Burlington ARPA Fund Spending Survey Racial and Economic Equity

The City of Burlington recently launched a public survey “seeking community feedback on several projects eligible to be funded using ARPA money”. They indicated that the projects listed on the survey pose an “opportunity to positively impact Burlington by meeting a number of high-priority goals. Racial and economic equity is an “option” that the citizens of Burlington offered in the prioritization of spending the ARPA funding. 

We don’t believe that racial and economic equity is an “option”. The $7.3 million of this ARPA fund to “recover lost revenues” was not an option.  $880,000 of these funds for economic recovery, pandemic response and  constituent services was not an option.  $850,000 for police officer retention and recruitment was not an option. Yet racial and economic equity is a survey option in Burlington where 4 percent of our homes are owned by people of color, 26 percent of Black residents are in poverty and 33 percent of force used by our police department is on Black folks?

The demands of Operation Phoenix R.I.S.E., articulated through the “Racial Justice Through Economic and Criminal Justice Resolution” (June 29, 2020) and the Mayor’s FY21 budget (June 30, 2020) made the following commitments:

• Resolved racism a a “Citywide Health Crises”
• Prioritized eradication of systemic racism in the creation of the municipal budget
• Committed to funding “racial justice and economic justice initiatives, including a community-based cultural empowerment center, a minority-owned business municipal procurement program and a capital access program…”
• $1 million Racial Justice Fund.  

The following month the City of Burlington Declared that “Racism Constitutes a Public Health Emergency in the City of Burlington and Chittenden County.” This year, Miro’s State of the City  emphasized the “urgent need to eradicate systemic racism from all aspects of life in Burlington…”

Send the Mayor and City Council a message and let them know that to eradicate systemic racism we must have the audacity to make bold economic commitments and the courage to follow through on those commitments.

Take the survey [here].

miro@burlingtonvt.gov 
CityCouncil@burlingtonvt.gov 

The City of Burlington recently launched a public survey “seeking community feedback on several projects eligible to be funded using ARPA money”. They indicated that the projects listed on the survey pose an “opportunity to positively impact Burlington by meeting a number of high-priority goals. Racial and economic equity is an “option” that the citizens of Burlington offered in the prioritization of spending the ARPA funding. 

We don’t believe that racial and economic equity is an “option”. The $7.3 million of this ARPA fund to “recover lost revenues” was not an option.  $880,000 of these funds for economic recovery, pandemic response and  constituent services was not an option.  $850,000 for police officer retention and recruitment was not an option. Yet racial and economic equity is a survey option in Burlington where 4 percent of our homes are owned by people of color, 26 percent of Black residents are in poverty and 33 percent of force used by our police department is on Black folks?

The demands of Operation Phoenix R.I.S.E., articulated through the “Racial Justice Through Economic and Criminal Justice Resolution” (June 29, 2020) and the Mayor’s FY21 budget (June 30, 2020) made the following commitments:

• Resolved racism a a “Citywide Health Crises”
• Prioritized eradication of systemic racism in the creation of the municipal budget
• Committed to funding “racial justice and economic justice initiatives, including a community-based cultural empowerment center, a minority-owned business municipal procurement program and a capital access program…”
• $1 million Racial Justice Fund.  

The following month the City of Burlington Declared that “Racism Constitutes a Public Health Emergency in the City of Burlington and Chittenden County.” This year, Miro’s State of the City  emphasized the “urgent need to eradicate systemic racism from all aspects of life in Burlington…”

Send the Mayor and City Council a message and let them know that to eradicate systemic racism we must have the audacity to make bold economic commitments and the courage to follow through on those commitments.

Take the survey [here].

miro@burlingtonvt.gov 
CityCouncil@burlingtonvt.gov