BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Candidates in the race for Burlington Mayor answered questions from voters, and shared their stances on crime, housing, the drug crisis, and other issues in the city at a forum Wednesday.
The purpose of the forum, hosted by Town Meeting TV, was to help voters better understand the people and questions that will appear on their ballots on Town Meeting Day.
Independents Will Emmons & Chris Heassly – along with Progressive Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and Democrat Joan Shannon – answered voter’s phoned in questions and shared their plans for issues important to Burlington residents.
Issues such as ongoing safety concerns in the issues like gun violence and theft, the housing crisis, and ways to tackle the drug crisis.
“There needs to be accountability and I do think the police should be intervening,” Shannon said about the drug crisis.
“I think what I would do is try to acknowledge the problem and give people a place to go, and get them where they need to be,” Haessly said about the drug crisis.
“I would really want to emphasize a humane approach and realize these Vermonters need our care just like any other medical disorder,” Mulvaney-Stanak said about the drug crisis.
“Maybe they need rehabilitation, and if that doesn’t work maybe they need prison time,” Emmons said about the drug crisis.
The forums will continue into February, covering topics like municipal and school district budget breakdowns and ballot items.
