Progressive mayoral candidates Max Tracy and Brian Pine made their final pitches to voters at Tuesday night’s Progressive nominating caucus.
One of the two candidates will run against incumbent Mayor Miro Weinberger on the March 2 ballot. Independent City Councilor Ali Dieng, Ward 7, is also running.
Tracy highlighted his desire for urgent change in the city; Pine touted his 30 years of working in Burlington politics. The Progressive city councilors made their cases to more than 400 participants in the party’s virtual caucus, held over Zoom and livestreamed on Facebook to about 1,400 pre-registered voters.
While electronic voting on the candidates nominated by the city’s Progressive members begins tonight, results won’t be available until Thursday evening, after 7 p.m., when voting ends. In-person voting is also being conducted at the Old North End Community Center from 5 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 2 and 8:30 to 11 a.m. Dec. 3.
Tracy was nominated by fellow Councilor Zoraya Hightower, P-Ward 1. She described Tracy as an “authentic, brave and compassionate” leader who has served as a principled force on the council for eight years.
She said his service has been defined by his Progressive beliefs that have held steady, from when there was barely any Progressive representation on the council, to today, a time when the party holds a majority. She said Tracy has brought power to marginalized voices and has made space for them at Burlington’s City Council.
“I would generally say that I don’t really trust politicians. Especially cis, white, male politicians,” Hightower said. “But I definitely trust Max.”
Tracy reminded voters that he’s consistently opposed policies that current Mayor Miro Weinberger has supported — the basing of the F-35s and the construction of the CityPlace mall project. He also pointed to Weinberger’s mishandling of police misconduct allegations, which he said he’s worked to address through accountability reforms.
“I’m proud of that work, and will continue to stand against policies that harm our community,” Tracy said. “Unfortunately, however, because of the current administration’s failings, I’ve often been known for what I’m against. For fighting fiercely against these failed policies.”
“Right now, I want to focus on what I fought for,” he added, “and what I’ll fight for as your mayor.”
He said he would support a “just” recovery from the pandemic that would prioritize “those who are struggling the most.” He would divest funds away from the police to restructure public safety. He wants to broaden the city’s response to the opioid crisis. And he would fight for more tenant protections and rent stabilization policies.
“Now is not the time to seek moderate and slow changes or to try to address these problems around the edges,” Tracy said. “We need dramatic, structural and transformational changes, and we need them as quickly as possible.”
Pine was nominated by Stephanie Seguino, a UVM professor known for her research on racial disparities in Burlington’s police data. She highlighted Pine’s deep connections to the city and his reputation as a “bridge builder and a problem solver” who has the right temperament for the job.
“More than anybody I know in Burlington, Brian inspires trust, and he is profoundly respected across the entire city and across the political spectrum,” Seguino said.
She also pointed to his council work concerning this past summer’s Battery Park protests, during which residents demanded the resignation of three officers accused of excessive force. But labor laws and Burlington’s charter left the city at an impasse. Seguino said it was Pine’s idea to present the buyout for one of the officers to Weinberger, and convinced him to sign on.
“He is somebody who can conceive of out of the box ideas and turn them into reality by making the moral case that often helps people move from their fixed positions,” Seguino said.
Pine spoke about his longstanding involvement in the community working for the city’s Community and Economic Development Office for 18 years and fighting for affordable housing.
“Two weeks ago I stood at Northgate apartments in our new North End to launch our campaign, a community that holds special significance for me personally,” Pine said.
“As a tenants rights activist I joined low income residents in a fight to save their homes,” he added. “We won that fight, and many others by building real political power.”
He said he also wants to continue building on his work with climate justice, specifically in bringing energy efficiency to homes through weatherization policies. He gave credit to organizations like the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance and the Black Perspective for their work on police accountability issues, and that he wants to continue that work as mayor.
“It is not acceptable that our low income, BIPOC, and LGBTQ neighbors do not feel safe in our community,” Pine said. “We need an expanded agenda that includes an accountability system with more direct control over public safety and law enforcement.”
Tracy and Pine were the only candidates for mayor nominated by the Progressive Party. Both men have said that they would support the other in the general mayoral race.
City Council candidates
The party also made their nominations for City Council; four seats are up for reelection.
Political newcomer Grace Ahmed, an independent candidate in the South District race, was endorsed by the Progressive Party. The seat is currently held by incumbent Democrat Joan Shannon. Ahmed, a self-described mother of five, has lived in Ward 5 for the past 15 years.
Kienan Christianson gained the Progressive nomination for his North District campaign. He’s also seeking the Democratic nomination, and has said he’s not sure if he’ll run with an affiliated party. He’s running against Kerin Durfee, who is seeking the Democratic nomination.
Incumbents Jack Hanson, P-East, and Perri Freeman, P-Central, were both nominated for their seats. Both candidates are running uncontested by the Democratic Party so far. The Democratic nomination caucus is taking place Dec. 6.
