Default Budgets in SB2 Are Grossly Misused

When the School District was considering adopting SB2, during one of the informational hearings on it, two points became abundantly clear. 

Firstly, at a 2/3rds super-majority, bond articles were going to be very difficult to pass.  Subsequently bond articles were changed to a 60% super-majority.

Secondly, the default budget was supposed to make articles needing a super-majority less difficult because it would give the voters an alternative to holding down taxes.  Silly us.  We assumed that the default budget which was supposed to be just big enough for the School District to function would be smaller than the approved budget.  Were we fooled?  The school districts and towns decided to skirt the intent of the law by making the default budget greater than the proposed budget. 

As a consequence voters who would like to reduce the increases taxes have no other choice but to vote down Union Contracts and bond articles.  When that happens, many politicians ring their hands and gripe that the voters are mistaken and worse.  But they only have themselves to blame.