[B]urlington’s East District city council race pits incumbent Democrat Richard Deane against Jack Hanson, a young Progressive — a microcosm of the same political trend occurring across the city.
On two of the biggest issues of the campaign — affordability and climate change — the two candidates largely agree. However, Hanson has criticized some of Deane’s recent city council votes, while Deane thinks Hanson lacks the experience necessary for municipal leadership.
Deane’s parents immigrated to Burlington from South Africa in 1961, raising him in the same neighborhood he lives in today. Deane, an architect, spent time in Washington, D.C., and Germany early in his career, before he moved back to Burlington in 1997 to raise his children here. His eldest son is a freshman at UVM, while his younger son plans to study game design at Champlain College in the fall.
Deane, 59, has been on the council since 2017. He said his experience — on the council and as a citizen of Burlington — sets him apart from Hanson.
The race covers an area near the University of Vermont.
“What I think I bring that Jack does not is the experience of living in this city and having a family in this city, and living the issues of this city though a lifetime,” Deane said. “Jack has a vision and a concern for the environment, but the question is how to put that into action on a municipal level.”
But Hanson, 24, argued that his experience is actually more similar to most Burlingtonians — like the majority of people in Burlington, Hanson is a renter, while just two of the 12 current councilors rent.
Hanson graduated from UVM in 2016 with a degree in environmental studies, and now works at Green Mountain Power. He said most of his college friends left after graduation, unable to afford to stay.
To address both the housing and climate crises, Hanson is pushing a policy that originated in Boulder, Colorado, that would make landlords who don’t meet certain energy standards pay for the heating bills, rather than having their renters foot that cost — a move would drive down the cost for renters while increasing energy efficiency.
Deane too stressed the importance of affordable housing, which he said the council is properly addressing, citing inclusionary zoning ordinances, housing trust funds, and the hundreds of affordable housing units being built in projects the city is already working on, like the Cambrian Rise and CityPlace developments.
Both Deane and Hanson think UVM should step up in the affordable housing conversation. Deane said if the university could offer apartment-style housing at a high quality and low cost, students would opt to stay on campus, forcing landlords to follow suit, and make their rentals more affordable.
Hanson criticized Deane for voting to put the Downtown Improvement District question on the ballot, calling it “irresponsible” without more public outreach to get people informed. If passed, the measure would turn over control of the district to a nonprofit group, something supporters say would revitalize the downtown, while opponents worry about it further driving up housing costs. Hanson raised similar concerns about Deane’s votes on City Hall Park renovation and the sale of Burlington Telecom.
Those issues are also areas in which Hanson has been frustrated with Mayor Miro Weinberger’s record, though he said the mayor has brought some positive changes to the city, as well.
“It’s been a mixed bag of being disappointed with some of his decisions and some of his focus,” Hanson said. “But I think he does bring a strong focus on climate change. I hope to be able to work with him on that.”
Deane said while he could quibble with Mayor Weinberger’s leadership, he thinks the mayor’s ability to get the city to invest in items like schools and wastewater have made a big difference in setting Burlington in the right direction.
“I think the mayor has brought a vision and a fiscal responsibility to the city, and in his six years that he’s been mayor, he’s really pulled us out of a jam,” Deane said.
Meanwhile, in Burlington’s South District race, the uncovering of sexist tweets by Progressive candidate Mohamad Jafar has rocked the election. Hanson neither condemned nor supported the fellow Progressive’s continuing candidacy, though he spoke vehemently against the content of the tweets.
“What’s really important is first of all, that we’re fully condemning these tweets and making it clear that it’s totally unacceptable and has no place in political process,” Hanson said. “Now we need to look at accountability, and holding Mohamad accountable, and holding anyone and everyone accountable who makes statements or actions that are harmful to other members of the community.”
Hanson said though he is young, and lacks city council experience, his endorsement by people including Rep. Selene Colburn, P-Burlington, Sen. President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe, D/P-Chittenden, and others show that he’d have support and mentorship from Vermont political leaders if elected. Deane has the endorsements of former gubernatorial candidate Christine Hallquist and the Burlington Firefighters’ Association.
