m GREEN

Bea Book c hi n
A l d e r w o m a n
f o r
Wa r d 6
March 6,1990
Ed mu n d s Sc h o o l
For years, members of the Burlington Greens have been working to create
a new politics a politics based on ecology, control of growth, grassroots
democracy and a moral economy.
TheQjreens believe that the searing ecological problems of our time are
rooted in social problems that can only be resolved by citizens working
together to create a grassroots democracy committed to the greater good
of our community and our natural environment.
Ecology and Growth
The Greens believe that the future of Burlington should be guided by
ecological and human needs, not by special interests, "developers," real-
estate speculators, and others v^ho are proting at the expense of the
c o m m u n i t y . |
We cal l f or:
A moratorivun on luxtiry growth. It is essential \ m
that citizens have the time to discuss the 1 /i/
problems facing Burlington in open assemblies. ^ m M
We must democratically decide how our
commimity can develop along ecological, ^ ^ |||
h u ma n i s t i c , a n d r a t i o n a l l i n e s . ^ I ^
An elected Environmental Commission and a ^ ^ ^ | J )
Citizens* Environmental Advisory Board. The \ 11 JL
board should be composed of representatives mmU f J
of environmental organizations, specialists \ 1 i B
without business or industrial ties, concerned \ } /
citizens, city planners and architects. This | Jw
b o a r d wo t i l d a s s i s t t h e En v i r o n me n t a l I I m
Commission in developing ecological wff Im
guidelines for future growth in Burlington and
would provide citizens with a detailed annual
report on the status of the environment in our
city and its surroimdings.
Opposition to UVM's Stafford building and genetic engineering at UVM. The
Greens will ght to overturn the recent agreement with UVM giving city support
to the expansion of biotech research and wiU work to block further expansion of
the imiversity into our neighborhoods.
Genetic engineering involves altering the basic blueprint of life. Our society is
not morally equipped to wisely use the new life forms biotechnology can create.
We believe that genetic engineering and the corporate development of
biotechnology at UVM represent a grave health, safety, and ecological risk to our
commimity, The commercial development of Bovine Growth Hormone threatens
the economic well-being of family farms throughout Vermont and is one example
of the misuse of bioteclmology.
We do not believe that these risks to the health and welfare of our community
and Vermont's rural culture should be "traded off' by the city for minimal
housing and parking facilities that UVM shotild be morally obliged to create in
the rst place.
Ecological Transportation Planning
The Greens believe that the amount of automobile trafc in Burlington
should be greatly reduced, not accommodated through the widening of
streets, expansion of highways, and creation of more parking lots and
gar ages.
We b e l i e v e :
Transportation planning should be designed to meet the real needs of people and
the natiiral environment, not the anti-ecological requirements of automobile trafc.
The city should develop cooperative transportation plans with other towns and
cities in our region. Pleasant, inexpensive, and ecological forms of public
transportation, such as expanded municipal and regional bus services and the
development of light-rail commuter trains should be equitably funded on a regional
basi s.
Large portions of the city should be closed to private automobiles, especially in
the downtown area. We must reduce the number and speed of cars passing through
our residential neighborhoods and create a network of pedestrian/bicycle paths to
provide a healthful and practical system of transportation.
The Greens oppose the widening of Main Street, completion of the Southern Connector, and
construction of the Circumferential Highway.
The Greens believe we need a new politics in Burlington, not just better
politicians and professional managers.
We c al l f or :
Empowered neighborhood assemblies with true decision-making authority to
establish social and ecological policy and help govern our city.
Popular election of major city commissions to one-year terms, to countervail the
centralization of power in the mayor's ofce and City Hall.
Charter revisions that will foster public self-governance in the Vermont tradition
of town meetings and participatory democracy
The right of citizens to recall alderpeople who fail to live up to the mandates of
t hei r war ds.
Tax Reform and Democratic Change
Through Home Rule and
Co n f e d e r a t i o n
The Greens believe that Burlington should ght vigorously for home rule in
Vermont so t hat t owns and ci t i es can l i berat e t hemsel ves f rom t he burden of
the regressive property tax and govern their affairs as freely as possible
without interference from the state in Montpelier.
We cal l f oK
The cr eat i on of a st at ewi de conf eder at i on of ci t i es and t owns t o count er vai l t he
grovdng centralization of power in Montpelier and ght for a Home Rule
Amendment t o t he Ver mont Const i t ut i on.
Democratic county-wide confederations with neighboring commimities
established voluntarily by the communities themsdves to deal with regional
concerns like transportation, growth, waste disposal, and other economic and
environmental problems.
A confederation of neighborhood assemblies in Burlington that would act as a
new moral and political force in the city itself, coimtervailing the growing
centralization of power in the mayor's ofce and City Hall.
Real and lasting tax reform and opposition to the property tax as presently
s t r uc t ur ed.
A steeply-progressive mimicipal income tax, higher taxes on the profits and
property of large businesses and corporations, mimicipal sales taxes on luxury
goods and services, and restructuring the property tax taking into account not
only "market value" but people's real income and ability to pay.
We say enough is enough. Thousands of Vermonters can no longer afford to pay their property taxes.
It is not enough to be for tax reform. If we want to free ourselves of regressive taxes, we must create a
real citizen's movement that will ght for these changes regardless of the wishes of professional
politicians and bureaucrats.
The Greens want to help create that movement. We invite your support and participation.
Vote Green on March 6.
Vote Bea Bookchiri for Alderwoman, Ward 6.
Paid for by the Burlington Greens Campaign Fund, P.O. Box 4567, Burlington, VT 05406 Digger Fair, Treasurer