Too many Vermont children are choosing to leave Vermont to start their adult lives and raise a family elsewhere.  In addition, the population of our state is rapidly aging; add this to Vermont’s declining birthrate and we are looking at situation that is going to apply unsustainable stress to our economy.  In fact, some economists predict that with a nearly 26% drop in public school enrollment by 2018, we will have only enough tax revenue to fund education and basic social services, not a penny more.

To combat this quiet crisis, I introduced the Vermont Promise Scholarships program. This is a 15-year, $175 million proposal that aims to keep the next generation here in Vermont. Over time, we will create over 1,000 awards per year for high school students covering up to 50 percent of the cost of tuition at any one of Vermont’s great institutions of higher education. 
 
The next generation of Vermonters will create more and better paying jobs, helping to secure our economy.

I am pleased that the legislature included $5 million in this year’s state budget to begin this program. This is a much needed down payment, but it is not enough.  I will continue to fight to fully fund the Vermont Promise Scholarship program.  We must take this step now to secure Vermont’s future.