- File: Jeb Wallace-Brodeur
- Residents outside Roxbury Village School in March
The town had also asked the court to nullify the results of the first budget vote, which failed on Town Meeting Day. Roxbury officials argued that Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools had failed to hold a state-mandated informational budget meeting 10 days before ballots were cast.
The revised budget proposes closing the Roxbury Village School and busing its students to an elementary school many miles away in Montpelier. In the suit, town officials said they wanted residents to vote instead on the original $32 million budget, given the issues with the informational meeting. That proposal contained money for Roxbury's school.
But Superior Court Judge Timothy Tomasi ruled against the town after an expedited hearing on Tuesday, saying the suit was "moot, untimely, and fails to meet the exceedingly exacting standards required to obtain such relief."
Related Education Costs Are Driving Double-Digit Tax Hikes, and Legislators Are Scrambling to Lessen the Blow
Education Costs Are Driving Double-Digit Tax Hikes, and Legislators Are Scrambling to Lessen the Blow
Education
Asking a judge to overturn the vote is something "the Vermont Supreme Court has made clear ... is a most extraordinary remedy," Tomasi wrote.
The school district is one of dozens around the state that is making hard choices about its spending after voters rejected a budget proposal. Many Vermonters are expected to see double-digit property tax hikes this year because of increases in education spending and major changes to how that money is collected.
In his 15-page ruling, Tomasi acknowledged the "real harms" related to the potential closure of the Roxbury Village School.
"Without doubt, the School is an important part of the community and, if the budget passes in its present form, the loss to the Roxbury community will be immense," he wrote. "Similarly, busing children a fair distance each day to Montpelier is no small thing to the children and their families."
Related Rising Costs and Property Tax Hikes Again Threaten the Survival of Small Schools
Rising Costs and Property Tax Hikes Again Threaten the Survival of Small Schools
Education
"At the very least, we will be demanding that the school district not close their budget gap on the backs of the most rural kids," he said.
Comments
Comments are closed.
From 2014-2020, Seven Days allowed readers to comment on all stories posted on our website. While we've appreciated the suggestions and insights, right now Seven Days is prioritizing our core mission — producing high-quality, responsible local journalism — over moderating online debates between readers.
To criticize, correct or praise our reporting, please send us a letter to the editor or send us a tip. We’ll check it out and report the results.
Online comments may return when we have better tech tools for managing them. Thanks for reading.