 Okay, why don't we just start talking and we'll see what's going on. Okay. Okay I think the first point that I want to make is that what we're looking at here What you see all around you in terms of people coming out ice skating doing some sledding taking the kids out a lot of kids here This is the way we see the future of Berlington's waterfront. This is what we want People to be able to enjoy in fact where we're standing right now used to be Contain a very large tank like one of those tanks over there And what we were able to do last year is get rid of some of the tanks and open up Park space right here There are benches picnic spaces and giving it gives people an opportunity to get out right out to the lake and enjoy it our hope is That if the bond issue was passed on March 3rd that we're going to have right near here a community boathouse So that in the wintertime as well as the summertime it'll be a facility that can be widely used by the people of Berlington It can be a place. We're on a day like today people can come inside put on their skates. I'll get some hot chocolate Yeah, basically get out of the cold and warm up now We've made some real progress and we want to continue that effort our hope is that on March 3rd if the people people vote for the bond issue we're going to be able to expand the Bicycle path which is utilized not only in the summertime, but it's utilized in the wintertime for cross-country skiing So you're going to have a cross-country skiing area that it's going to go for the mouth of the Winooski all the way into South Berlington, and that's really nice people can stop along here to get warm in the community boathouse We're also going to have for the summertime if the bond issue was passed Another boat launching area we have a boat launching area right here in the summertime We want to open another one up at Perkins Pier So we think we have made some real progress in terms of opening up the waterfront in the last few years By acquiring the mobile oil beach. That's a seven acre beach by expanding Perkins Pier right here by doubling the amount of park space By building the bicycle path by getting a mile of new beach space out on the north end and also by rezoning the downtown waterfront so that we'll be able to prohibit the type of development that we don't want and If we pass the bond issue on March 3rd There's going to be just that much more in terms of public amenities for the people of Berlington Now, let me play a roving reporter here. Let me see what we could do here Hi I'm playing roving reporter. That's not air and he's with this is for a cable access program Can I talk to you for a moment? Okay, so what do you think about the waterfront down here now? I think it looks great. Okay. Yeah, okay. Do you know do you live in Berlington? Yes, great. You know, there's a bond issue on March 3rd, which will allow us to Build some more public amenities down here in the waterfront. Did you know that how you're feeling about it? You're gonna support it? Yes, okay Okay, so tell me your thoughts here. You are My thoughts well, I just if you could do something about getting perfect ice Every year you see the problems that a mayor has people never give up perfect ice The world's largest ice skating rick here. We've got a 10 mile ice perfect ice Okay, we've got it today, but you don't get it every year. Well, you finally have some tolerable weather here Yes, what we need on days like today when Bruegel Bruegel-esque type for landscape, right? What we need now is a little hot dog stand. Ah, okay But here's the point here's the point if you vote for the on March 3rd for the bond issue We're gonna have a community boat house, which is gonna do just set just that hot chocolate Hot dogs a place for people to change into their skates to warm up We can use that I'm getting cold but Yeah, yes, I mean I can't tell you exactly what it's gonna look like, but that's what the thought is But what excites me now is just the number of people that are coming down here What life should be like a little hockey a little skating a little bargaining a little You know kites that's right everything going on at once. Yep. No, it's really nice really nice Okay, thanks very much. Okay Hello, do you want to be on not candid camera? Hi, that's not air You're his mother, that's okay. He's a nice kid. You know, it's very nice. We should be proud I'm from South Burlington, South Burlington get her off the air We're from Burlington though. It's safe. That's you you back elective. You've come to my gym phasia. You've come to right I recall that right Now even though you're from South Burlington, you're gonna utilize Burlington's waterfront, right? That's right. You're gonna come down here. What do you think about the? possibility of opening up all of this this area for people to enjoy is it mean something to the people in South Burlington? I think it would be terrific Well, we'll let you in even if you offer yourself really good. Okay. Thank you Okay, let's see what we got down here that I disappear into a hole you get the candid picture Excuse me Hi, I'm mayor Sanders We're doing a program which can't go any further than this It's the end of the art here. He comes. Okay. We're doing a program on Cable access the channel 15 and just you guys would have some of these Free skates. Yeah, okay when wind things. That's what they look like. All right So what I want to ask you is if you live in Burlington, by the way, I live in one of these Okay, what does even if you live in one of these really? I'm still included. Hey, we'll talk you. Hey, what the hell? Um What do you see the potential of the waterfront for activities like this? Great Have you had this thing down here before? I'm actually never sailed here last year because the ice wasn't any good, right? But it was only because of the ice. Yeah, I'm sailing here all week. Okay. How's it enjoying it, huh? Yeah, it's a busy today, but it is. I'm not gonna watch that's what we want We want people to watch. Yeah, it is really nice If I wanted to sail someplace where there weren't people and I should have come down earlier this morning Do you are you aware that we have a bond issue on on March 3rd Which will enable us to do a lot more for the waterfront In terms of building a community boat house somewhere right near here where people can go inside get a hot dog Get some hot chalk to warm up So that's gonna be operating in the winter too. Sure. Yeah, yeah around in the summertime It will allow us to rent out boats at reasonable rates in the winter time We can rent out figure magigs like that I suppose With big disclaimers Okay, does that make sense to you? Yeah, absolutely. Okay. All right You know one of our goals is to make sure that we keep the waterfront open to all the people Mm-hmm, and that we utilize it in ways like we're utilizing it today. Okay. Well, the link belongs to the folks Okay, good enough. Okay. Thanks a lot. Okay It's on channel 15 and One of the things we're talking about is the potential of Burlington's waterfront To be utilized in ways like this. So what do you think? I think it has tremendous potential is one of the last few places around that Where you really can play and have fun and come out and enjoy yourself And it's very yeah, it's conducive to having the family come down and stuff like that Right. Do you live in Burlington? I live in Shelburne. Okay, and I would I work right across the street and I come down here Okay One of the things that we're trying to do is get a bond issue past this much Which will allow us to improve the public amenities down here build a community boat house Right around here, so I think we'll add a lot to it. I do too. What do you think young lady like ice skating on the lake? Yes Okay, is this the first time you've been ice skating? No, okay. First time this year though. Okay Your dad is having to do all the hard work. You know getting the skates the hardest part. Anyone could skate, you know Getting the skates on the slide It certainly is Hi Bernie. How's it going? I don't know if you remember me from the conference this summer in California It's at at at Berkeley. You were there? Yeah, remember I pulled up in the Vermont car right? Oh, right Right. How you doing? Good. My name is Art Babbit, right? And we got a thank you. We got some nice letter for you Thank you very much. Thank you. You're on television. Hi mom Not going out to California. Good. So how things going? I was in the office today when he came in Up from Amherst for the weekend. Good enough. We're you going to school there? Yeah at Amherst College. Good. Good So what do you think about the waterfront? Looks nice, huh? It looks beautiful Yeah, can't wait for the summer so I can come up here stay up here for one summer and check out the path Yeah, we got some good progress on the bicycle path. It's being used for cross-country skiing as well Okay, I'll take you. Thanks a lot for your help. And I'll be up here on the third. Okay. Good. Thanks a lot Thanks very much. And now here is Hi, I'm Dan Rathar. This is 60 minutes. We're here in Burlington, Vermont Just talking to folks. It's a great day to be out talking. It is a good day. How you doing? Great day to be out doing anything. Derek, come here a sec. I want to introduce you to Bernie Oh my god. It's such a frightening person It's quiet. I described her to you as being the King Friday of Burlington. If you watched Mr. Rogers, you know who King Friday was She's been trying to understand what voting is all about because people vote across the street from our house And she's been with us to vote, so I did it all in relation to King Friday. Okay, you know there's a bond issue on Which will allow us to build some more public amenities down here on the waterfront. We're gonna have if we can pass it We're gonna have a community boat house probably somewhere right near here We're going to be able to expand and extend the the bicycle path. Great. We're gonna get another boat access area for the people who Do boating. We're gonna have a community boat house, which will allow us To rent out boats at a reasonable rate. You're gonna support it. Absolutely. You're gonna urge all of your friends out there TV. Absolutely. Alright We're big water people. Okay. Don't have a boat, but we enjoy them. Okay, you'll be able to rent one inexpensively. Great. Great. Good luck. Thanks very much Hi, how you doing? Thank you doing a great job with the city and we're gonna vote for you and wish you luck in your campaign I think it's great. You want to hear that I'm sure. There it is. Tell the people out of TV No, really, I support you a hundred percent. Thanks. You're doing a great job. Thanks. Thanks. And this is Sarah Conan Hi, Sarah. You want to say hello to the people out and want to talk into the television? See yourself on television? No, thanks. Okay. Thanks a lot. Okay Can you be on TV? Well, what do you think, Matt? Can this young lady be on TV? But first you have to tell us what your name is. What's your name? Kelly, Herrero. Kelly Herrero. Would you live in Burlington, Kelly? I live in Underhill and Shelbur. You live in Underhill and Shelbur. Okay. Good enough. Do you like skating here out on the ice? Yeah. Pretty nice day today, huh? Yeah. Okay. We'll have a nice time, Kelly. Thank you. Okay. What's your name? Jessica, where do you live, Jessica? Burlington. You live in Burlington. Okay. Do you like skating out on the ice? Yeah. Pretty nice day, huh? Mm-hmm. Have you fallen yet? A little bit. A little bit. I see you got a bloody lip. That's okay. Let me see you skate. You a good skater? Mm-hmm. Pretty good. Excellent. Okay We're in my skates. It's a new type of skates. So you get all kinds of things. You don't fall. How are you doing, Bill? So you've been fishing or what? You just... Well, let me talk to you. We're doing a program for cable access. This is Bill Blanchett, who is a former alderman and a member of the state legislature. How you doing? I'm doing great, Mayor. You know, you can't ask for a better day. I mean, the ice is all crystal clear and everybody seems to be enjoying it, just like back in the old days. I know you don't like me to refer back to the old days, but over here on our right, just below the shantytown, that used to be a skating rink and of course, he used to charge then, but this is free. That's why they made a good place. We didn't know that anything happened in Burlington before six years ago. We thought it was just happening. But this is really beautiful. So what do you think of this area over here? It's nice, isn't it? Opening this area up. Yeah, yeah, that was a good move. Taking down the tank. Yeah, that was good. Yeah, it's nice right now in the winter time and in the summertime it's nicer. So you're going to support the bond issue on March 3rd to build some more public amenities down here? Hey, although for the bond issue, the thing is that people enjoy it and it's like anything else. If you want things, you have to pay for them. It's as simple as that. You're right. That's about it. It's, you know, the hope is to have a community boat house somewhere around here. They got another boat access area down by Moran plant and expand the bike path and it's really nice to see so many people out here. It sure is. I've never, I haven't seen, you know, this larger group on the lake for a number of years. It's, like I say, the weather's good. Yeah, it's just ideal skating day. It is. Beautiful. Yeah, there's something about the lake. I mean, you know, you have your indoor rinks, but it's not like being out in the open air. Absolutely right. Yeah, couldn't agree with you much. If I was younger, I'd go home and get my skates, but I'd have to work. What do you mean? I'd have to wear a helmet. 38 years old. That's not that old, Bill. No, it's great. Okay. Good enough. Take it. You're welcome, man. Hi. How are you doing? Good. How are you doing? Can I talk to you on channel 15? You want to be on TV? Sure. Okay. I'm always game for being on television. There you go. Okay, that's Matt Aaron. That is with channel 15, the public access station. What's that? So we're just talking about the potential of Brolincon's waterfront. What do you think? I think it has a lot of potential if there would be some improvements to it. Okay. Do you know, do you live in Brolincon? Yes, I do. Okay. Do you know there's a bond issue on the ballot on March 3rd, Election Day, which will allow us to improve the publicly owned property on the waterfront? Do you want to support it? I'm in favor of it. However, I'm registered voter in South Brolincon. I just happened to live in Brolincon. I see. I see. Okay. Well, urge your friends. It'll give us a community boat house around here where people can warm up. I certainly think that one of the greatest assets Brolincon has is its waterfront. It's a shame that it hasn't been fully developed. Right. I agree. Well, we're making some progress. Yes. We want to keep going. So tell your friends to vote for the bond issue. Sure. Okay. Thanks a lot. Oh, it's great. Great day out here today. It is a good day. Pretty girls out here skating with us. Nice weather. One more to be asked for. Okay. Are you going to vote for the bond issue on March 3rd, which will allow us to build some more public amenities out here? Oh, Bernie, I'm voting for you, and I'll vote for the bond issue. Sure. All right. Good enough. Now, what we can have is a community boat house not far from here. Oh, yeah, yeah. So people in the wintertime can go in, get some hot chocolate, get some hot dogs, change the skates inside. What do you think? Great. Great idea. Sounds like a great idea. Good enough. Surprise, Ben and Jerry's aren't open down here today. Well, that's true. Okay. Obviously, most of the attention, I think, in the last couple of weeks has been on the mayoral election here in Brolincon. But there are also a number of very important bond issues. And obviously, the bond issue that I've been talking to people down here about is the waterfront bond issue. And that's a $2.9 million bond issue, which will allow us to continue the efforts that we've been making in the last couple of years in terms of opening up Brolincon's waterfront to all of our people. We've now got a bicycle path that runs from one end of the city to the other. We want to widen it in some areas. We want to expand it. And the bond issue will allow us to do that. The bond issue will most importantly allow us to build a beautiful community boat house down here, which can be used in the summertime for boat rentals. In the wintertime is a warming hut where people can get some hot chocolate, change into their ice skates, and so forth. We're also going to have another boat access area. So the issue of the bond issue for the waterfront to allow us to expand public amenities on city-owned property is a very important one. But there are a number of other very important bond issues that I want to talk about a little bit. We are asking for a 4 cent tax increase for the police department. And that will allow us to increase the manpower on the police department by about 7 members. Also allow us to expand our summer park patrol, our auxiliary police department, put money into women's self-defense programs, some programs regarding sexual harassment, and other types of programs. So we hope that people will give strong thought to supporting the tax increase for the police. There's a tax increase on for the school department, and that's a very important issue. I think we're making some real progress in Burlington schools, and we need to continue to support the schools. The essential problem regarding the financial situation of our schools has to do with the disastrous state aid to education program formula, which presently exists, and we're trying to change that in Montpelier. But in the meantime, I think we're going to need more money from the schools and the property taxes, the only available way to get that money right now. We're also talking about another issue, which has to do with condo conversion. Right now there is a problem in Burlington in that some landlords are rapidly converting their apartment units into condos and essentially raising, making it impossible for present tenants to remain in that housing. There's a question on the ballot which will give tenants more time in order to figure out ways that they could either own the condo themselves or have their tenants organization set up a co-op or have the city maybe get involved in that, but that's an important issue. And there's another issue on which will call for an increase of one half of one percent in the property transfer tax to come to the people of the city of Burlington. Right now we get nothing out of that. All of that money goes to the state. Our hope is that we can get one half of one percent to go to the city to be used for two purposes. Number one, property tax relief for the elderly as well as rent relief. Some of that money can go into a renters rebate program. And secondly, while some of that money can go to the general operating budget of the city, it's an important issue. So there are a number of important ballot items on in addition to the mayoral election and the older manic elections and the school board elections, and we hope that people will give very serious thought to supporting those items. In my view, the city of Burlington is today moving forward in a wide variety of areas in terms of street repaving sewer improvements. We're going to be cleaning up the kinds of effluent that go into the lake. We're making some progress in building affordable housing in the city, and we're making real progress. And it's important that we continue to go forward to make sure that our schools, our police department, our infrastructure is as strong as it can possibly be. So I hope that people on March 3rd will give support to those tax and bond issues. Thanks. The issue that we're going to discuss today is certainly one of the most important issues facing the people of the city of Burlington and in fact, the people of the state of Vermont. And it deals with a fair method for funding education. Let me begin by making a few simple points about which there should not be a major disagreement within our state. The state of Vermont must guarantee that every child in Vermont, no matter where he or she lives and regardless of the income of that child's family, the state of Vermont must guarantee that that child receives a quality education and the opportunity to advance his or her intellectual capabilities to the greatest degree possible. In my view, there is no more important function that a civilized society undertakes than the education of its young people. The debate that we have been having in the state for the last several years and a debate that will be in fact the most important issue that the Vermont state legislature will deal with this year is a simple one. Number one, how much money should the state appropriate into state aid for education? Number two, how do we raise that money in a fair and equitable manner which asks those people and institutions who can best afford to pay higher taxes for education to pay their fair share while leaving alone those low and moderate income people who simply cannot afford higher and higher taxes? How do you raise the money that you need for education in a fair way? Three, how do we best distribute the state aid to education to make certain that those communities who are in need of additional funding actually receive the help that they need? How do you get that money out to those communities who most need it? Those are in fact the major issues that the legislature is going to have to tackle in terms of state aid to education. Last month, the Board of Aldermen of the City of Burlington and I were in unanimous agreement that the so-called foundation proposal being supported by Governor Coonan was a very incorrect and unfair approach toward dealing with the crisis of educational funding in Vermont. In my view, the foundation proposal moves in exactly the wrong direction because it will make Vermont even more dependent upon the regressive and unfair property tax than we are today. And today we are one of the states in the union that is most dependent upon this absurd way, the property tax, this absurd way of funding education and municipal services. The foundation proposal is not a progressive or fair proposal because under it, working people, elderly people and poor people who own homes in so-called property-rich towns will be asked to pay higher and higher property taxes to go into the state aid to education coffers. Conversely, under the foundation plan, there will be millionaires in the state of Vermont who happen not to live in the so-called property-rich towns who will see no increases in their taxes for educational funding. In fact, in some instances, they may actually see a decline in their taxes as a result of the foundation proposal. Rather arbitrarily, therefore, and as a function of geography, poor people's taxes will go up if they have the misfortune to live in town X while a millionaire will see no increase in his taxes if he happens to live in town Y. This is a highly irrational methodology on which to base revenue collection in my opinion. We should ask individuals to pay taxes based on their ability to pay, not on which town they happen to reside in. Secondly and equally absurd, the distribution aspect of the foundation proposal once again ignores the income of the residents of a town and their ability to pay and distribute state aid to education solely, once again, on the property wealth of the town. That is why, under the foundation proposal, a town like Shelburne, which has one of the highest median adjusted gross incomes in the state of Vermont would receive a $600,000 increase in state aid to education which amounts to an almost 200% increase over what that town is getting through the Morse Giuliani formula while Burlington with the lowest median adjusted gross income in Chittenden County would see no increase in state aid to education and that's at best. At worst, we would see a statewide property tax come in here, raise people's property taxes, descend it to Shelburne and other communities. If the foundation plan is grossly unfair, what in fact is a sensible solution to the crisis in educational funding in Vermont? A solution that would ask those individuals and institutions who could afford to pay higher taxes to pay their fair share while leaving alone the vast majority of our citizens who simply cannot afford higher and higher taxes. Also, what type of proposal would distribute state aid in an equitable manner? In other words, it's one thing to criticize the proposal. It is another thing to come up with a more sensible proposal that does what has to be done and that is to provide quality education in a fair manner for all the kids in the state of Vermont. For a spot, the state government itself cannot run away from its responsibility for raising the additional revenue that we need. Governor Coonan has proposed a $3 million increase in state aid to education this year. Given the educational needs of our state, this is an insignificant sum of money. Last year, for example, the governor increased state aid to education by $9 million over the previous year, which at least was beginning to accept the state's full responsibility. This year, we're talking about a $3 million increase in state aid to education. In my view, I would concur with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns that a $22.8 million increase in state aid to education funding would be an appropriate amount if we are serious about providing real help to the school children of our state. Where do we get that money and what is the fairest and most equitable approach toward raising close to $23 million? Number one, actual growth this year in existing state taxes now going in to the state aid to education program would equal $5.3 million. Obviously, all of this money should go into the state aid to education. This requires no tax increase at all. That just natural growth in the state and that $5.3 million immediately should be targeted to the state aid to education program. Number two, during the last five years on the President Reagan, the wealthiest people in the state of Vermont have been paying significantly less in personal and corporate income taxes as a result of a variety of tax breaks for the wealthy established in Washington. As Vermont's personal and corporate tax system is coupled to the federal system, the same individuals have over the last five years been paying less in state personal and corporate income taxes, which is why we recently had a deficit and why we today are inadequately funding education. To my mind, the fairest way to raise the desperately needed revenue that we need to adequately fund education is through an increase in the personal and corporate income tax, which would ask those individuals and institutions who can best afford to pay who have been paying less in the last five years than they previously did to start paying their fair share. A 7% increase in the Vermont personal income tax for those individuals in our state earning $60,000 a year or more on just that part of their income over $60,000 would raise approximately $9 million. That means nobody who was earning less than $60,000 a year would be asked to pay anything more in state income taxes and those people earning $60,000 or more would have to pay 7% more not on the first $60,000 but only on that income above $60,000. These individuals would now be paying 33% of their federal tax liability to the state of Vermont rather than 26% for their income over $60,000. I should point out here that the wealthiest individual in the state of Vermont would still under this proposal be paying far less in state and federal income taxes than he or she paid six years ago. Number three, a slight increase in the corporate income tax in the state of Vermont would bring in approximately $3 million in new revenue. In my view, this is an appropriate approach because corporate tax rates have also declined in the last five years on the president radio. Lastly, I would propose a state tax on vacation homes of non-resonance of Vermont. This tax would be an add-on to the local tax rate and would make the total tax rate on these vacation homes equal to 80% of the average tax rate in Vermont. This tax would bring in approximately $5 million. To conclude, if we are serious about increasing state aid to education so that all of our children receive a quality education and if we believe that this money should be raised from those who can best afford to pay we can go a long way toward improving the current situation without forcing low and moderate income Vermonters to pay one cent more in taxes than they are presently paying. This approach to me is a far superior approach than that offered by the foundation proposal. Thank you very much.