2/22/2022
Now added February 22, Steve Goodkind, P.E., Decades Long City Engineer, Joins Michael Long’s and My Front Page Forum submission on $30 million Main Street Ballot Item 4 March Town Meeting, March 1 for copying and pasting on your local FPF (about 20 separate areas in Burlington)
The CH 17 Forum on Ballot item 4 featuring Michael and Tony Redington:
https://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/programs/burlington-article-4-borrow-259m-downtown-tif-district-forum
January 2022 new National Roadway Safety Strategy based on safety with twin additional objectives of racial and income equity as well as addressing climate change. Approach to roadway investments “Safe System Approach”: https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS
City Website with 12-word transportation Great Streets “standard” ( Walkable and bikeable — safe for all modes and all levels of accessibility ): http://greatstreetsbtv.com/downtown-standards
Note the key chasm in Great Streets so-called standards is assumption of traffic signals along Main Street—the now obsolete and dangerous technology as traffic lights kill, injure, delay, heat the planet, implement racial injustice/low-income discrimination, and degrade scenic quality. The now standard roundabout (AARP, AAA, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Federal Highway Administration advocate them) since 2005 in NY State Department of Transportation is primarily for its superior safety for all modes, but the roundabout also addresses each and every signal defect in a superior fashion! Nineteen of Burlington’s 20 high crash intersections are signalized recording 1.4 injuries a year while five downtown Vermont roundabouts average an injury a decade. The engineer presenting Feb 1 on Great Streets was clearly unaware of the high crash intersections on Main Street and also unaware that roundabouts were the main recommendation of the City’s North Avenue Plan (2014) and Winooski Corridor Plan (2020) for Main/South Winooski, the highest crash intersection in Vermont.
North Avenue Corridor Plan (2014) first corridor goal in part: “Achieve a world class transportation corridor that offers quality of service and highest safety for those who walk, bicycle, and travel by motor vehicle or transit.” Landmark plan calls for corridor length sidewalk, protected bike lanes (cycle track) and roundabouts at key intersections. https://studiesandreports.ccrpcvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/FINAL-NorthAve_CorridorReport.pdf
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2/19/22
Steve Goodkind, P.E. Decades Long Former City Engineer Statement on Town Meeting Main Street Ballot Item 4—Public Expense of Addressing Ravine Sewer Not Warranted
Having recently read the minutes of the Jan. 10 “public hearing” regarding the proposed TIF authorization vote for March, I am concerned about the information being offered by DPW Director Spencer and his engineers.
Forty years ago, as city engineer, I began efforts to deal with problems with our combined sewer system. At the top of the list was the Ravine Sewer. Installing an alternate large diameter pipe in the city's ROW to divert stormwater flow from the Ravine Sewer was the first project of the overall $52 million upgrades we made to our wastewater systems during the late eighties through the mid nineties. Because of it's location and depth it was not practical or cost effective to entirely eliminate the Ravine Sewer and doing so would not have furthered our goal of dealing with the combined sewer problem. The Ravine Sewer was left in place to continue its' function as a sanitary sewer.
We were well aware that portions of the Ravine Sewer had buildings constructed over it
and this could present problems in the future. However, the line appeared to be in good shape and technologies were coming along to rehabilitate buried pipes in place. In the specific case of the former site of the county jail, now a parking lot at the corner of Main and Winooski, future developers would and could design to accommodate it.
The lack of any cost effective options for relocating the Ravine Sewer have not changed. The public benefit is very small and the costs will be extremely high. Rehabilitating in place is by far the best option. This, however, would not help developers.
Relocation solely benefits future developers at great expense to the public, be it local or state education funds paying the tab. Managing the Ravine Sewer within their project is probably much more cost effective overall. We will not have to use public money that could fall on the taxpayers if sufficient development does not occur to pay for the TIF bonds.
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Text of January 10, 2022 City Council meeting
public hearing on Ballot Item Four
Minutes
(omitted minutes text before this item)
6.02 Public Hearing Regarding Downtown Tax Financing District (TIF) Great Streets Project
Director Pine began the presentation by saying that this is a rare opportunity to make a $30 million investment in Burlington’s downtown without impacting taxpayers. He said that this funding opportunity expires if the City is unable to bond for it by next March (of 2023). He said that the improvements would meet the needs of a diverse group of users. He said that the project’s proposed stormwater investments would reduce pollution of Lake Champlain. He said that the project’s proposed utilities investments would be more significant than any other upgrades in the last 50 years.
Senior Engineer Wheelock noted that the project would include 6 blocks of Main Street between Battery and Union Streets. She said that the improvements would provide amenities for all users of the streets, including pedestrians, motorists, cyclists, and businesses. She also noted that improvements would occur for water, sewer, electrical, and communications infrastructure.
Mr. White spoke about the financing of the TIF District project. He noted that Burlington has two TIF Districts—the Waterfront TIF District and the Downtown TIF District. He explained the concept of tax increment financing and how it ties public and private investments together to create value and use new taxes to pay for upgrades. He provided a brief overview of the Downtown TIF District’s history, noting that the district was established in 2011, its final date for new debt is March 31, 2023, and its final year to retain the education increment is 2036. He outlined the current finances, noting that $5,420,000 in debt has already been incurred pf the previously-approved $10 million, and $4,580,000 in remaining debt authority still exists. He briefly outlined the private projects that would occur in the district. He noted the district’s projected cash flow, saying that a positive balance is anticipated for the district.
Director Spencer spoke about the public process around the TIF and associated bond vote. He noted that there will be public engagement through March, after which the bond vote will occur. He said that concept development will occur between February and May. He noted the public bodies that will need to be engaged throughout the process.
Councilor Barlow asked if the sewer is being upgraded or replaced, and asked how the associated costs were determined. Senior Engineer Wheelock replied that they conducted an engineering estimate of the worst case scenario, but said that they need to continue investigating the condition of the pipes and sewer in the spring. Councilor Barlow asked about the education tax increment and its effect on education tax rates. Mr. White replied that the taxes generated by the district would not have been generated but for the public investments in the district (which then lead to private investments and additional tax generation).
Councilor Mason asked about the ravine sewer and whether it was always anticipated to need to be worked on significantly. Senior Engineer Wheelock said that the ravine sewer is not in active failure, but said that the TIF district has capacity to conduct work to improve it, which would make it possible to develop the surface parking lot that it sits on. Director Spencer noted that in the past there wasn’t the awareness of the ravine and the risks of developing on it that there are now.
Councilor Carpenter asked about how the ravine could be impacting the fire station on South Winooski Avenue. Senior Engineer Wheelock replied that part of the project would entail looking at how surrounding properties are connected to the ravine sewer. Mr. White added that that fire facility does not meet current Fire Department needs and standards and that dealing with the ravine sewer becomes an important piece of future work on the fire station facility.
City Council President Tracy opened the public hearing.
Brian Cina expressed support for the Great Streets Project. He spoke about how behavior shapes the environment and vice versa and said that the Great Streets Project would positively impact the community. He said that the current environment on Main Street negatively impacts behavior. He expressed concern that the TIF District could cause rent increases that displace local businesses. Director Pine said that the goal isn’t to increase taxes but to spur private investment in certain properties that may not have otherwise had those investments in them.
Caryn Long expressed concern about parking being taken away in the Great Streets Project. She asked how many parking spaces would be removed. Mr. White replied that some studies have shown that the City actually has more parking than it needs and that it has a parking management problem, not a parking shortage. Senior Engineer Wheelock noted that the concept is not final and that there will be months of public engagement and opportunity for input prior to finalizing the concept. She said that they need to seek funding approval from voters prior to having a finalized concept.
City Council President Tracy closed the public hearing.
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Michael Long Front Page Forum Submission
TIF: Free Money Is a False & Dangerous Fantasy
Gene Bergman’s intentions may be pure, but his thinking is flawed. His ALL CAPS insistence that we must invest immediately in long neglected infrastructure is almost frantic. His support for TIF funding does not add up. When he says, “Property taxes don’t increase to pay the debt,” he may be fooling himself, but we should not let him fool us.
To his credit, Bergman does not claim, as the mayor and other city officials do, that TIF debt is paid exclusively by taxes on new, TIF-inspired development. That claim is false through and through.
Gene claims instead that TIF debt “is paid by the revenues generated by the increase in TIF district property value as measured from its 2011 creation.” This is closer to the truth if by “property value” he means tax revenue.
The Downtown TIF feeds off the difference between its tax bill in 2011 and its tax bill in 2022 — for every property in the Downtown TIF district. If the TIF district tax bill has increased by 85% — as mine has in Ward 2 — the bulk of that “tax increment” (minus 25% of the school portion) is diverted to pay off TIF debt and interest. Most of these “tax increment” dollars come from routine increases or reappraisals unrelated to TIF inspired development.
And every tax dollar from previously tax exempt properties like the former YMCA (more than $80,000) goes to TIF, aggravating shortfalls. This leaves TIF district revenue for schools and city services far below the levels needed in 2022. The millions lost to TIF — even if the projects funded are worthy — increase property taxes substantially above what they would otherwise be.
And when taxes are increased in response to unacknowledged TIF diversions or for any reason — as they will be if the 5.5% increase in Question 2 is approved — all of those additional dollars in TIF districts are allocated to TIF, further fueling the magnitude of the increase required.
We’ve spent $4.4 million borrowed TIF dollars to “transform” St Paul. Now the City speculates we “need” $31.5 million more (Question 4) for a stretch of Main and a sewer ravine that may turn out to be a black hole of abysmal dimensions.
City officials do not even mention the $22 million in TIF funding previously approved for the stalled mall redevelopment project.
If we really need this money for Main Street before we plan and fund the new high school, we should borrow it directly and honestly — not through a TIF back door.
Even when TIF “works” because the funds diverted are sufficient to pay the debt and interest incurred, TIF does not work because it diminishes the dollars available for the Education Fund and city services.
That is the simple truth arithmetic reveals. Free money is a false and dangerous fantasy.
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Tony Redington Front Page Forum Submission
Main Street—Vague Ballot item Ignores Safety
Vote No at Town Meeting on $30 million Ballot Item 4 for Main Street, a boondoggle proposal where the last public meetings were six years ago!
In a statement in Front Porch Forum ONE Central community leader Gene Bergman writes:
"Our transition to a bike/walk friendly, safer, and carbon neutral transportation system doesn't get cheaper through delay. VTrans data shows Main Street intersections need improvement."
Gene Bergman is a leader who supports racial and economic justice. But not here where Mr. Bergman supports a project which does just the opposite, a clear decade long record of the City pursuit of transportation racism and injustice with no signs the Main Street will change the City's pattern. Each week a pedestrian or cyclist is injured and each week two car occupants are injured in Burlington crashes using 2012-2016 averages.
Unfortunately Gene Bergman remains dead wrong on the vague Public Works concept for Main Street where 78 injuries per decade occur on just the four high crash intersections (including Edmunds School crossing) without a single word of public discussion of safety, not single word of discussion of climate change impacts, not a single word of the equity for the poverty and persons of color who dominate the 32% of residents of Old North End, Downtown and King Maple neighborhoods without access to a car.
While Bergman refers to VTrans he is unaware there are no Main Street detailed scoping studies and analytics which remain a mainstay of roadway projects at VTrans. The new federal Safe System Approach to address the horrific US pandemic death toll contained in the strategy released just last month was never applied to Main Street. ( https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS )
Our City Council has strong forward looking policies on Racism as a Public Health Emergency and Climate Change as a Public Health Emergency--and these were never applied or considered on Main Street.
No commitment to safety, no commitment to climate change, no commitment to racial justice (just the opposite) means please Vote "No" on Main Street Ballot Item 4 on March 1.
Tony Redington
Walk Safety Advocate
