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Um, you're ignoring the irony of your complaining about taxpayer funds being spent on students, then complaining taxpayer funds aren't being given to you?
You could apply to NRCS for the Federal funding to control invasive species in your fields. Loads of people do, I've helped people get money for treating black swallowwort, autumn olive, etc. No reason to go to a Governor's office at all. If the state had funding for such things they would have a competitive procurement system for distributing it, like a Landowner Incentive Program (or similar), and the Governor's office wouldn't help.
More true than not. My nephews went to public schools in VT and their education was at or beyond what I got at one of the blue chip metro west suburbs often considered to have a "gold plated" school system. Both went to good schools, and one just started a pretty prestigious grad program.
Um, what I'm saying is that I and everyone else has been paying huge taxes for education. When the money is available by the federal gov't to help eradicate this weed, I am, in the least, entitled to have my problem taken seriously, but instead, I haven't received any response. This isn't just for me...I am representing many farmers in this area that are spending thousands of dollars on their fields, only to see them taken over by this weed. I have spent thousands, only to see it back by the next cutting. You're not getting up at 2 am to go to work, only to come home and have to address this problem. Try it, it isn't fun, especially at my age. There are fields that the farmers are round baling and throwing in the woods because the animals won't eat it.
No disrespect, but I find it hard to believe your nephews are getting a good education UNLESS they are going to that one top 5 school. If I saw the area where I live improve, I wouldn't complain, but it only gets worse. Not one child in a classroom of 8 children can pass the state test?! Something is wrong. My grandchildren on my late husband's side of the family used to spend the summers with us. They went to a school in Robbinsville, NJ. I was blown away at how well educated they were. When I looked at the difference between them and what I see here, it opened to my eyes that the children in this state aren't getting the education they deserve. Sorry, but I don't like my tax dollars wasted. And I think it is sad to see people living in the world of denial about it.
I do thank you for letting me know who to contact about the fields in this area. I wish the governor's office would have put me in the right direction.
I believe there are fairly narrow parameters for use of ARPA money. Our select board had a meeting inviting townspeople to chime in with their thoughts on how to spend it.
We decided we could use it on a truck. The second 'possible' was creating an ADA compliant restroom for an old meeting house that is actually designated as an emergency shelter (not sure how that's gonna go).
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,935,179 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYLIER
Um, what I'm saying is that I and everyone else has been paying huge taxes for education. When the money is available by the federal gov't to help eradicate this weed, I am, in the least, entitled to have my problem taken seriously, but instead, I haven't received any response. This isn't just for me...I am representing many farmers in this area that are spending thousands of dollars on their fields, only to see them taken over by this weed. I have spent thousands, only to see it back by the next cutting. You're not getting up at 2 am to go to work, only to come home and have to address this problem. Try it, it isn't fun, especially at my age. There are fields that the farmers are round baling and throwing in the woods because the animals won't eat it.
No disrespect, but I find it hard to believe your nephews are getting a good education UNLESS they are going to that one top 5 school. If I saw the area where I live improve, I wouldn't complain, but it only gets worse. Not one child in a classroom of 8 children can pass the state test?! Something is wrong. My grandchildren on my late husband's side of the family used to spend the summers with us. They went to a school in Robbinsville, NJ. I was blown away at how well educated they were. When I looked at the difference between them and what I see here, it opened to my eyes that the children in this state aren't getting the education they deserve. Sorry, but I don't like my tax dollars wasted. And I think it is sad to see people living in the world of denial about it.
I do thank you for letting me know who to contact about the fields in this area. I wish the governor's office would have put me in the right direction.
Well, I don't know what school that top 5 is, but both my brother and SIL have their masters, both my nephews will soon. They went to public schools in Vermont. Parents are critical to the equation. From the couple of teachers I know in VT that I went to school with, well, lets just say, if they didn't have family there, they would have bailed on the state. The pay is ABYSMAL in Vermont.
For invasive control, look to the Conservation Reserve Program, its a NRCS program, which is part of USDA, they have a Vermont office. The main office for USDA is in Colchester, but they have regional offices all over. You didn't even say what weed you're dealing with (wild chervil? barnyardgrass?). Some aren't worth trying to treat (see Japanese knotweed, though that's not a pasture plant, generally), but there is assistance for many situations. Problem is, most hayfield grasses are non native warm season grasses, and not more native cool season grasses (big bluestem, etc). there are more options with cool season grasses.
UVM Extension is another resource. But, I wouldn't expect the Governor's Office to have any clue as to who to steer you to for Federal Aid even in a big ag state.
Last edited by timberline742; 08-17-2022 at 04:46 PM..
I believe you are referring to USNews' Best High Schools rankings which looks only at individual schools. If you look at ratings which take the entire state into account, Vermont ranks quite well. For example, USNews ranks Vermont as a whole as 5th best in the nation. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...cation/prek-12
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYLIER
I googled it. Only one school in VT ranked among the top 5. I think it was usnews I clicked on. I was surprised it even made #23 since a lot of these students aren't prepared for college when they graduate.
Do you look at the data on the Dept of Education page? Actually, I read a letter from the Governor on that site that didn't paint the education system in a good light. If I find it, I will post it.
Just note that the income limits for the abatement is after 401k/HSA/IRA contributions. So if you max out you can be alot higher.
I moved from MA to VT with the same income in 2019. My house was half the cost of what I had in MA, property taxes were about the same (My town in MA was low $10/k), and the income tax I pay in VT is about half of what I did in MA. Electric rates are higher but we had a town owned utility in MA which is rare.
I live in the Upper Valley which I would argue has a stronger (but not larger) economy than Burlington.
I believe you are referring to USNews' Best High Schools rankings which looks only at individual schools. If you look at ratings which take the entire state into account, Vermont ranks quite well. For example, USNews ranks Vermont as a whole as 5th best in the nation. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...cation/prek-12
I think everyone that is reading this thread should look at the data collected on the Dept of Education website, especially the academic accountability....decline, decline, decline. Do you call that a good education? With this state being one of the highest taxed, I expect more than 16% going on to the highest education. Shouldn't everyone in VT expect that?
Well, I don't know what school that top 5 is, but both my brother and SIL have their masters, both my nephews will soon. They went to public schools in Vermont. Parents are critical to the equation. From the couple of teachers I know in VT that I went to school with, well, lets just say, if they didn't have family there, they would have bailed on the state. The pay is ABYSMAL in Vermont.
For invasive control, look to the Conservation Reserve Program, its a NRCS program, which is part of USDA, they have a Vermont office. The main office for USDA is in Colchester, but they have regional offices all over. You didn't even say what weed you're dealing with (wild chervil? barnyardgrass?). Some aren't worth trying to treat (see Japanese knotweed, though that's not a pasture plant, generally), but there is assistance for many situations. Problem is, most hayfield grasses are non native warm season grasses, and not more native cool season grasses (big bluestem, etc). there are more options with cool season grasses.
UVM Extension is another resource. But, I wouldn't expect the Governor's Office to have any clue as to who to steer you to for Federal Aid even in a big ag state.
The invasive weed is spotted knapweed. It is toxic to people and it kills the grass around it. It is all over the roadways and the state land in my area so even if I continue to spray my fields, it is only going to come back. I spend over $1000, on one of my fields this year but it is coming back already. From what I read, each flower has over 1000 seeds, so it spreads quickly. It is a big problem out west. The median of Route 4 is covered. I guess the feds are willing to address the problem because the Bill has set aside 50M for the next 4 years (I think), to eradicate it. I just have to figure out a way to get some of the funds to this area.
Thank you for the information. I'm going to contact them. One of the other farmers hasn't had much luck with the USDA, but it's worth a try. I did call UVM and someone came here to speak with the farmers and take samples. He sent an intern down to get more samples but she said she couldn't find my farm (I live on a main road).
I'm not sure where the 16% figure going on to higher education comes from. Vermont has pretty regularly hovered around 50-53% of high school graduates going to college right after graduation. That percentage rises to 60% after 16 months. We still lag behind other New England states on this figure but ,based on standardized test scores, Vermont high school graduates are better prepared for college than many other states. The issue on higher education attainment is likely far less to do with college readiness and far more to do with the cost of higher education in general and Vermont colleges tuition prices in particular.
Can Vermont improve in K-12 education? Sure, every state can, but it is simply fact that we do far better in this area than most other states.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYLIER
I think everyone that is reading this thread should look at the data collected on the Dept of Education website, especially the academic accountability....decline, decline, decline. Do you call that a good education? With this state being one of the highest taxed, I expect more than 16% going on to the highest education. Shouldn't everyone in VT expect that?
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,935,179 times
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Spotted Knapweed at least is controllable. Not sure if VT is on board with the weevil method, but Milestone works pretty well. The seedbank tends not to last overly long. I hope you get the help you need. Unless your livestock is goats, its not going to be eaten.
Spotted Knapweed at least is controllable. Not sure if VT is on board with the weevil method, but Milestone works pretty well. The seedbank tends not to last overly long. I hope you get the help you need. Unless your livestock is goats, its not going to be eaten.
I don’t know why you’re participating in the deflection attempt in this thread. The topic is Vermont property taxes which means the topic is Act 68. The AirBnB cited in the original post is commercial property. It’s taxed at the commercial rate for the state school property tax. That tax rate is fixed state-wide and there is no tax relief for commercial property owned by someone with middle class income. By state law, towns are required to assess at 100% of market valuation. We all know what happened to property prices nationwide in the last couple of years.
I owned a vacation home in Killington for 26 years. I bought well before the Brigham decision. Vermont residential housing is 17% vacation homes and by valuation more like 25% of the residential tax base. Act 60 was designed to deflect the Brigham decision onto vacation home owners, commercial property owners, and the few high income residents. The median Vermont homeowner doesn’t pay much of the state school property tax since it’s means tested. It’s no different than the graduated state income tax that is designed to be quite moderate for that median Vermonter but hit the high income residents. I personally have no problem with the tax system even though I got hammered by it. I understand why it was done and who the legislature was targeting.
The market value of my Killington place doubled during COVID-19. I did the math and decided to sell it before my taxes doubled. I paid my big pile of nonresident state income tax on the “gain” that was mostly 26 years of inflation, and exited Vermont forever. I bought a condo at the base of Beaver Creek. Colorado doesn’t have a state school tax. I pay $1,700 in property taxes. That’s what Killington was like in 1993 when I bought there.
Personally, I think Vermont needs to adjust Act 68 for commercial property. It’s fine to soak the vacation home owners and the AirBnB. The state needs to encourage rental housing stock so new construction long term rental property should get a tax break. Perhaps a means test for resident owners of older rental housing. Those property taxes are just being passed on to the tenants.
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