The Burlington City Council passed a resolution Monday that asks members of the charter change committee to consider expanding voting rights to noncitizens.
The measure passed 10-2 with Council President Kurt Wright (R-Ward 4) and Councilor Ali Dieng (D/P-Ward 7) voting no.
Councilor Adam Roof (I-Ward 8) introduced the resolution in part to increase civic participation among Burlington’s sizable refugee population. He said the issue is timely because the legislature will consider a similar charter change request for the city of Montpelier once lawmakers reconvene next year.
“It is my hope Burlington can be at the table while they do so,” Roof said.
It’s not Burlington’s first attempt to make the change. Voters considered the issue on Town Meeting Day 2015 but shot it down, 58 to 42 percent. Councilor Joan Shannon (D-South District) said times have changed since then, and though she’s unsure how she’ll vote, she supports the committee taking another look.
Councilor Franklin Paulino (D-North District), whose mother was born outside of the U.S., called himself “a product of legal immigration.” He supports noncitizen voting because “it’s about equality and bringing more people to the table,” he said.
Councilor Sharon Bushor (I-Ward 1) echoed Paulino’s sentiment, saying that as Burlington’s population has become more diverse, “more and more people really want to have a meaningful engagement” in city government.
Councilor Jack Hanson (P-East District) said that if people live here and pay taxes, “you deserve to have a say over the policies that influence your life.”
Dieng, a New American, opposed the resolution because he said voting is sacred and should be reserved only for citizens. He echoed thoughts shared by Burlington resident Jeff Comstock, who said during the meeting’s public comment period that the council should instead focus on increasing turnout among legally registered voters. Comstock had derided Roof’s resolution as “nothing more than political pandering.”
Dieng suggested the city instead help noncitizens find a path to legal citizenship.
The charter committee is expected to report back to the council by the end of November. Roof hopes the measure can be included on the Town Meeting ballot in March.
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It will never happen. Don’t forget it eventually has to go the legislature.
Roof is from Boston.
I’d bet the farm busing is a variable in his equation.
So what makes this anything other than a new trendy form of Gerrymandering? Trying to get the base you imported approved to throw their support back your way. The free handouts one party is constantly giving them, taken from our pockets whether we like it or not, essentially a bribe for votes.
Way to represent the people of Vermont.
Seriously? What then, my liberal friends, would be the purpose of citizenship? Ask some of the proud, new U.S. citizens how they feel about this ridiculous proposal – I’ll bet I can predict a resounding, ‘no way’. What on earth is becoming of Vermont? My ancestors grew up there in the 1800-1900’s and lately it has become a refuge/haven for big-city, delusional immigrants. it’s going downhill very, very fast. Simply too bad. Vermont has always been a source of New England pride and independence though I’m not sure this idea qualifies even remotely.
I would let them vote twice.
(one extra for reparations)
Ask the families of those who made the supreme sacrifice, defending the right of American citizens, if non-citizens should be allowed to vote
Do we actually have to live in Burlington or can we just give them COTS address. Maybe now we can get some public signage in Spanish.
Bad enough the college kids vote and move on and leave a bad impact to the taxpayers now you want noncitizens to vote! Burlington is going to hell. A once proud city, sad very sad.
Tammany Hall ver 3.0. The Redux.
I’m glad I don’t pay Burlington property taxes, because when you give a whole bunch of non-taxpayers a vote in how other people’s money is spent, property taxes are going to skyrocket.
Another brilliant plan by the city of Burlington. This should go about as well as the big hole project did. Maybe the sewage treatment plant will actually get fixed now, though, and stop ruining the lake for the rest of Vermont.