City of Burlington — June 23, 2021 — Press release
From Councillors Lisa Kearns, Ward 2, Shawna Stolte, Ward 4, and Paul Sharman, Ward 5
We believe it is very important to clarify to the community that all seven members of Council are steadfast in our unwavering support for inclusivity in Burlington.
We all recognize and celebrate the importance of rainbow crosswalks as Burlington proudly displayed its first official crossing in 2020 as a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and all seven members of Council unanimously supports additional rainbow crosswalks and rainbow benches across our wonderful city. In addition, Council was proud to proclaim June to be Pride Month and raise the Pride flag over City Hall as well as light up the Brant Street Pier in the colours of the rainbow to celebrate Pride Month.
The difference of opinion that resulted in a 4-3 vote at its meeting of Council on June 22, 2021, was not based on a lack of support for the community voice, but to a lack of support for the implementation plan proposed by Mayor Meed Ward and concerns about subsequent reports that will bias additional calls for increased spending.
Installing three rainbow crosswalks as planned will cost the city taxpayers up to $50,000 this year with committed spend that can soar upwards of $100,000+ in unplanned funding for future capital budgets. The proposal put forward by Mayor Meed Ward was to fund this initiative by withdrawing from the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund that has a primary purpose of alleviating the fiscal impact on the city’s budget and tax rate as a result of unforeseen or uncontrollable fluctuations in budgeted
expenditures and revenues. Burlington is projecting in excess of a 5% City budget increase for 2022 and it is imperative that this Tax Rate Stabilization Fund is not used inappropriately but protected for its intended purpose.
An alternate approach was proposed by Councillors Kearns, Stolte and Sharman that incorporated a measured approach that took into consideration the careful allocation of restrained tax funds as a path to expand the rainbow crosswalks enthusiastically into all corners of Burlington. Additional benefits include considerations for distribution of tax dollars to both implement 1-2 additional rainbow crosswalks this year and any additional funds to be granted to Burlington community organizations or City services that offer critical supports to individuals in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
When debated at committee, Councillor Stolte and Councillor Sharman asked Council to consider slowing down and committing to Rainbow Crosswalks being deployed at the rate of one new crosswalk each year at the same cost as the one installed on Lakeshore Road in 2020 for $10,000. The motion failed.
Councillors Stolte, Sharman and Kearns all voted in favour of the motion because it represented a more fiscally responsible, lower cost, balanced position that would be funded as a regular budget item rather than out of reserves. This also struck a balance between being both fiscally responsible while ensuring that limited tax dollars are spent wisely on both symbolic gestures of support while recognizing the need to fund real, effective community services.
Our 2SLGBTQIA+ youth are all too familiar with the struggles of performative activism during Pride Month. The City of Burlington needs to welcome a balance between performative and real support for the community.
Each of us welcome continued dialogue from our constituents and encourage all to see the complexity of this decision and how it represents the seriousness and thoughtfulness that goes into the weight of making decisions about Burlington’s future.
It is our hope, that in the spirit of respect and effective leadership that every perspective and vote is valued and that we can move forward in continuing to serve our community as we have so deeply committed.
Respectfully yours,
