While Jimmy campaigns for using city-council power to halt F-35 training his opponent says the city can't
Election update: Jimmy’s campaign for city council was endorsed by Jerry Greenfield, cofounder of Ben & Jerry’s. Ben Cohen, the other co-founder, is the campaign treasurer.
Attorney Jimmy Leas says the South Burlington City Council has the power to prohibit the F-35 training in the city’s Chamberlin School neighborhood. Jimmy is running for city council to put a stop to the intolerable 115 decibel F-35 flights.
Meanwhile, the candidate running against Jimmy told Seven Days that “he does not believe the city has the power to get rid of the jets.”
“It’s not just that federal law delegates power to conduct the training to the states,” said Jimmy. “And it’s not just that our Vermont state law delegates power to local governments “to regulate vehicles of every kind” for the purpose of “promoting the public health, safety welfare and convenience.” And it’s more than the fact that the military’s own discipline prohibits dangerous training operations, such as with 115-decibel F-35s, in populated areas.
“Don’t forget that the city council has the power to hold public hearings. The testimony of dozens of adults and children who were hurt or injured by the F-35 before a public hearing of the Winooski City Council established the facts of pain, injury, and suffering. The South Burlington City Council can do the same to hear from students, workers, and residents of the Chamberlin School neighborhood, where the runway is located.
“The council can then ask commanders to explain the fundamental humanitarian law principles included in DoD Directive 2311.01 and Air Force Targeting Doctrine 3-60 that require commanders to keep military operations separate and apart from populated areas. Councilors can ask the commanders to explain how training with F-35 jets in the Chamberlin school neighborhood is compliant with that required separation.
“The council can also put questions to state political leaders about the control the state is exercising over the F-35 training. And about whether the state is monitoring how close the F-35 training is to densely populated cities and the resulting pain and injury on a mass scale to children and adults. Councilors can ask state politicians to immediately use the state's authority to stop the training in a city location if, as expected, the facts show it is hurting children and interfering with their learning.
"The council can also invite joint action with other cities and towns in the flight path, including Winooski, Williston, Essex, Burlington, and Richmond. By working together to put a stop to the wrongful and illegal F-35 training in a city location, city and town councils and selectboards can build an unbeatable campaign that will win respect.
“Finally, if needed, the city council can use the city’s authority to pass ordinances that prohibit the F-35 training in the Chamberlin School neighborhood.
“We need city councilors who are willing to use every legitimate weapon to fight for the health and safety of the Chamberlin neighborhood," said Jimmy. "Despite over 3 years of intolerable F-35 training flights, the city is doing nothing. We need fighters on the city council, not people who claim to be powerless when civilians in the working-class part of our city are being hurt by military operations that are illegal, immoral, and unjust.”
Jimmy said that a positive attitude is key. “Someone who doesn’t think we have the power is never going to even try, much less solve the F-35 crisis for families suffering in the Chamberlin school neighborhood.”
"Persistent action by the city council can succeed. By holding public hearings, listening to those in pain, questioning those responsible, working in concert with nearby cities and towns, and ultimately adopting ordinances, the city council can put a stop to the F-35 training in the most densely populated part of Vermont," said Jimmy.
“The city council should provide leadership. It should never give up while so many people in our city and neighboring cities and towns are hurting."
Write or call your public servants and demand an immediate halt to F-35 training in cities.
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).
Submit your report & complaint to the still active Fall 2021-Continuing Now online F-35 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 plus 77 more so far on the form that remains active now.
Senator Bernie Sanders 800-339-9834 <Senator@sanders.senate.gov>
Senator Peter Welch 888-605-7270 Chief of Staff <patrick.satalin@mail.house.gov>
Congressman Becca Balint
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 Philip Baruth <Philip.Baruth@uvm.edu>
VT House Speaker Jill Krowinski <jkrowinski@leg.state.vt.us>
Attorney General Charity Clark <Charity.Clark@vermont.gov>
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 Dan Finnegan <daniel.finnegan@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>