Tuesday, March 1, 2022
File: Courtney Lamdin ©️ Seven Days
Burlington High School's Institute Road campus
The Burlington School District said on Tuesday that a new high school and technical center could come with a price tag of somewhere between $161 million and $207 million.
That estimate doesn't include an additional $26 million to $29 million the district would need to demolish the current buildings on the Institute Road campus and safely remove contaminated soils and building materials.
The district released the estimate on the afternoon of Town Meeting Day, as Burlingtonians voted on a potential tax hike and a capital bond for new city spending. Also on the ballot was the $98.2 million school budget, which represented a 13.1 percent increase in per-pupil spending over last year. But the district said it would likely amount to a reduction for taxpayers because of a surplus in the state education fund.
Tags: Burlington High School , Town Meeting Day , Tom Flanagan , Web Only , Image
Updated at 10:26 p.m.
Burlington Progressives held on to their six council seats on Town Meeting Day, cementing the party’s influential voting bloc for another year.
The Progs notched wins in Wards 1 and 8 despite hard-fought campaigns by Democratic opponents who sought to frame the election as a referendum on post-George Floyd cuts to police.
Incumbent Progressive Zoraya Hightower earned about 57 percent of the vote to beat political newcomer Rob Gutman in Ward 1 by a tally of 585 to 442, according to unofficial results. In Ward 8, Prog Ali House earned 54 percent of the vote to defeat fellow University of Vermont student Hannah King by a tally of 321 to 278.
The party also held on in Ward 3, as incumbent Prog Joe Magee handily bested Republican Christopher-Aaron Felker, 795 to 304. Voters also elected Progressive Gene Bergman, who ran unopposed in Ward 2.
“This result is a strong show of support for the issues we have been fighting for over the past two years,” Vermont Progressive Party director Josh Wronski said in a statement. “We are eager to get to work moving the City forward on issues like housing affordability, renters’ rights, climate change, transforming public safety, and meeting the basic needs of all our community members. We hope the Administration will join us as a willing partner.”
Burlington Progressives held on to their six council seats on Town Meeting Day, cementing the party’s influential voting bloc for another year.
The Progs notched wins in Wards 1 and 8 despite hard-fought campaigns by Democratic opponents who sought to frame the election as a referendum on post-George Floyd cuts to police.
Incumbent Progressive Zoraya Hightower earned about 57 percent of the vote to beat political newcomer Rob Gutman in Ward 1 by a tally of 585 to 442, according to unofficial results. In Ward 8, Prog Ali House earned 54 percent of the vote to defeat fellow University of Vermont student Hannah King by a tally of 321 to 278.
The party also held on in Ward 3, as incumbent Prog Joe Magee handily bested Republican Christopher-Aaron Felker, 795 to 304. Voters also elected Progressive Gene Bergman, who ran unopposed in Ward 2.
“This result is a strong show of support for the issues we have been fighting for over the past two years,” Vermont Progressive Party director Josh Wronski said in a statement. “We are eager to get to work moving the City forward on issues like housing affordability, renters’ rights, climate change, transforming public safety, and meeting the basic needs of all our community members. We hope the Administration will join us as a willing partner.”
Tags: Burlington , Town Meeting Day , Vermont , Web Only , Image
Town Meeting Day might look different again this year, but the vibe is the same.
Vermonters are voting — by voice, by mail, by paper ballot — as part of the state's unique tradition of direct democracy. Town clerks and volunteers are doing their part to count ballots and keep the polls running. Candidates are out for one last 12-hour campaign push before polls close at 7 p.m.
For the last few months, Seven Days has covered various Town Meeting Day issues in municipalities around the state. Here's what you need to know:
February 28: "Scott Blocks Brattleboro's Bid to Lower the Voting Age"
February 25: "Burlington Seeks a Makeover for Main Street With TIF Bond"
February 23: "Democracy How? The Pandemic Has Weakened — but Not Killed — Vermont’s Grand Town Meeting Day Tradition"
February 23: "Burlington Voters Will Again Consider New City Spending — and a Tax Hike"
February 23: "Winooski, Montpelier Will Allow Noncitizens to Vote, but Few Have Signed Up"
February 18: "Milton School Board Race Jolted By Candidates’ Manifesto"
February 16: "Local Commotion: National Divisions on Race and Equity Are Roiling Vermont School Boards"
February 9: "Control of the Burlington City Council Likely Hinges on One Race: Ward 8"
February 2: "A Proposed Tweak to Burlington’s Charter Sparks Impassioned Debate Over Sex Work"
January 18: "Burlington Progs Consider Six Candidates for Council Seats"
January 12: "Burlington Council Elections: Hightower Will Run, Stromberg Won't"
January 12: "Burlington’s Town Meeting Day Could Look Much Different for Progressives"
December 19: "Burlington Dems Endorse Five Candidates for City Council Elections"
December 9: "Burlington City Councilor Chip Mason Won't Seek Reelection"
Vermonters are voting — by voice, by mail, by paper ballot — as part of the state's unique tradition of direct democracy. Town clerks and volunteers are doing their part to count ballots and keep the polls running. Candidates are out for one last 12-hour campaign push before polls close at 7 p.m.
For the last few months, Seven Days has covered various Town Meeting Day issues in municipalities around the state. Here's what you need to know:
February 28: "Scott Blocks Brattleboro's Bid to Lower the Voting Age"
February 25: "Burlington Seeks a Makeover for Main Street With TIF Bond"
February 23: "Democracy How? The Pandemic Has Weakened — but Not Killed — Vermont’s Grand Town Meeting Day Tradition"
February 23: "Burlington Voters Will Again Consider New City Spending — and a Tax Hike"
February 23: "Winooski, Montpelier Will Allow Noncitizens to Vote, but Few Have Signed Up"
February 18: "Milton School Board Race Jolted By Candidates’ Manifesto"
February 16: "Local Commotion: National Divisions on Race and Equity Are Roiling Vermont School Boards"
February 9: "Control of the Burlington City Council Likely Hinges on One Race: Ward 8"
February 2: "A Proposed Tweak to Burlington’s Charter Sparks Impassioned Debate Over Sex Work"
January 18: "Burlington Progs Consider Six Candidates for Council Seats"
January 12: "Burlington Council Elections: Hightower Will Run, Stromberg Won't"
January 12: "Burlington’s Town Meeting Day Could Look Much Different for Progressives"
December 19: "Burlington Dems Endorse Five Candidates for City Council Elections"
December 9: "Burlington City Councilor Chip Mason Won't Seek Reelection"
Tags: election , Town Meeting Day , Web Only , Image