Partnership for Burlington's Future

02/08/2022

Vote YES on #3 to invest in critical City infrastructure.

With your support of the 2016 Sustainable Infrastructure Plan, we launched a major effort to reinvest in our core municipal infrastructure. We need your help to continue this project and finish the plan.

This $23.8 million bond (reduced from the $40 million bond that was on the December Special Election ballot) will make urgently needed investments in essential City infrastructure over the next three years, including replacing emergency communications systems, replacing three fire engines, rebuilding sidewalks, repaving streets, and, providing the critical local match (generally 20%) to draw down millions of federal funds from the Federal Infrastructure Bill.

02/06/2022

Vote YES on #4 to allow the City to complete a transformational upgrade of Main Street from Memorial Auditorium to the train station by authorizing the City to invest about $26 million of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) dollars. These improvements will be paid for by the future taxes from new development, not current property taxpayers.

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is an economic development tool designed to foster the types of development that Vermont has been encouraging for years in the places we want it to occur - downtowns, industrial parks, and compact village centers.

Over the last thirty years TIF investments have positively transformed Burlington’s waterfront and Winooski’s downtown. Now we have the chance to do the same with Main Street.

Voters can support the Main Street TIF with no impact to property taxes. Rejecting the project will result in the City losing approximately $20 million of TIF funding.

02/04/2022

Vote YES on #2 to maintain high quality City services. City government, like everyone else, has experienced significant expense inflation since voters approved the last tax rate increase in 2020. To maintain current services next year without service or personnel cuts, the City needs a $.04 rate increase.

11/02/2021

In 2016, voters approved the first Sustainable Infrastructure Bond for $27.5 million. Since that time, the City has replaced over 15 miles of sidewalk, rebuilt 8 miles of the Bike Path, and rebuilt 22 miles of streets. Now, we need voters to approve the next stage of the plan to continue this high-level of investment in our city.

If we delay and defer capital investments, key systems and assets will fail causing increased expenses for taxpayers over time and potentially diminished public services. The bond will:

• Continue enhanced street and sidewalk maintenance
• Replace three fire engines
• Invest in Burlington’s outstanding network of parks
• Re-open or re-envision Memorial Auditorium
• Replace public safety dispatch infrastructure
• Address deferred maintenance in City buildings to make them more energy efficient
• Add 12 miles of bike lanes

Vote YES on ballot question #1 on December 7 to continue investment in our critical City infrastructure.

03/05/2020

02/27/2020

Vote YES on #2 to fund the operation of a third ambulance out of the New North End

After 20 years of providing outstanding emergency medical services, the Burlington Fire Department needs to add a third ambulance to maintain our current level of service.

A third ambulance based in New North End will improve medical responsiveness throughout the City and add two additional firefighters on every shift to respond to major fires.

Cost for property owner with median-assessed home will be under $6 a month.

The City has worked hard to keep tax rate increases for City operations below the rate of inflation over Mayor’s nine budgets. If voters approve this question, City operating expenses will still be in line with the rate of inflation.

03/02/2019

This Town Meeting Day, on March 5, vote YES on #2 - #5 to move forward important City initiatives with strong Council support.

Read more about these ballot issues here: https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/2019

02/24/2019

A YES vote on #3 consolidates City functions spread over three separate departments into one new Permitting and Inspections Department. The change is intended to make the City's currently troubled permitting process more consistent, efficient, transparent and predictable. These flow charts from the City employee team that is planning the transition to a new system show the process for obtaining a permit now and the new process after a YES vote on #3.

02/23/2019

Vote YES on #3 to reform the City's permitting system.

This charter change allows for the City to create a one-stop-shop for permitting on Pine Street to dramatically improve customer service and make the City's Department Director appointments more consistent and accountable to the elected officials.

For a typical permit:
The current permit process has a full success rate of about 22% (property owner completes all steps with out errors. --> The 6-12 month goal is to increase that success rate to 68% and continue improving.

The closure process currently has a failure rate that can approach 50% --> The 6-12 month goal is to reduce that to below 10% and continue improving.

There are currently over 4,500 unacceptable old and open permits. --> The 6-12 month goal is to reduce the number of open and old permits by 20%.

Read more about this important charter change here: https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/2019/permit-reform