VT Headlines

VT Headlines: Burlington Gateway construction hurts business downtown

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WCAXBurlington businesses say Main St. construction putting a dent in their bottom line
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Categories: VT Headlines

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  1. what did you expect/// they need to print more money by bonding more debt/// got to keep vermonts economy from a total melt down/// watch all of the bonding in the state/// expect a lot more grant money from washimgton, thanks to the federal reserve money machine///

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  2. The Burlington business community is delusional that the reason fewer people are visiting is due to construction. It is mainly due to widespread apprehension that they will have to walk by people muttering obscenities or openly using illegal drugs, and who doesn’t want to bring their 12-year old shoe shopping and explain to them about why people behave like that? Also, who can resist the experience coming back to their vehicle to find it broken into, or missing? And there is nothing like the welcome feeling of having to install an app on your phone just to park on the street because the city doesn’t want to pay anyone or doesn’t trust employees enough to go around and collect money from meters. Even the most loyal of businesses who openly support Burlington’s progressive policies like the Outdoor Gear Exchange have begun the process of extricating themselves from downtown Burlington by opening a store out in Essex, away from the junkies and vagrants, with plenty of SAFE, and free parking that does not require a phone app. It’s going to take more than just pothole repair to get people to feel welcome and comfortable in Burlington again.

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  3. Sorry, but the problems in Burlington have been going on for years. The clencher was 2019 when the the downtown mall was torn down with no way to rebuild. Removing and losing 600 parking places was insane. I was downtown for 26 years, 10 years as a business owner. In 2019 I lost 25% of my business because of the parking, people calling me asking me where to park. I finally closed downtown and moved everything to my Shelburne shop in August 2022, where there are no parking problems and no social problems. Burlington was destroyed by an administration claiming to create, but demolished the work of Bernie and previous progressives that lasted 30 years. The homeless and drug problem is both a Burlington and Vermont issue. People need to take responsibility for what goes on here. Wake up.

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