Responses from City Council Candidates to the F-35 Questionnaire:
City Council Candidates from Burlington, Winooski, and South Burlington responded
8 City Council Candidates Responded to the F-35 Candidate Questionnaire
Five candidates from Burlington, one from Winooski, and two from South Burlington responded to the F-35 Questionnaire. Scroll down to see the list of non-responders.
Here are the six questions and the answers provided by the candidates
1. Do you think F-35 training flights should continue in this densely populated area where the US Air Force said 2,963 affordable homes with 6,663 people are repeatedly exposed to the 115-decibel noise? Yes ___ No ___
Burlington Candidates
Zoraya Hightower, Ward 1: No <zorayahightower2020@gmail.com>
Gene Bergman, Ward 2: No <genebergman26@gmail.com>
Joe Magee, Ward 3: No <joemageebtv@gmail.com>
Olivia Taylor, Ward 7: No <oliviaforward7@gmail.com>
Ali House Ward 8: No <alihouseforcouncil@gmail.com>
Winooski Candidate
Aurora Hurd: No <aurorahurdvt@gmail.com>
South Burlington Candidates
Meaghan Emery: No <voteforemery@gmail.com>
Tim Barritt provided this comment: I don’t think we have a choice. The planes are here and they replaced the F-16s. No one can argue that they aren’t loud but some people I talk to don’t mind the noise and some do. <tbarritt@sburl.com>
2. Are you concerned that the Air Force also said that low income and minority populations in Vermont are "disproportionately impacted" by the F-35? Yes ___ No ___
Burlington Candidates
Zoraya Hightower, Ward 1: Yes
Gene Bergman, Ward 2: Yes
Joe Magee, Ward 3: Yes
Olivia Taylor, Ward 7: Yes
Ali House Ward 8: Yes
Winooski Candidates
Aurora Hurd: Yes
South Burlington Candidate
Meaghan Emery: Yes
Tim Barritt provided this comment: Of course. But see answer #1.
3. Do you think city and/or state action to protect the public is needed to protect the health and safety of the public? Yes ___ No ___
Burlington Candidates
Zoraya Hightower, Ward 1: Yes
Gene Bergman, Ward 2: Yes
Joe Magee, Ward 3: Yes
Olivia Taylor, Ward 7: Yes
Ali House Ward 8: Yes
Winooski Candidates
Aurora Hurd: Yes
South Burlington Candidate
Meaghan Emery: Yes
Tim Barritt provided this comment: I don’t think there is anything the city or state can do. A lawsuit against the Air Force in 2016 failed.
4. Are you concerned that each F-35 burns 22 gallons of fuel per minute, accelerating global warming? Yes ___ No ___
Burlington Candidates
Zoraya Hightower, Ward 1: Yes
Gene Bergman, Ward 2: Yes
Joe Magee, Ward 3: Yes
Olivia Taylor, Ward 7: Yes
Ali House Ward 8: Yes
Winooski Candidates
Aurora Hurd: Yes
South Burlington Candidate
Meaghan Emery: Yes
Tim Barritt provided this comment: I am concerned about all CO2 generation as we all should be.
5. If elected, will you initiate or support measures to terminate the state's F-35 training operations in or over the city and in any densely populated area? Yes ___ No ___
Burlington Candidates
Zoraya Hightower, Ward 1provided this comment: I will always support measures, but I think action at the municipal level has no impact as both the Governor and or US Congress representatives have been unsupportive. Even our official ask to pause flights during the first part of COVID went completely unheeded.
Gene Bergman, Ward 2: Yes
Joe Magee, Ward 3: Yes
Olivia Taylor, Ward 7 provided this comment: I would advocate for more citizen involvement in any and that all decisions regarding the F-35s. I believe it is important to have representation from every group that is affected by the F-35s.
Ali House Ward 8: Yes
Winooski Candidate
Aurora Hurd: Yes
South Burlington Candidates
Meaghan Emery: Yes
Tim Barritt provided this comment: No. It’s a waste of time and effort since our own congressional delegation says the planes are here to stay. It would be better at this point to try and get the FAA to extend sound insulation work to more homes. 19 have been designated so far but more should be done. Luckily, the HVAC work done at the Chamberlin School has been successful according to the school district and closed windows during warm weather now means lessons do not have to pause during take-offs.
6. During your election campaign will you speak out and campaign in favor of halting F-35 training flights from the BTV airport? Yes ___ No ___
Burlington Candidates
Zoraya Hightower, Ward 1 provided this comment: It will not be a major part of my platform as I think all of my time on council could be spent fighting this to no avail as I don't have actual authority over it, but I will add it as part of my platform to spread the word and help support the people-power campaigns.
Gene Bergman, Ward 2: Yes
Joe Magee, Ward 3: Yes
Olivia Taylor, Ward 7: Yes
Ali House Ward 8: Yes
Winooski Candidate
Aurora Hurd: Yes
South Burlington Candidates
Meaghan Emery: No.
Tim Barritt provided this comment: No, sorry.
Please provide any further comments on the F-35 issue.
Ali House, Burlington Ward 8 wrote: I am concerned and outraged by the environmental, health, and social impacts of F-35s and will use my seat, if elected, to discontinue their flights.
Aurora Hurd, Winooski: I am opposed to F35s over our city, as well as surrounding communities, and have been since they were first proposed. I live directly across from the Winooski schools and witness them flying directly overhead just as students get out many days. It is very clear to me the harm that is being caused.
Meaghan Emery, South Burlington: The City Council has very little to say about this basing and no control over regulating the flights (sorties). Judge after judge have told us this. However, I will and have publicly stated that this is not the appropriate area for the basing, that our residents are suffering due to the extreme noise of these jets, and that I will do my best to mitigate the noise and ensure that South Burlington residents have a say in local planning. Thank you for the questions and for your continued actions.
Candidates who did not respond to the F-35 Questionnaire
The following candidates did not respond to the F-35 questionnaire despite repeated requests:
Burlington non-responders
Rob Gutman, Ward 1 <gutmanforburlington@gmail.com>
Chris Felker, Ward 3 <FelkerForWard3@gmail.com>
Sarah Carpenter, Ward 4 <scarpenter@burlingtonvt.gov>
FaRied Munarsyah, Ward 5 <fariedvt@gmail.com>
Ben Traverse, Ward 5 <benforburlington@gmail.com>
Lenora E. Travis, Ward 5 <norawayne9@gmail.com>
Karen Paul, Ward 5 <kpaul@burlingtonvt.gov>
Ali Dieng, Ward 7 <diengali9@gmail.com>
Alec Stith, Ward 7 <alec.stith@gmail.com>
Hannah King, Ward 8 <hannahfking8@gmail.com>
Winooski non-responder
Thomas Renner <thomasforwinooski@gmail.com>
South Burlington non-responders
Linda Bailey <LindaBailey4SB@gmail.com>
Chris Trombly <ctrombly@gmail.com>
Write or call your public servants and local news media:
Call or email your favorite local news media
Governor Phil Scott 802-828-3333 Chief of Staff <Jason.Gibbs@vermont.gov>
Vermont National Guard's Complaint Line: 802-660-5379 (Note: the Vermont Guard told a reporter that it received over 1400 noise complaints. But the Guard won’t release what people said).
Instead or in addition, submit your report & complaint to the online F-35 Fall 2021-Winter 2022 Report & Complaint Form: https://tinyurl.com/5d89ckj9
See all the graphs and in-your-own words statements on the F-35 Spring-Summer 2021 Report & Complaint Form (513 responses): https://tinyurl.com/3svacfvx.
See links to the graphs and in-your-own words statements on all four versions of the F-35 Report & Complaint Form since Spring 2020, with a total of 1670 responses from 658 different people.
Senator Patrick Leahy 800-642-3193 Chief of Staff <john_tracy@leahy.senate.gov>
Senator Bernie Sanders 800-339-9834 <Senator@sanders.senate.gov>
Congressman Peter Welch 888-605-7270 Chief of Staff <patrick.satalin@mail.house.gov>
Burlington City Council <citycouncil@burlingtonvt.gov>
Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger <mayor@burlingtonvt.gov>
Winooski Mayor Kristine Lott <klott@winooskivt.org>
S. Burlington City Council Chair Helen Riehle <hriehle@sburl.com>
Williston Selectboard Chair Terry Macaig <macaig@msn.com>
VT Senate President Becca Balint <bbalint@leg.state.vt.us>
VT House Speaker Jill Krowinski <jkrowinski@leg.state.vt.us>
Attorney General TJ Donavan <DonovanTJ@gmail.com>
States Attorney Sarah George <Sarah.fair.george@gmail.com>
Vermont’s Federal Prosecutor <usavt.contactus1@usdoj.gov>
Adjutant General Brig Gen Gregory C Knight <gregory.c.knight.mil@mail.mil>
Major J Scott Detweiler <john.s.detweiler.mil@mail.mil>
Wing Commander Col David Shevchik david.w.shevchik@mail.mil
Vermont National Guard Inspector General Lt. Col. Edward J Soychak <edward.soychak@us.af.mil>
US Air Force Inspector General Lt. Col. Pamela D. Koppelmann <pamela.d.koppelmann.mil@mail.mil>
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall <Frank.Kendall@us.af.mil>