Representative Kornheiser introduced the Senate changes on H.887 to the House Floor Friday night. Her proposal of amendment embedded the education finance study into the Commission on the Future of Education. They also proposed an excess spending threshold of 118% above average district spend, which splits the difference between the original positions of the two bodies.

Chairwoman Cummings launched the Senate Finance Committee right in on Tuesday morning, explaining that they had drafted an amendment to H.887 the previous day. She reiterated that the Commission on the Future of Education will remain in the bill, but the amendment creates an Education Finance Study Committee who’s work will result in proposed legislation after taking into account “everything that goes into school financing.” The task of this study committee will be to design an “affordable educational funding system designed to ensure substantially equal access to educational opportunities for all Vermont students.”

The yield bill, H.887, reached the Senate floor late on Friday night. Senator Cummings shared the compromise they had reached with the House to “meld” the two study committees together. The finance study would now be a sub-committee for the Commission on the Future of Education. The major point of contention was the one-time bump in the property tax credit in an attempt to hold income sensitized taxpayers harmless.

Chairwoman Kornheiser kicked off the House Ways & Means Discussion on Thursday around H.887 by telling the Committee to “take a breath on all our opinions on everything related to the Yield. And actually, just first hear what the Senate did.” She instructed them to keep their questions restricted to “qualifying” and understanding, keep notes on other concerns for later.

Chairwoman Cummings opened the Senate Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday by reminding Senators that “we now have about four days (possession of H.887)… to figure out how to actually save the public school system.” It was noted that 30 school budgets had been defeated, some now twice. Senator Chittenden added the South Burlington budget 3^rd vote is next Tuesday.

The House Ways & Means Committee met first thing on Tuesday morning to begin reviewing proposed amendments to H.887, which sets the property tax rates for FY2025.

H.887 reached the House Floor on Tuesday afternoon. Representative Kornheiser introduced the bill on behalf of the Ways & Means Committee. She shared that they have “struggled mightily to navigate through this issue.” She highlighted that “this work cannot be done overnight or even in a couple months during the legislative session.” The $250M in new spending was described as the primary driver of property taxes, increasing property taxes by roughly $0.25. Other factors identified were weaker performance of non-property tax revenue sources and loss of federal funds. Other measures in the bill have been reported on previously.

On Tuesday morning, the House Ways and Means Committee heard from Morgan Daybell, who was representing all the administrative groups in the education system. He noted that they felt that the funding and policy discussions should not be separated, and the same Commission should be responsible for both. They approve of the cloud tax and the short-term rental surcharge and “anything else” that would increase the statewide yield amount.

Chairwoman Kornheiser opened the House Ways and Means Committee meeting on Tuesday by saying, ”we have put a bunch of big ideas out into the world because that is the only way can get work done right? Someone has to put something on paper for people to react to… and it’s fairly intense…. It does not mean these are hills we want to die on. It’s a necessary part of the process.” She noted that the draft yield bill has “multiple decision points” that range through FY2027.

Chairwoman Cummings started off the Senate Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday afternoon by introducing three superintendents who were going to speak to them about cost drivers in the current budget cycle and things they could do long-term to reduce costs.