Sent:                10/11/2006 7:50:41 PM

To:                   prekedstudy@leg.state.vt.us

Subject:           Universal Preschool

Dear Legislators,

     I was at the Williston VIT site Monday night and heard two hours of

testimony about how wonderful preschools in Vermont are.   Because so many of us

wanted to testify, you didn't hear my story.   Here it is:

     I have been involved with Saxon Hill School in Jericho which began

decades ago by an ambitious single mother who wanted to spend time with her

children while earning a living.     This preschool evolved into a parent

cooperative.   Two of my children went there; I was a teacher's assistant and Vice

President for a few years.    We had a scholarship for needy children and it

accommodated students with special needs.    Yes, Vermont has marvelous preschools.

     For two hours via VIT I heard folks answer the question, "Does Vermont

have great preschools?"   But that's not the question.   The question Universal

Preschool asks is, "Should Vermont pay for preschool for the middle class and

wealthy using property tax dollars?"   This leads to more questions:  

1.   If our system works so well, why should we change it?

2.   Is there data proving that public-funded preschools outperform

cooperative, private, or home-based preschools?   If not, why switch?

3.   Who should choose preschools for children:   their parents or public

schools?

4.   Who will choose which preschools get the tax dollars?   The parents, who

are the consumers?   Or the public schools who have a vested interest?  

5.   Do we want all the preschools and daycares not chosen for collaboration

to close due to competition, therefore reducing   options for families?

6.   Do the wealthy have a right to property-tax funded preschools?   Does

the middle class?  

7.   What is a more urgent concern for Vermonters today--their property tax

bills or preschool bills?

8.   Right now preschools aren't a problem for taxpayers.   As soon as they

are funded by property taxes, they will be a huge problem.   Why would Vermont

want to exacerbate the existing property-tax problem?

9.   How much will this cost?

     I heard two hours of primarily anecdotal information about our terrific

schools.   But where were the facts and the data?   One fellow testified that

tax dollars spent on preschoolers are much more cost-effective than tax

dollars spent on prisons.   Is there data proving that preschools funded by property

taxes are better than private and cooperative preschools at preventing middle

class and wealthy youth from future incarceration?   (I have been told that

the needy and at-risk children are already being served; Universal Preschool is

only for the middle class and wealthy.)

     According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Vermont citizens are already the

highest-taxed folks in the union.   People and towns all over the state are

demanding school funding reform.   On a personal note, my family's property taxes

are 11% of our income.   This is after our rebate.   Is this a fair way to

fund schools?   We have four children.   Does the government have the right to

take even more money away from our children to pay for schools for other

children?   Vermont needs to find a more equitable way to pay for schools before

adding three and four year olds to the cost.  

     Preschoolers live in the homes of taxpayers.   When you stress parents

with high taxes, you stress their children.   Public preschool will only last

two years per child.   But the price tag for it will be tacked onto our houses

for decades.   If Universal Preschool passes, would an ambitious single mother

be able to start up a preschool in her own home, like Saxon Hill School?   Or

would she be squeezed out by the local publicly funded preschool?

     Vermont does not need Universal Preschool.   Vermont cannot afford

Universal Preschool.   For the sake of the future of Vermont and all its children,

do not let Universal Preschool pass.

Kelly Bartlett

Jericho