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Ann Cummings: “The state didn't fund it. That led to the Brigham decision.”

Featuring: Ann Cummings, Democratic | State Senator, Vermont

In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges

Published April 24, 2025 | Video Starts at 39:43

And then the state would fill in more but basically, the state ensures that you get X amount per student. Right. The state didn't fund it. That led to the Brigham decision. decision. Because towns, especially ones with a lot of second homes, had a 28 cent tax rate. And we had at least one town with a third $3.28 tax rate, and that was too wide. (39:43–39:49)

CLAIM

Asserts that the state's failure to fund the foundation formula led to the Brigham decision.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Ann Cummings

“We were told that it is. Is it over $40,000 a year for a family bronze plan on the exchange.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 04:08-04:19
“It costs $35,000 a year to have a kid in child care.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 26:59-27:04
“The governor did that. I believe we used some of that money to keep from putting 466 homeless children out on the street in two weeks.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 52:39-52:50
“We had [a foundation formula] in Vermont and it basically said you had to raise X amount which was on your local tax rate.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 01:00-39:29
“Those are the money committees and everything goes through appropriations that it involves spending.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 03:09-03:20
“We get involved when they need money or anything that raises money, anything that impacts revenues.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 03:19-03:27
“We have the education fund in property taxes amongst that.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 03:27-03:32
“It is on front burner this year. Yeah. And health insurance is on front burner in the morning.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 03:38-03:45
“I was mayor during [the 1992] flood.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 07:15-07:15
“I am on the VSAC board.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 08:21-08:24
“Yes, I am on [the Committee on the Future of Public Education].”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 08:27-08:28
“I was on the Central Vermont Community Action, which is now Capstone. I represented the city there for 10 years.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 09:46-09:53
“I was on the board of what is now Prevent Child Abuse Vermont and I ran their local support group.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 09:56-10:04
“I was on the city council.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 12:28-12:31
“Finance is responsible for anything that raises money, including taxes, fees, banking, insurance, securities, and utilities.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 15:47-15:52
“We lost a lot of experience and the experience I'm concerned we've lost.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 17:28-17:36
“There is a consensus revenue report done in July by the emergency board, which are the money chairs and the governor, and there's two…”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 18:50-19:07
“The governor builds his budget on those revenues.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 19:11-19:15
“The legislature has to use [the revenue forecast] to respond to the governor's budget.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 19:34-19:42
“There is more of a tendency to just say, well, we want to do this, so we'll raise taxes.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 20:03-20:11
“You don't want to spend all your tax capacity during good times because there will come a time, maybe sooner rather than later.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 20:16-20:28
“There are a lot fewer bills than normal. We have some staff shortages in our drafting department, and so things are coming out much slower.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 22:09-22:23
“We couldn't get to single payer because our pool is so small, the cost goes up per person.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 24:37-24:48
“We have an aging population that uses more health care.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 24:57-25:03
“We have a shortage in every professional. And part of that is tied to the cost of housing.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 26:27-26:34
“We have upped the subsidy, and we have up. We put on a payroll tax, and we have upped the state's contribution so that people that provide…”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 27:19-27:34
“A single paycheck could support a family. Those days are gone.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 28:33-28:39
“Bill, that any Senate bill has to be out of committee by tomorrow afternoon.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 29:18-29:26
“Anything that impacts the revenues of the state or utilities or banking will come through my committee.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 29:43-29:53
“Anything that spends money has to go through appropriations.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 29:52-29:57
“We invited the governor who has in the past given us a proposal in April.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 31:44-31:52
“This year he gave us a complete rewrite of the governance and financing structure.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 32:21-32:31
“The goal is to make sure that every kid gets the education that they need to be happy, productive citizens at a price that your average…”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 33:17-33:34
“The governor's people are putting out numbers. But it's based on the concept it would be 20, 28 numbers.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 33:56-34:05
“All he has actually talked about so far is consolidating into not five. I think. Yeah, that's districts.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 34:28-34:39
“The legislature is not actively considering doing away with universal school meals.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 36:06-36:13
“There's no inclination to expand school choice beyond what we have and what the Supreme Court has mandated.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 36:50-37:02
“We have three academies that are private academies that function as Public Schools.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 37:41-37:48
“A penny on the tax rate on any town raises the same amount of money per student in that town.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 40:09-40:19
“Only one other state, I believe it's Wisconsin or Michigan, has a different thing other than a foundation formula.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 41:30-41:40
“The state makes that decision, not the local voters.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 42:36-42:41
“The state takes out all the sales tax revenue, the rooms and meals, all the revenue that's in. That's not property tax.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 42:48-42:59
“We have to meet Brigham.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 43:44-43:46
“They've also changed the income sensitivity, which gives me some concern because if you have a relatively low income but are living in a…”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 44:33-44:54
“We are phasing it in over five years.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 46:18-46:22
“The weights were done in 1950 or 60 and no one could find any rationale.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 47:01-47:08
“The governor's is 13,200 is his base foundation.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 47:39-47:49
“We know that there has been a huge spike starting in the early teens of depression, mental health issues in students.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 48:36-48:48
“It passed yesterday in the Senate.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 49:50-49:53
“Last year we passed it. I was on economic development when we did it.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 49:53-49:58
“The House put it on the Internet privacy bill and that one The Senate, you just don't do a bill that major the second year of a biennium.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 49:58-50:11
“The kids code didn't make it through the House because they stuck it on the bigger bill this year.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 50:21-50:29
“These are the children that are presently in the bad weather hotel program.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 53:02-53:09
“It ends March 31 and on April 1. There is no place we don't have the shelter capacity.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 53:16-53:31
“As the price of housing and the price of rent, we are pricing more and more people out of the housing market.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 53:52-54:04
“There are landlords who put out lower income people and paint everything white and rent it again for higher rent.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 54:05-54:14
“This is the worst I have ever seen with the number of. I mean, we've had things that were highly emotional, like civil unions.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 55:47-55:59
“Act 60, we had a Supreme Court mandate that said you have to do something.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 56:05-56:10
“We don't have any mandate except the voters that voted down all the school budgets last year.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 56:11-56:18
“We just can't afford to pay teachers to teach a class of 4, 5, 6 students.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 56:23-56:32
“We did confirm Zoe Saunders today.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 57:24-57:27
“The governor has proposed and we are now doing what the legislature is supposed to do.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 57:38-57:45
“We are not going to be doing the governor's proposal as it was presented.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 57:50-57:56
“We know we need to tell people what we think we're going to be doing.”
In-Depth Discussion with Senator Ann Cummings on Vermont's Legislative Challenges | Uploaded April 24, 2025 | 58:15-58:22