from around the area. The administration claims the school district makes a profit from tuition payments, however, if these students were not included in the enrollment, there would be plenty of space for South Burlington students.

The proposed 11.8% increase this year in the school budget is triple the increase from last year. Pay raises and medical benefits given to teachers and staff are way out of control. Keep in mind inflation this year is only1.6%.

The reality is that I am unable to support the city, school and bond vote this March at this time.

Jay L. Zaetz

South Burlington