Only 14 of the 60 Vermont school districts and supervisory unions have met the spending cuts required by the Legislature and the Department of Education.

Vermont Act 68, the “Challenges for Change” law: “It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
“In fiscal year 2011, the secretary shall reduce the general fund appropriation and transfer to the education fund by $3,966,375.00. It is expected that … total local education spending … will be reduced by $13,332,500.” As amended, the Vermont program to increase efficiency and cut budgets across most of Vermont government, requires all schools across the state to reduce the amount they raised by taxes by $23.3 million.

They didn’t.

46 school districts and supervisory unions appear to be breaking the law.

Australian site whyshouldi.com tell us “When someone doesn’t obey the law, we say that they have broken the law. Sometimes, people get hurt or suffer when laws are broken. Injured people are called victims. When some laws are broken, everyone feels afraid. Not just the victim.

“We call these things crimes and the people who commit these crimes are criminals. We also believe that criminals must be punished. There are many types of crime, such as assault, stealing, or murder.”

Australia apparently expects people, businesses, and governmental units to obey the law.

Not Vermont.

Back to whyshouldi.com: “One of your property rights is for you to lend your belongings to somebody, or share them with your friends and family. Do they have to ask you first, or pay you for the use of something? That is up to you – it’s your property.

“Some cultures have a different view. In many Indigenous communities, families and friends may use or borrow each other’s property without getting permission every time. Many people around the world think that land belongs to a group or tribe, rather than one person.”

Ahh. That would apparently be Vermont.

Under Challenges for Change, schools reported last week that they had achieved cuts of $7.5 million, $15.8 million short.

Vermont Governor-elect Peter Shumlin has a plan.
Mr. Shumlin will urge lawmakers to transfer $19 million in federal funds to the schools to cover the $15.8 million shortfall. (Congress had approved that “stimulus” money to prevent teacher layoffs.)

Ya gotta love Mr. Shumlin’s arithmetic.

Law < ——————————————– > Short

In a typical (liberal) political move, the guv-to-be lets 46 lawbreakers off by throwing more money we don’t have at them. It’s OK, though. He got the money from the Feds.

And here I thought Vermont was supposed to stand for self-reliance.

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.