Statements
Burlington City Council Democratic Caucus Statement on Advisory Ballot Item
12/13/2024
Last week, a petition signed by Burlington voters was submitted to ask that a question be placed on our ballot calling for the City to “pledge to join others in working to end all support to Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation.” The question is identical to one the City Council considered and rejected just 11 months ago.
Petitioners submitted the required signatures to place this item on our agenda for the meeting on December 16. At that time, the majority Democratic caucus will collectively vote against the question, meaning it will not reach the ballot for our annual City election.
When the Council previously considered this question, hundreds of our neighbors reached out to express varied opinions on the matter, including deeply held concerns for both the Palestinian and Israeli people, dismay about the Council’s attention being focused on this item rather than the pressing local issues impacting our City, and strong fears around this question further fanning flames of antisemitism and Islamophobia. The presentation of these varied opinions drove wedges between neighbors at a time when our community needed to come together, and the placement of the proposed question on our ballot would have only furthered these divides.
Concerns around dividing our Burlington community remain the same today as they did 11 months ago and, in many respects, have worsened. Of particular concern has been an increase of antisemitism and Islamophobic activity in our schools. By submitting an identical ballot question for the Council’s consideration, the petitioners have done nothing to address these legitimate concerns.
Upon taking office, the Mayor committed to supporting dialogue on these issues where all voices can be freely heard. This needed dialogue cannot be achieved through a ballot question with charged language slanted towards a particular viewpoint that allows only a yes-or-no vote on incredibly complex issues. As of now, City-sponsored dialogue has not begun. The Democratic caucus continues to support facilitated community conversations and we ask the Mayor to take swift action on this.