The Burlington City Council passed a resolution on Monday night requesting an aircraft less noisy than the F-35 fighter jets — but it may be premature for opponents of the jets to celebrate.
Mayor Miro Weinberger can sign or veto the resolution, according to Katie Vane, a spokesperson for the mayor. A veto would then require two-thirds of the council to vote to override the decision.
Weinberger needs to “take action or provide a response” by the council meeting on April 16, according to Vane, and he plans to make a decision by then.
On Tuesday, the mayor indicated that he’ll be deliberate.
“I will use that time as needed to continue the further work on this issue that I promised, and to make this decision with care,” Weinberger said in a statement.
Weinberger, who has previously expressed support for the jets, “is still digging into the repercussions of the city requesting an alternative mission,” Vane said.
In his statement, Weinberger remained noncommittal but highlighted the significance of the vote. “The decision now fully before me … is potentially consequential for the people of Burlington, the Burlington International Airport, the region and the Vermont Air National Guard,” he said.
The council resolution, which passed 9-3, responds to an advisory Town Meeting Day ballot item. About 55 percent of Burlingtonians voted to request from the U.S. Air Force an alternative to the F-35s. In addition, the resolution sends a list of questions to Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson about the safety and noise of the planes.
Proponents of the jets, including Vermont’s congressional delegation, said the council action didn’t change their minds.
“The resolution passed by the Burlington City Council does not support the men and women of the Vermont Air National Guard, their families or anyone involved with the Guard,” said Maj. Gen. Steven Cray, the adjutant general for the Vermont National Guard, in a statement.
Cray labeled the letter to Wilson “an unfortunate distraction” and irrelevant. “Allow me to be clear: the men and women of the Vermont Air National Guard will be ready to receive the F-35 in 2019,” he said, noting that the decision had been finalized five years ago.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) issued a joint statement that said they still support the basing of the F-35s in Burlington. “We stand by that decision, and we respect the fact that not all Vermonters agree on this issue,” the statement read. They also said that they expected Wilson to respond to the questions submitted to her.
Members of Save our Skies, the group that petitioned to get the measure on the ballot, praised the council for bringing forward the resolution — though some said they would have preferred the resolution follow the exact language of the ballot question.
“The voters voted yes, and you’re responding!” said Rachel Siegel, a member of the group, during public comment at the council meeting on Monday. “I do think the resolution could be slightly better,” she noted.
But, she added, “I am so grateful that you’re responding and that you’re listening to the will of the people.”
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I don’t know who the detractors are of the new jets. I was born and raised in Burlington. 1961. I grew up with the F4’s thundering over Burlington from our house on Bayview Street back in the day. And I had friends, and still do in Winooski. Wanna talk about LOUD!!! Spend a day there. What all people in the area, regardless of the surrounding city you live in, is that the Vermont Air Guard patrols and protects a major portion of the United States Eastern Seaboard from potential threats from abroad. We do now, and always have been very lucky that the U.S. Military has supplied the Air Guard, and our state with the best aircraft available so that our state has it’s best ability to perform the extrodinary duty of protecting our country. Again… If you were here during the Cold War with the F4’s, you understand. If you were not… All I can say with all due respect is realize where you live strategically, and accept that all Americans have to support the defense of our great country and understand that where you live (in the Burlington area) is a major part of that protection and has been for many many decades.
Can’t wait! Bringem’ on!
No matter what Weinberger does re the F-35s two things are certain:
1. Weinberger has no chance of reelection if Driscoll can keep a third party independent/progressive out of the next mayoral race.
2. The F-35s will be assigned to the VTANG irrespective the bleating, mewling, and whining of the safe space types. The AF will not change the assignment that is totally supported by Leahy, Sanders and Welch.
BTW:The referendum was overwhelmingly rejected in support of VTANG and the F-35s in the two most populous new north end wards 4 and 7. Go look at the results.
@ Philo:
Your unexplained hatred for Mayor WeInberger never ends.
Please explain your incredible insight on how following the money predicts what the Mayor will do on this issue.
The Vermont Air Guard is a combat unit and plays a key role in the National Defense plan. Their mission is to protect the air space over the CONUS, provide air superiority over the battle area and close air support for troops on the ground. The Air Force could probably supply them with nice quiet sail planes or hang gliders but those aircraft might not be suitable to accomplish the mission.
Jets can be very loud but only while they are in your area. It is generally not a sustained period of time. I’ve been at the end of the runway when the F-16’s take off. They usually fly in flight of 2 or 3 aircraft and they are out of earshot within 5 to 10 min and they don’t come back till they are ready to land. The Air Guard does not fly continuously like the active bases like NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach, VA. There are jets landing and taking off all day from 0700 to about 1900. Virginia Beach/Norfolk is a much more populated area than Chittenden County.
These aircraft are the latest generation of aircraft available to our troops. I look forward to their arrival in Vermont and am confident that the professional warriors of the Vermont Air Guard will train with them and become as efficient in their use as they have with all of the previous aircraft they have had.
The anti-F-35 crowd should just be thankful that we still have the men and women who are willing to risk their lives to defend us, unlike the rest of the 99% of the population.