Milazzo: Health care and education messes

Rep. Kate McCann, of Montpelier, recently wrote a commentary related to education spending that was published Feb. 7. A few thoughts:

Former governor Jim Douglas recently pointed out: "Vermonters pay twice as much for commercial health insurance as most people around the United States, and you'll see that the trend line is unfavorable. We pay by quite a substantial amount the most for health insurance of any state."

Former senator Chris Pearson from Chittenden County also pointed out: "We pay, by quite a substantial amount, the most for health insurance of any state. You can see Vermont has spiked in the last several years, almost twice what our neighbors pay in Maine, two-and-a-half what our neighbors pay in New Hampshire, and over two times what the country on average pays in premiums."

What Rep. McCann doesn't point out is her party and the progressives running the Legislature, sometimes with a supermajority, for the last 20 years or so, own a big responsibility for the health care mess the state now faces. She tries to use the health care mess to divert attention from the other mess the Democrats and progressives have made: education spending and taxes.

Now onto the education mess. In 2024, education costs (property taxes) rose 13% on average across the state. It would have been higher if it weren't for the use of one-time monies. An August 2024 report from the Agency of Education indicated spending per pupil is only continuing to rise. It says that, from 2020 to 2024, the cost has risen from $22,782 to $27,537. I believe we now have the second highest per pupil expenditure in the country.

I and many Vermonters might be OK with this level of spending if the education system was producing stellar results. It is not. A recent report from the Joint Fiscal Office states: "When comparing Vermont's performance to the national average, the state's performance has not kept pace with other states."

Again, who has been running the State House the last 20 years or so, sometimes with a supermajority. And what have they done over those last 20 years? Not much except establish a bunch of committees to study the problem. The last committee, "Future of Public Education," produced a report significantly lacking of any valuable content.

So, Representative McCann, your party and the progressives have created the mess Vermonters now find themselves in. See, for too long VT-NEA has not wanted to change anything. The status quo was good for the union, its members and high-paid staff that runs it. Less union members means less dues that are paid, which means a less powerful union. It is pretty simple. Governor Scott didn't create the mess but he, along with Education Secretary Zoie Saunders, are trying to fix it.

Finally on the issue of school choice, many Vermonters don't like what they see happening in their schools and what their kids are being taught or not being taught. Plus, public schools might not be the best option for some children. They want choices. I would encourage you to watch "What's in a Name?" Netflix special featuring Dave Chappelle's speech at his alma mater, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. This alternative school had a huge impact on him and many other artists. It is worth a watch. I, too, went to an alternative high school. We need more options as many Vermonters do not feel the current public education system meets their, and their children's, needs.

Mark Milazzo lives in Peacham.