Tax, water bill increases needed for improved storm water/sewer, city fleet and buildings, streets/sidewalks/bridges, Mulvaney-Stanak says

By Guy Page

Burlington City Meeting voters March 4 will be asked to support up to $192 million in city borrowing, most of it for sewer and stormwater improvements to reduce runoff into Lake Champlain.

Voters will be asked to allow the city to borrow:

• $20 million ‘general obligation’ bond to upgrade city vehicles, buildings, streets, sidewalks and bridges 
• $20 million for better drinking water infrastructure, and
• up to $152 million for wastewater/stormwater improvements.

If approved, the general obligation bond will increase taxes $11.58/month on a $500,000 home. If the two water bonds are approved, city water bills will rise each year, reaching an increase of 89% by 2030. An average monthly bill of $59 would be $112 in 2030, according to the city website. 

Together, the bonds will fund critical upgrades to public safety infrastructure, drinking water systems, and wastewater facilities, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said in a Feb. 11 statement. 

Key components of the general obligation bond include replacing 30% of the city’s aging fleet of fire trucks, ambulances, and police cruisers, and improvements to sidewalks and streets, especially in underserved neighborhoods. It is estimated that up to 75% of community requests could be met with these funds, the mayor said. 

The two water bonds will upgrades drinking water reservoirs and wastewater systems, including for the University of Vermont Medical Center, the only Level I Trauma Center in the state.

According to city officials, these investments are crucial because deferred maintenance on community safety and water infrastructure will jeopardize the community’s well-being, increase costs over time, and leave essential services vulnerable. Without the upgrades, the city could face risks such as stormwater systems failing during heavy rains or outdated emergency vehicles struggling in winter storms.

Mulvaney-Stanak said the proposed bonds will build on the 2018 Clean Water Resiliency Bond, which replaced over 9 miles of drinking water mains and reduced risks of untreated wastewater discharges.