A D y n a s t y C r u m b l e s

A F r e s h S t a r t f o r S a n d e r s
BURLINGTON
I
t was an election beyond
most people's wildest
dreams. In just three
months, 39-year-old Bernard
Sanders lined up a coalition of
disenfranchised city residents
- low-income and working
people, students and the elder-
ly - and gathered enough
momentum to oust five-term
incumbent Mayor Gordon Pa-
quette, the most popular politi-
cian the city has ever known.
Sanders rode to victory on a
crest of voter dissatisfaction
that also shot down a 65-cent
tax hike and two Democratic
Aldermanic candidates. In a
campaign that was often 8S
dazzling as his victory, San-
ders proved that an intimida-
ting mayor can be intimidated
back. He tore into Paquette's
policies on housing, develop-
ment and taxes and challenged
the mayor's assumption that
what's good for business is
good for Burlington.
The former Liberty Union
candidate, who is remembered
for his sccialiat-leanings inthe
early 70s, pointed to the low
morale of city workers and
staggering lack of attention to
city youth, and charged that
the city administration must
completely reverse its priori-
ties, turning away fromdevel-
opments that benefit "the
wealthy" and toward human
policies that benefit the great
majority of Burlingtonians.
Final taJlies for the mayoral
race show Sanders beating
Paquette by 22votes. Sanders
received 4035 votes, Paquette
came in at 4013, Independent
Richard Bove took 1090, and
Independent Joseph McGrath
Jr. won 138. According tocity
lawyers, Paquette has 10days
to file for a recount. Election
laws require that the recount
take place no earlier than two
and no later than five days
after Paquette's lawyer Allan
Bruce files the necessary pap-
ers with City Clerk Frank
Wagner.
Lawyers for Sanders secured
a temporary restraining order
from Chittenden County Su-
perior Court Judge Edwin
Amidon early Wednesday
morning to have the ballots
impounded in a court vault
until they are needed for a re-
count. Sanders supporters
wanted to be sure the ballots
-which normally are kept in
an open vaultin the city clerk's
office - were not tampered
with. They said they noted a
number of voting and counting
irregularities Tuesday night,
including improper seals and
counting procedures.
Paquette has refused to
comment on most aspects of
theelectron outcome until are-
count is completed. He spent
most of Wednesday cloistered
in his office caking calls from
well-wishers and visiting with
a fewold Democratic friends.
Across town, at theFranklin
Square low-income housing
project, Sanders held a press
conference outlining some of
his mayoral priorities.
Sanders said heplans toes-
tablish a Mayor's Advisory
Council to bring "South End
people, unions and other local
groups together" to"thrash out
ideas." Every city project will
be "reevaluated and reana-
lyzed," hesaid, reiterating his
opposition to the unpopular
Southern Connector highway
and lakefront condominium
project proposal.
"We are attempting to do
something that has not been
done in many communities
across thecountry, and that is
to involve large numbers of
peopleintheday-to-day affairs
of government," he said.
Sanders acknowledged that
thereis"not theslightest doubt
that we will be making mis-
takes" initially, but added,
..the success or failure of my
administration will rest onthe
kind of support that wecan get
fromthepeopleof Burlington. "
Sanders extended the olive
branch to the Board of Alder-
men and said he believes he
has friends on the Board, in-
cluding Maurice Mahoney D-
Ward I, Robert Sweeney D-
Ward 4, newly electedCitizens
Party candidate Terrill Bouri-
cius Ward 3, and Sadie White,
who outpolled Democrat Paul
Trepanier, but did not receive
the required 40 percent neces-
sary towin the seat. A run-off
between the pair will beheld
on March 24.
Sanders said he will con-
tinue to speak out on statewide
Issues, including property tax
reform, progressive income
and corporate taxation and
executive branch initiatives,
such 8S Governor Richard
Snelling's gasoline tax hike,
which Sanders opposes.
in a special message to the
media, Sanders asked for"time
to explain" policies and issues
of public concern. Hesaid up-
coming meetings would be
"good(on)television," and said
he hopes for a more "active role
for radio and television" in dis-
seminating information and
encouraging public input into
city policy-making.
In the future, he said, the
WJOY morning public affairs
program called "The Mayor
Speaks," will be known as
"The Public Speaks."
-Debbie Bookchin