Opinions

Dear Editor, As Vermont dads of children attending Vermont schools and members of the Rural School Community Alliance, we’re used to showing up for our kids: on the sidelines, at bedtime, in the school pickup line, and around the dinner table. Today, we’re showing up in a different way: to urge lawmakers to stand up…

By Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale Editor’s note: This commentary is by Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D-Chittenden Southeast. She is the Vermont Senate majority leader and a member of the Senate Economic Development and Education Committees. She lives in Shelburne with her husband and two young children. As Vermont debates how to stabilize our education finance…

Dear Editor, Our healthcare “system” operates via a Byzantine system of price hikes, price discounts, different pricing for different customers, and an immense web of middlemen who operate it all. The complexity and the middlemen will always keep prices higher than they otherwise would be. Always. Our irrational system causes immense personal harm, misery and…

Dear Editor, The Anti-Defamation League’s 2024 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents reports a deeply troubling rise in antisemitism across the country, including and especially here in Vermont. We know that many people in our community are passionate about political issues, including those related to Israel and Palestine. The local Jewish community asks that, especially in this…

Dear Editor, The debate over H.454 might seem irrelevant to Vermonters without children in school. Still, its impact stretches far beyond education—it threatens our economy, property values, and long-term tax stability. Although school consolidation and cost containment may appear fiscally responsible, both the Senate’s and the governor’s proposals provide only short-term budgetary solutions rather than…

Dear Editor, I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Bill Vines and Jay Hickory on their election to the Killington Select Board. Their longstanding ties to our community and steady approach clearly resonated with voters. I wish them both success as they begin their terms on the expanded board. Although I was not elected,…

Dear Editor, Editor’s note: This letter was originally posted by the office of the Mountain Views School District Superintendent on Saturday, May 31. It is the second letter to the school community Superintendent Sherry Sousa has sent regarding H.454, the education funding reform bill. I’m again turning to you to become involved with the education…

By Mike Pieciak, Vermont Treasurer Let me start as directly as I can: I’m sorry, Canada. You didn’t elect our president, but you’re paying the price for his policies. In Vermont, we’re feeling the consequences too. Trump’s reckless tariffs are more than economic burdens; they’re straining relationships that have taken decades to build. They’re making…

Dear Editor, Someone should advocate for a town auditor given the constant rumors of ethical lapses and financial irregularities. Vito Rasenas, Killington

Dear Editor, All of this school spending, better referred to as overspending, is now coming home to roost. Had there been corresponding results in outcomes, there may have been different mindsets to be under discussion. Remember now, the voters went to the polls and spoke loudly and clearly on the education money issues that are…

By David F. Kelley Editor’s Note: David Kelley is a Vermont attorney. He lives in Greensboro and is a former chair of the Hazen Union School Board. He was part of the legal team that represented more than two dozen rural elementary school districts that appealed forced mergers under Act 46. The road to education…

Dear Editor, As a candidate for the Killington Select Board, I’m running on a commitment to transparency, accountability, and steady leadership. I believe that trust in local government begins with clear standards and clear enforcement. Killington’s current conflict of interest policy, adopted in 2019, provides a useful foundation. However, it lacks the tools to ensure…

Dear Editor, Editor’s note: This is an open letter directed to the Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union (WSESU) communities dated May 19. Similar letters were sent out by many superintendents and school officials including Sherry Sousa at Mountain Views SU in Woodstock.  As you may know, the Vermont House and the Senate have been working on…

Dear Editor, Since I announced my candidacy, many residents have spoken to me about their concerns for Killington. Taxes and education funding, for example, are often mentioned. Not surprisingly, everyone agrees that taxes need to be controlled and education funding needs to be solved. Virtually everyone has spoken to me about how the town is…

By Angelo Lynn Editor’s note: Angelo Lynn is the publisher of the Addison Independent, a sister publication of the Mountain Times.  On Thursday, May 15, the Senate Finance Committee gave H.454, the Legislature’s revised school funding bill, its final review and sent it to the full Senate to vote on this week. House and Senate…