Common Sense Radio: Education Reform, Tax Policy and Housing Costs with Robert Letovsky
Thursday, November 5, 2026, Common Sense Radio, with Bill Sayre, weekdays, 11 o’clock till Noon.
Robert Letovsky, Professor Emeritus of Business at St. Michael’s College, joins Bill to discuss three key public policy issues — reforming education to control costs and improve test scores; the effect of tax policy on migration among the States of people and capital; and the role of regulatory burden in the cost and availability of housing.
Potential Questions and Issues.
What are the key elements in the education reform package adopted as a compromise between the Legislature and the Governor last biennium? How does this reform differ, and how is it the same, as the reform effort in the previous year?
What are the measures of cost that we should keep in mind? $1.7 billion in property taxes, $700 million in sales taxes, plus a portion of other taxes, such as sales and use taxes, along with $200 million from federal payments, and unfunded liabilities for pensions and post retirement health benefits. Meanwhile, the number of students has declined over the past 30
What are the opportunities to save cost? Combining administrative expenses? Technological advances to facilitate distance learning? How does consolidation save cost? Specialized teachers move from one part of the building to another, instead of traveling over the roads from one school to another. Meanwhile, the number of students, in the past 30 years, has declined from about 108,000 to about 78,000. This means the cost per child, depending on what costs are included, is in the range of $25,000 to $30,000 per student. Using the US Department of Education figures, to standardize comparisons, the cost per child in Vermont is more 70 percent over the national average, and the second highest of any State in the nation.
There was a time when our student test score were among the highest in the nation, as were our costs per student. Today our scores are in the mid-range of all the States. And some have said that, adjusted for demographic factors, our test scores are among the lowest of all the States. What does it mean when only 40 percent of our students are proficient in reading and math.
Has there ever been a time when school consolidation in Vermont was not controversial? The Vicious Act of 1892, before which there were 2,500 school districts, and after which there was one district per Town. School wagons to School buses.
What should reforms, in governance and in finance, should we consider? Are Charter Schools public schools? What should be the role of school choice?
What factors affect the migration of people from State to State? What does the evidence show about the effects of State taxation on migration patterns? Do some taxes have greater effect than others? For example, income taxes, or property taxes, or taxes Social Security and Military Pensions. What is the effect of differing tax structures on entrepreneurs and other businesses? Their willingness and ability to grow, hire, and invest?
What should we think of proposals to create a special tax on second homes? And a higher tax on high income earners?
How does growing the economy — economic activity and capital investment — increase government revenue, without raising tax rates? Can this idea be tested not only by States with slow growing economies, but also by those with rapidly growing economies, like Florida, Texas, or Tennessee?
Why is it important for Government, like families and businesses, to live within its means? Do Vermont have s spending problem, not a revenue problem?
What are the key factors in the high cost of housing, and the limited availability of housing in Vermont? Is there a difference between affordable housing and housing affordability? How can $500,000 to $600,000 be considered an affordable house? What is the role of property taxes in housing affordability — often a great cost than mortgage payments? What role can previously owned homes play in providing affordable housing — particularly for young couples, getting started, and able to put sweat equity into home improvements?
What role do demographics play in the above affordability issues — both as cause and as effect? Lowest birth rate in Vermont since before the Civl War. The second highest median age of any State. Lowest fertility rate of any State. And smallest household size. Employment is be low the peak. Vermont labor force is 10,000 below the peak. Vermont population has declined two years in a role, with especially big declines in the working age population.
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