Jill Krowinski

Republican Gov. Phil Scott is threatening to keep the part-time Legislature in Montpelier through the summer if they don’t pass legislation that requires school districts to merge into larger governance units.

The House Committee on Ways and Means has spent the last three weeks crafting proposals that would raise income taxes on households that earn more than $586,000 a year. Though the legislation has no chance of becoming law this year, some Democrats hope the debate will resonate with voters heading into the midterm elections.

The proposed buydown is by far the largest discretionary line item in the state budget that cleared the Senate this week. And it could emerge as one of the biggest sticking points as the Legislature and the governor negotiate a final version of the $9.3 billion spending plan.

Republican Gov. Phil Scott and Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate were in lockstep on mandatory school district consolidation heading into the 2026 legislative session. House Speaker Jill Krowinski says it’s since become clear that while voters are desperate for property tax relief, they’re not willing to sacrifice control of their local schools to get it.

Democratic leaders say they don't have the votes to move forward with mandatory school district consolidation. And they say it's become clear to them that Vermonters don't want it.

The House Committee on Ways and Means has agreed to vote on legislation this year that would increase state income taxes by 3% on household income over $500,000 a year, and by an additional 2% on income over $1 million.

Legislative leaders hope new projections for property tax growth over the next three years will breathe life into foundering education reform negotiations.

The critical first phase of Act 73 — mandatory school district mergers — has ignited fierce opposition in communities across Vermont. And lawmakers now have to confront the possibility that the reform law, enacted just six months ago, no longer has the political support needed to move forward as originally envisioned.

Streamlining governance in Vermont’s education system is the critical first step in a sweeping education reform law approved by Democratic lawmakers and Republican Gov. Phil Scott earlier this year. But a special commission created by the Legislature is urging lawmakers to rethink that plan.

The Trump administration gave Vermont the go ahead Thursday to transfer the entirety of November’s monthly SNAP benefits to roughly 63,000 low-income recipients.