Mayoral Focus

In what has to be the most shocking development in Burlington politics ever, this morning, The Burlington Free Press endorsed Hinda Miller for mayor. Yes, folks, that was sarcasm.

You can read the endorsement for yourself at the Free Press website, by clicking here.

The Free Press endorsement highlights exactly what is wrong with the thinking at that paper’s editorial board, which makes the endorsements and determines other editorial stances on issues.

“Republican Curley deserves credit for forcing the candidates to focus on the need to control city spending. Progressive Kiss made sure Burlington's most vulnerable citizens, including the homeless and low-income, weren't left out of the discussion.”

In the end, they chose Hinda because these things – controlling spending and helping the poor – are not as important as what Hinda brings to the table. “She's a strong proponent for what is right about this city, including supporting the arts and culture.” And of course we all know that “the next mayor must be a cheerleader for everything wonderful about Burlington.”

Each candidate has addressed all three of these areas to some extent and the Free Press did highlight her credentials in those other two areas.

In the area of fiscal restraint, they claim that “Miller's four years as Chittenden County state senator, serving on the powerful Appropriations Committee, have provided lessons in squeezing public spending into a tight public budget.”

Wait, is that the same “tight public budget” that needs a new 6-cent gas tax to help fund a shortfall? Is that the same “tight public budget” that appropriated money last year to extend the already strapped public education budget to cover two more grades (pre-school)? I would not want that on my resume as an example of my ability to control spending. And where are the examples of how she worked to tighten the budget? Surely she has accomplishments in that area to brag about, no?

In the area of caring for the needy, they list “Miller was a founding board member of the Child Care Fund of Vermont, taught yoga to female inmates in Vermont's prisons, and fought for legislation providing unemployment insurance to battered women.”

I don’t mean to discount her obvious commitment to women’s issues, but what does she plan to do for the homeless, give free yoga lessons at COTS? I do not see how any of these things really demonstrate her understanding of the struggles of our city’s poorest residents.

So there you have it folks. The Free Press has summed up each of the candidates for their strong points: Kevin Curley will focus on fixing the budget problems; Bob Kiss will focus on the needs of the poor; and Hinda Miller will be a cheerleader for arts and culture.

They made their choice about what is most important – what’s yours?