MONTPELIER – You couldn’t walk 10 steps under the golden dome Friday without someone asking if we were getting out of here today. Legislative lawyers are under-rested and over-extended. Lawmakers have skipped too many meals. And everyone has a pet theory: so-and-so wants a delay, someone has a secret proposal they’re waiting to unveil.
photo by Glenn Russell, VTDigger
But it’s not looking good, folks, thanks to the ed bill. Here’s how it was going down (so far).
After a stalled morning, the H.454 conferees gathered for a brief meeting after 11. Despite an air of pessimism preceding the discussion, both sides expressed willingness to compromise on key issues that threatened to delay the day.
The surprise came later. I’ll get to that.
House members, for their part, signaled a willingness to consider allowing districts to spend less than the amount a foundation formula would provide. Reaching agreement looked much less likely hours later.
When the group returned at 2:45 with the Senate’s latest draft, there were some new ideas. Quite a few.
For example, a potential expansion of school choice. Components of a foundation formula pulled from a couple of weeks ago. And if districts can’t pass a budget by a certain date, they get 90% of a foundation formula rather than the full thing unless they’re a fully non-operating district, in which case they don’t have to vote and get 100% of the foundation formula.
As the surprises arrived, both conferees and spectators struggled to control their shock. Eyebrows raised, one lobbyist leaned to the next and mouthed, “this is wild.”
Senate members suggested they would consider the House’s version of a property tax credit, which would significantly expand eligibility and relief over the existing system but cost more overall.
The new language proliferated throughout the Senate’s proposal but was not in the chamber’s original bill, the House’s version or the governor’s recommendations. With frustration palpable, Rep. Peter Conlon, D-Cornwall, chair of the House Education Committee, called for a recess.
When the group reconvened at 5 p.m., the Senators first appeared to pull their large changes off the table, before clarifying that most of it was still in play.
“Do you believe passing this tonight is the right answer?” Conlon asked the Senate members, holding up the afternoon surprise.
Sen. Seth Bongartz, D-Bennington, appeared to nod. But Sen. Ann Cummings, D-Washington, was less sure.
“I don’t know if that is the right answer. That was 15-minute at lunch’s attempt to come up with an answer,” she said.
Sen. Scott Beck, R-Caledonia, spoke up.
“We had a bill that was one caucus all the way through, and now we’ve got to square it up with both caucasus and a Republican governor. So I guess, let’s dig in.”
