Charles, David, and Bill Koch fought long and hard over their father’s massive inheritance of hundreds of billions of dollars. Their private fortune would be enough to pay for all of public education in Vermont for 72 years. David is dead now, but his spirit lives on in its posthumous quest for rich folks to pay less in taxes, and at the same time for them to be able to use public funds to send their kids to private schools where they need not mingle with the riff-raff. His ghost and family money are embodied now in Americans for Prosperity, a lobbying group and PAC funded with their legacies.
What do they have to do with the recent flare-up of education reform in Vermont? Plenty.
Here’s a timeline of recent events and facts that might paint the picture for you.
April 10, 2024
Governor Scott nominates Zoie Saunders, from the CharterSchoolsUSA company of Florida, a for-profit private school operator closely connected with the Koch Brothers, to be Vermont’s Secretary of Education. She is not confirmed by the Senate, but he keeps her on anyway.
May 20, 2024
Governor Scott appoints Jason Maulucci, formerly head of the Young Republicans at UVM, to be his campaign manager. While Jason was heading up the Young Republicans, Ross Connolly served as New England Field Director of Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity.
June 7, 2024
Americans For Prosperity (AFP) Regional Director Ross Connolly speaks at a campaign meeting in Barre hosted by the Vermont Young Republicans, and meets with Governor Scott’s staff.
Summer 2024
Vermont hires Picus, Odden, and Augenblick, an out-of-state consulting firm, to identify adequate spending levels for Vermont schools. It’s not clear who paid for this study.
September 10, 2024
VTDigger reports that “Americans for Prosperity has been ramping up its activity in Vermont over the past year, and the group’s multi-thousand dollar ad campaign against the Legislature’s clean heat standard is just one of its efforts in the state. The group — founded by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch — has deep ties to the oil and gas industry.”
Fall 2024
Virginia-based Americans for Prosperity spends $68,000 on campaigns and lobbying in Vermont, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
September 11, 2024
Governor Scott appoints Jason Maulucci as his Director of Policy Development and legislative affairs.
September 15, 2024
Picus, Odden, and Augenblick deliver a report to the state, saying that Vermont needs only $12,000 per student per year for an adequate education. At that point our average spending was $20,000.
Fall 2024
Governor Scott , Saunders, and Maulucci prepare, in secret, his education reform plan. With whose help it is not known.
Fall 2024
Americans for Prosperity reviews the Governor’s (secret) plan.
January 25, 2025
Picus and Odden testify to the Vermont House Ways and Means committee that Vermont’s public school funding should be cut by at least 25%.
January 27, 2025
AFP issues a press release lauding the Governor’s (still secret) education plan because it lowers taxes and allows public funds for private schools. “We thank Governor Scott for his approach to education funding and his commitment to streamlining school governance…a positive step toward achieving education freedom in the Green Mountain State… We know education freedom is within reach.” See https://americansforprosperity.org/press-release/afp-applauds-governor-scotts-education-proposal-as-a-building-block-for-education-freedom/
January 28, 2025
The Governor and Secretary of Education show slides of his (surprise!) education plan to some members of the General Assembly.
February 6, 2025
The House Education Committee receives a written version of the Governor’s plan.
February 2025
The Governor’s plan falls like a lead balloon into the General Assembly and the minds of many Legislators and Vermonters.
January-April 2025
AFP hires five (5) lobbyists and spends more than $25,000 lobbying the Vermont General Assembly.
March 5, 2025
AFP’s Ross Connolly reports to the Vermont Chronicle that “It’s disappointing that the legislative majority in Montpelier is refusing to address the very real problems Vermonters face today.”
April 9, 2025
AFP’s newsletter states that “Vermont is unaffordable and they want real solutions, not mandates and tax hikes. Governor Phil Scott and Republicans in the Legislature put forth many thoughtful solutions to Vermont’s most pressing problems. The Progressive majority failed to prioritize these real solutions.”
April 26, 2025
Right-wing financier Myers Mermel buys WDEV in Waterbury. Ross Connolly, Regional Director of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative libertarian advocacy group, is hired as host of WDEV’s show, Vermont Viewpoint.
June 2, 2025
AFP’s newsletter “commends Governor Scott for his steady commitment to improving the lives of Vermonters, despite the legislature’s failure to act. We remain committed to working on behalf of taxpayers to reduce government spending, [and] deliver education freedom…”
June 16, 2025
The General Assembly passes an education reform bill that reduces education support, lowers taxes, and sends more public money to private schools. In fact, the bill as passed would allow all of the schools in the for-profit Koch brothers’ Charter Schools USA network in Florida, for instance, to claim public tuition payments from Vermont. Governor Scott says he’ll sign it.
David must be smiling in his grave. Charles likely jumps with joy. Bill is probably out on his sailboat.
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