On Thursday, Feb 22nd, Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer, Carina Driscoll, and the Progressive City Council candidates. including Charles Simpson Ward 6 and Jesse Warren Ward 5, will be at Flynn Dog Art Center (208 Flynn Ave, Burlington), from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. The kickoff will include food, drinks, music, and speeches from some of our amazing candidates running for office this election. This is a great chance to meet our entire slate of candidates for City Council and Mayor.

This election is crucial. Burlington can promote livability for its residents by preserving airport-area housing from excessive aircraft noise and lower rents by pressuring UVM to move 3,000 off-campus students to the Trinity campus rather than to Hill neighborhoods. With non-profit student co-ops, costs for room and board can be cut in half, helping those students and helping renters across the city. Smart development of the Champlain Parkway could preserve our industrial zone and its jobs from being slashed apart by a 150-ft limited access highway. With an end to massive tax subsidies for mega projects downtown, we can hold the line of property taxes.

In a national environment in which our social safety net is being torn asunder to cut taxes on the most wealthy and to promote military spending as our top priority, Burlington can send a message nation-wide: "Put the people first!" For change, vote Charles!