BRATTLEBORO — It was pleasing to read that our new legislators Laura Sibilia, Rebecca Balint, and Emily Long had enjoyable and rewarding first years in Montpelier. The first year for any legislator is always filled with excitement and revelation.
Although The Commons did not research and report on how these legislators voted on any of the dozen or two most important bills, perhaps just a few generic softball questions was adequate for first-termers. There are no legislative elections this November.
One thing that was notable was that, having been given free rein by the reporter and a good amount of column inches to fill, two of the three legislators uttered not a word about health care and the third spoke only to say that it wasn't her strongest interest but will “watch” it in the future.
Health care is the biggest issue in the state. Vermonters spend over $6 billion per year on health care. That's about $10,000 per year per capita!
Nor did any of the legislators mention that the only sector of the population for whom income kept up with inflation was the high-end elite. Unemployment and underemployment hardly changed at all. The minimum wage, though raised a little last year, still buys less than it did 40 years ago. Real median household income dropped 6 percent.
What did seem to interest our legislators? The deficit and education.
Last year (for years actually) the legislators failed to understand the nature of the Vermont economy and economics in general and, as usual, gasp in surprise and alarm when a deficit appears. In reality, a $113 million deficit is hardly a three-alarmer against a $4 billion budget, but it conveniently deflected attention from everything else.
Then, instead of taxing the upper class a fraction of a percent, they cut more services to the lower-income population. All the while claiming that it is their only choice. The beat goes on.
As far as the education issues go, I just don't know. The education bill passed may (or may not) end up saving some small schools but is not expected to have any significant impact on property taxes.
The amount of our taxes used for education has risen very little in the last five years. In fact, as a percent of state expenditures, it has been very steady for the last 20 years. There is no evidence that, big schools or small schools, the education Vermonters receive has placed them in any better position than people anywhere else.
In fact, it is probably the quality of the teachers that contributes more to the quality of education than it is money or class size. Vermont, like every other state, would do better to put more resources into its teaching colleges than bolstering public schools.
Although local schoolhouses also function in some places as important community centers, as well they always have and should, this benefit is undermined by the continuing increase in income disparity, which rots social cohesion regardless of whatever a community has in its favor.
None of the legislators mentioned anything about the General Progress Indicator. These are specific measurements that display how well the state has done in terms of providing for the health and welfare of the citizens of Vermont. The rookies did well but the final team record was worse than the year before.
By the end of next year Sibilia, Balint, Long, et al should have a clearer idea of what they want to achieve as our representatives. Hopefully, some of their to-do list will be influenced by a poll of their constituents.
I look forward to reading all about it.