The re-vote for the school budget is coming on Tuesday, April 27th. Our community needs your support!
Because the proposed school budget was voted down at Town Meeting Day, the school board had to revise it to try to better meet the expectations of the residents of the town of Georgia. This re-vote is happening on Tuesday, April 27th 2021. To help you understand the revised budget proposal, here are some facts about it:
- Total expense increase in this new budget is 3.2%, NOT the 4.89% that's listed in the budget. The 4.89% figure is the per-pupil increase, which is what the state mandates as the advertised figure. Since the number of pupils fluctuates from year to year, and fluctuated an inordinate amount during this current school year (due to pandemic conditions), that advertised number now distorts the actual expense increase. The actual figure of 3.2% is very much inline with the typical rate of inflation.
- GEMS has been opened throughout the pandemic. While some schools in Vermont and throughout the US have been closed at times, GEMS remained open the entire time. Actual in-class time varied, but the school was open for in-person learning every week, outside of the usual holiday closures. A lot of time, effort and expense was put in to ensure that in-person learning was safe for everyone.
- The typical tax increase for Georgia residents as a result of the proposed school budget is $219 for a property evaluated at $200,000. That's $0.60/day.
The school administration needs to have an approved budget to be able to start planning for the upcoming school year. More delays means uncertainty for many of the staff and programs, and potentially more costs as a result.
All Georgia residents are eligible to vote, not just parents of students. You can vote in-person at the big gym of the school on Tuesday, April 27th, 2021 from 7am to 7pm, or you can request an absentee ballot from the Georgia Town Clerk at (802)524-3524.