'Inaction Is Not Compassion': 12 Public Comments from Burlington Every Community Should Heed
Speakers consistently rejected the idea that ignoring these offenses is compassionate, arguing instead that a failure to enforce existing rules harms the entire community, including the vulnerable.
Burlington residents and business owners voiced overwhelming frustration at a city council meeting over what they described as rampant lawlessness and a decline in public safety, particularly in the downtown area. Testimonies were filled with graphic accounts of open drug dealing, public defecation, and aggressive behavior that have led to business staff quitting, revenue dropping by as much as 50 percent, and citizens feeling afraid in their own city.
Speakers consistently rejected the idea that ignoring these offenses is compassionate, arguing instead that a failure to enforce existing ordinances harms the entire community, including the vulnerable populations such policies are intended to help. They urged the council to take decisive action by passing a resolution to restore order and safety, while emphasizing that this must be done in tandem with providing social services.
Below are excerpts from 12 Burlington stakeholders who spoke during public participation at the City Council hearing on City Hall Park. Their common theme extends across the Green Mountain State: Vermont politicians have built deeply entrenched silos, reinforced by echo chambers, where meaningful dialogue and compromise have been replaced by dismissive labels and partisan rhetoric.
Deborah Roseman - What I don’t think is compassionate is open drug dealing
I live . . . right across from the former City Market parking lot.
My feeling is that safety should be considered compassionate for residents and for businesses.
What I don’t think is compassionate is open drug dealing, which I witnessed today at Ace Hardware, along with the staff there.
I also see open drug use, people in distress on the sidewalks, public urination, defecation, vomiting, fighting, screaming, and overall uncleanliness in the park.
Compassion should also mean listening to constituents, their fears, and their experiences. It should mean working with police and Howard mental health, and sometimes escorting people to treatment against their will. Burlington should not be seen as a place to come for lawlessness.
Ali Jalili - This does not mean abandoning compassion
I pass dozens of people daily violating these ordinances. What good are laws if they aren’t enforced?
Do we really not care about public urination, defecation, litter, drug use, fighting, sleeping on sidewalks, graffiti?
This does not mean abandoning compassion; please continue efforts to provide housing, rehab, and counseling. But we can do those things and still keep the city safe and welcoming.
I’ve traveled recently to Saratoga Springs, Madison, and West Hartford—downtowns bustling with shops and restaurants. I saw almost no open drug use or crises there. Please ask your counterparts what they do differently. My guess is they enforce their ordinances.
Scott Low - Even Police Academy graduates don’t want to work here anymore
Burlington has declined since the 1980s. Defunding police and failing to rehire officers is atrocious. Even Police Academy graduates don’t want to work here anymore.
Sherry Campbell - I’ve lost 80% of my staff
I’ve had a business across from the park since 1999—a hair salon with an apprentice program since 2008.
But in the past 12 months, I’ve lost 80% of my staff—average tenure 13.5 years.
Safety issues, both outside and inside the salon, were the number-one reason. We called 911, we have reports, but the problems persist. Having uniformed police presence is very important. Please pass the resolution.
Davis Marr - tolerating lawlessness benefits no one
I’ve lived in the New North End for 50 years. City Hall Park has become a hotspot for lawlessness, drug abuse, and threatening behavior. People are afraid to enter.
Yes, we need affordable housing and treatment services too. But tolerating lawlessness benefits no one. We have these rules to prevent exactly what we now see. Let’s enforce them.
Ajay Malhotra - Both left and right blame each other
I live on Lake Street. I’ve seen startling changes in 10 years. Both left and right blame each other: the right says homeless people are just nasty, the left says they are all victims. The truth is somewhere in between.
The right must accept that services can’t be conditional; the left must accept that some people do need enforcement. We need to come together, compromise, and learn from other cities—Houston, for example, has made progress
Ryan Nick - This weekend, a naked man smeared feces on our storefront.
This weekend, a naked man smeared feces on our storefront.
Drug dealers thrive while residents suffer.
This is not compassion. We need real solutions and accountability from the city, state, and courts. The current “hot potato” game is infuriating. We must work together. Please pass this resolution.
Matthew Viens - Supporters of this resolution are not extremists.
I live in Ward 6. Supporters of this resolution are not extremists. I consider myself middle-of-the-road, but I believe ordinances must be enforced.
Expecting accountability is not a lack of compassion.
Yes, we must also address root causes like housing and addiction, but ignoring violations won’t help. I support this resolution.
Maddie Posig - This is not about demonizing the homeless—it’s about fear, which is real.
I’m a longtime resident. When I moved here from NYC, Burlington felt safe. I never locked my doors. Now as a senior, I feel unsafe.
Walking downtown, I’m panhandled, sometimes aggressively. I don’t enter City Hall Park anymore. My car has been broken into, and I installed cameras for security.
This is not about demonizing the homeless—it’s about fear, which is real. I support the resolution and believe we can both enforce ordinances and seek long-term housing solutions. Please act.
John Egan - Compassion is important, but inaction is not compassion
I co-founded Mad River Distillers and opened a tasting room in Burlington in 2016. It was iconic and successful until 2024.
Since then, all our staff quit due to safety fears. Customers tell us they won’t come downtown.
Revenues are down 50%. I see the park dominated by people struggling with drugs or mental illness. The city is not enforcing rules.
Compassion is important, but inaction is not compassion. If residents and businesses leave, nobody will be helped. We need to bring back the park.
Leslie Wells - My staff of 75 doesn’t feel safe, and my duty is to protect them.
I own two restaurants downtown for 13 years.
We face drug dealing and drug use nearby. My staff of 75 doesn’t feel safe, and my duty is to protect them.
Receipts are down 30%. Small businesses are economic drivers—we employ, feed, and support the community. But many may close.
I don’t want more police, but ordinances must be enforced. I ask for action so Burlington can again be safe.
Austin Davis - Victims are being revictimized.
Current strategies aren’t working—businesses see higher taxes and lower sales, residents and visitors feel unsafe, and unhoused people are exploited by traffickers.
Open-air drug dealing is not compassion. Victims are being revictimized. Burlington is losing its community gathering place. The proposed resolution is a good step toward solutions.