The Ballot Items

The official election results are available at the City’s website here.

Here is how the ballot items shaped up versus my predictions.

1. SCHOOL BUDGET: Passed (My prediction: Fail in NNE, pass overall. It did fail in the NNE. I said “barely” pass, but it passed by a large margin.)

2. LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX: Passed (My prediction: Will fail, just like last time.)

3. ELIMINATING RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR DEPARTMENT HEADS: Failed (My prediction: Pass)

4. REVENUE BOND FOR WASTEWATER: Pass (My prediction: pass)

5. STATEWIDE TEACHERS' CONTRACT: Passed (My prediction: I think this might pass.)

6. VERMONT AIR NATIONAL GUARD: Failed (My prediction: Fail)

7. NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS: Passed (My prediction: Pass)

8. USE OF STATE EDUCATION FUNDS: Passed (My prediction: Pass)

9. FLUORIDATION OF WATER: Failed (My prediction: This one will fail and fluoride will stay for now.)

Not too bad. I knew I was wrong on the sales tax as soon as I wrote it. It should have failed, but people are wimps. Threaten to cut vital city services and they just cave. The reality is that with a new administration, most if not all of the city budget shortfall will be made up in the lower salaries. The people there now have been there for a while. New people will start at a lower salary.

One more thing about the budget. It is interesting that the Mayor said they would have to cut $800,000 of vital city services – including police, fire, and plowing – yet there is over $800, 000 in the budget for City Arts. I am not against arts - I am really into the arts, actually, but come on, now. We cut fire and police before arts?!? Priorities, people!

Update: I have been informed that the $800,ooo+ budget of City Arts does not all come from the city, most of it is from donations. See correction here.

I love Burlington City Arts – especially the summer camps for kids where you spend $150 per child for a one week camp that meets for 3 hours a day! What a rip off for a tax-payer funded organization. We scrimped and saved to send our kids last year and they were not even impressed. How hard is it to impress an 8-year-old??

Seriously, though, I love art. I make sculptures, actually. But who in their right mind would cut the police and fire department, yet fund an art program?

The point is not that we should cut City Arts, but that there were other things to cut before vital city services. It was an empty threat and anyone who voted for it because of that threat should feel like a sucker.

That is the down-side of living in a democracy. When other people don’t agree with you, you just have to accept it. It’s a small price to pay, really. It could be much worse. At least I am free to complain about it on my blog!

It is too bad about the sales tax. With surrounding shopping areas looking to adopt the tax, too, and Williston already having it, we gave up an opportunity to say, “Come shop in Burlington and avoid the higher tax rate.” Oh, well. C’est la vie.