Town Meeting Day 2022 Ballot Items

Questions

1.  APPROVAL OF SCHOOL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 

“Shall the voters of the school district approve the school board to expend $98,232,381 which is the amount the school board has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year?   

It is estimated that this proposed budget, if approved, will result in education spending of $19,310.56 per equalized pupil. This projected spending per equalized pupil is 13.13% higher than spending for the current year. Spending at this level could produce a property tax rate decrease of 6.98% (current estimate).” 

2.  PROPOSED INCREASE TO GENERAL FUND TAX RATE 

“Shall the maximum general city tax rate pursuant to Section 99 of the City Charter be increased by $0.04 from $0.1952 to $0.2352, a 5.5% increase to the FY23 overall city tax rate?” 

3.  AUTHORIZATION TO ISSUE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS BONDS  FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS 

“Shall the City Council be authorized to issue general obligation bonds or notes in one or more series in an amount not to exceed Twenty Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars ($23,800,000) for the purpose of accomplishing a series of capital improvements, replacements, and repair projects within the City, including but not limited to replacement of fire trucks and emergency communication systems, repair of ten city-owned facilities and nine miles of city sidewalks, and allocation of local matching funds for on-going or upcoming capital projects all of which are intended to preserve City facilities and services, avoid further maintenance and repair costs, and to further projects to improve the City and its infrastructure with the condition that if the City succeeds at securing other capital funds in excess of the current projections, which can be used in place of General Obligation bonding, the Administration will prioritize taxpayer savings as a goal with the additional condition that it may not reallocate bond proceeds to other investments, except with explicit City Council approval of the reallocation?” 

4.  PLEDGING THE CREDIT OF THE CITY TO SECURE INDEBTEDNESS FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN TIF DISTRICT 

“Shall the City Council be authorized to pledge the full faith and credit of the City to secure indebtedness or make direct payments for the purpose of funding one or more public improvements and related costs attributable to projects serving the Downtown Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District, specifically:  

1. (a) Main Street Streetscape Upgrades: For the six blocks between South Union Street and Battery Street inclusive of all intersections: to include streetscape, stormwater, utility, lighting, transportation upgrades, and including relocation of or otherwise upgrading the portion of the so-called “ravine sewer” from its present location crossing mid-block from College Street to Main Street in the block between South Union and South Winooski Avenue; 

2. (b) Related Costs: payment of or reimbursement for TIF eligible related costs incurred by the City for the creation, implementation and administration of the Downtown TIF District, including costs paid to outside vendors, consultants, and various related fees and other expenses related to the TIF district, as well as direct municipal expenses such as departmental or personnel costs related to creating or administering the district to the extent they are paid from the municipal and not education incremental taxes and are otherwise reimbursed in accordance with law; 

in a total principal amount not to exceed $25,920,000 (which will bring the total Downtown TIF District debt approved since the Downtown TIF District’s creation to $35,920,000,  of which $10,000,000 has been previously authorized by voters and $5,420,000 has been previously borrowed with $4,580,000 that is approved but not yet borrowed), and to issue bonds, notes or make interfund loans for such purpose, and expend up to $1,470,000 for related costs, which will bring the total related costs authorized by voters to $1,848,000 with the understanding that tax increment from the properties within the Downtown TIF District shall be pledged and appropriated for the payment of such indebtedness or direct costs of the improvements; and with the further understanding that the City may utilize more than the statutory minimum requirement of 75% of all municipal increment, up to and including 100% of same, in meeting the financial obligations of the Downtown TIF District?”  

5.  PROPOSED CHARTER CHANGE TO REMOVE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORITY TO REGULATE SEX WORKERS 

“Shall the Charter of the City of Burlington, Acts of 1949, No. 298 as amended, be further amended by removing in its entirety §48(7) so as to remove from City Council’s enumerated powers the ability:  

(7) To restrain and suppress houses of ill fame and disorderly houses, and to punish common prostitutes and persons consorting therewith. "