BETHEL — Voters in the White River Unified District approved a budget for next year, but by a narrower margin than last year and not without complaint about the state’s education funding formula.

The $16.36 million budget won approval by a count of 176-103 at Monday evening’s in-person meeting at the district’s Bethel campus.

Last year, voters from the district’s two towns, Bethel and Royalton voted 160-40 in favor.

This year’s discontent is partly attributable to an expected tax rate increase in Royalton, and to a belief that voting against the school budget would register as a protest in the state Legislature.

“Unfortunately, the state has forced us into this position,” Bruce Post, a Royalton resident and former Republican candidate for the state House, said during the meeting. “The only lever we have is to vote down the school budget.”

Jash Tetrault, of Bethel, Vt. asks a question of Tara Weatherell, the White River Supervisory Union’s business manager, during the White River Unified District’s annual meeting on Monday, March 2, 2026 in Bethel. JENNIFER HAUCKVALLEY NEWS

But that was not the majority view among the 280 voters present, a turnout of 7.7% of the district’s 3,622 registered voters.

School officials pointed out that over the past five years, tax rates to support the schools have declined in Royalton and that the projected increase to support next year’s budget was due to changes in the common level of appraisal, a measure the state uses to equalize burdens between towns.

Bethel has completed a property reappraisal, and Royalton is due to complete one this year.

While Bethel residents will see a tax rate increase of a little less than 3 cents per $100 of assessed value, Royalton residents’ bills will reflect an increase of 19.8 cents per $100.

Barbara Hart, of Bethel, Vt., marks her paper ballot to vote on the White River Unified District proposed $16.36 million budget on Monday, March 2, 2026 in Bethel. Hart said she supports the school, but lives off of her social security and was worried about her taxes increasing. JENNIFER HAUCKVALLEY NEWS

The owner of a $250,000 home in Bethel would see an extra $72 in their tax bill, but the increase on such a home in Royalton would be $495.

While the two towns are assessed the same effective tax rate, for next year estimated at $1.45 per $100, that rate is modified by the common level of appraisal (CLA), which reflects a town’s property assessments relative to fair market value. A CLA of 100% means a town’s assessed values are in line with market values based on recent property sales, which the state studies each year.

Bethel has completed a townwide reappraisal, and the state has adjusted CLAs to account for the post-pandemic run-up in property values. Bethel’s CLA stands at 149%, which drops its education tax rate to 97 cents per $100. Royalton has a CLA of just under 89% (and without the state adjustment it would be around 65%, a sign that the town is overdue for a reappraisal.) Royalton officials are completing a reappraisal this year, so the tax rate calculation would change, and tax bills would be based on the new assessed values.

Residents who spoke up noted that increases in some expenses, notably health insurance and special education, are largely out of the district’s hands.

The district has gone from an enrollment of 586 in 2022 to 657 this year, former School Board member Chris Jarvis, of Bethel, said.

“The budgets that the board has put forth … have been very responsibly put together,” Jarvis said. “To vote the budget down, it’s really not going to get you anywhere,” he added. The rising cost of education “is a statewide issue,” he said.

A well-funded school system also encourages people to move into a community, and draws students from surrounding districts that have school choice, residents said. White River Unified District operates the only public high school in the 10-town White River Valley Supervisory Union.

Bethel voter Teal Sallen speaks during the White River Unified District’s annual meeting on Monday evening, March 2, 2026 in Bethel, Vt. Sallen said “this is money for our children’s future”. The budget passed. JENNIFER HAUCKVALLEY NEWS

“If you want to attract more contributing members of your community, investing in your schools is the way you want to do it,” Royalton resident Julia Abraham said. She and her husband moved to Royalton after observing the schools, she said.

But if the cost of housing and property taxes are too high, how are people going to be able to move in? asked Royalton resident Ben Cronan.

“We can’t keep going up 5%, 8%,” he said. “If our taxes keep going up year after year, then people aren’t going to be able to live here.”

Under Vermont’s education finance system, resident households earning less than $115,000 a year pay education taxes based on income and receive a tax credit. Households earning less than $47,000 a year are eligible for additional tax credits.

If Vermont wants to take some of the burden off homeowners, it should raise taxes on second homes, said Greg Hughes, who was a member of the Bethel School Board before Bethel and Royalton merged to form the White River Unified District in 2017.

“Other states don’t do it this way,” said Hughes, who is on the board of Friends of Vermont Public Education, an advocacy organization formed in the past couple of years.

He cited the example of South Carolina, which taxes second homes at a higher rate than primary residences.

“This is low-hanging fruit on the money tree,” he said.

Monday night’s meeting marked the last time the budget would be explained by Tara Weatherell, the district’s business manager, who is departing at the end of June. And Suzanne Long, a Royalton resident, was elected school district clerk. She replaces Karmen Bascom, who nominated Long for the post.

Royalton resident Ed Sullivan is leaving the School Board at the end of his term, and no one has filed to run for his seat. Barring a last-gasp write-in campaign, the board will appoint someone, Chairwoman Nancy Pejouhy, of Bethel, said Monday.

“I’m just relieved,” Pejouhy said about the budget’s passage. If it had been voted down, “I had no idea where we would be able to make the cuts,” she said.