A business owner in downtown Burlington, Vermont, admitted it urban homelessness the drug crisis, as well as rising crime rates, cost his sporting goods store more business than at any point in its long history.
John George-Wheeler, owner of Skirack — a sporting goods store in Vermont’s most populous downtown — told Fox News Digital this month that the economic toll from customers driven downtown by safety concerns has been worse than any other recession. or the economic downturn in which his business has survived for 55 years.
“We’ve been through a lot in these 55 years. We’ve been through ’08 and other recessions. And historically, this is the worst we’ve ever seen,” George-Wheeler said.
“We need the support of local Vermonters,” he said.
The local business owner, like many members of the Burlington community, is grappling with many of the issues plaguing the city, including homelessness, drug addiction and rising crime that has gripped the beautiful city.
“With construction going on, road closures, economic downturns, homelessness, and drug addiction, of course we need to care for the people who suffer from addiction, but we also need to care for the people who call this place home. work day and night at home or downtown,” he said.
“And this is not only one, but one-sided issue. It is multifaceted. We need to take a holistic, transparent approach to support the people who are paying taxes here.”
Homelessness is at an all-time high in Burlington, with more than 350 people living on the city’s streets. Among them are those addicted to hard drugs like fentanyl, which is a 1000 percent increase in overdoses This year alone, first responders have had a hard time.
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Data from 2024 shows that violent crime has also increased in the city. Critical attacks increased by 40 percent and shooting by 300 percent. Locals told Fox News they found it.”going out is dangerous.” in public at night.
The store owner described the mood of local business owners after these problems. He says many people find it difficult, but have found ways to come together and spread awareness of problems and brainstorm solutions.
“I think a lot of businesses are tired and weary. But I know there is a strong group of businesses that are redoubled to support each other. Whether we feel that support from other sources or not, I think we have. after all, this is the Vermont I grew up in, a Vermont that cares about their neighbors,” George-Wheeler said.
Many of these problems stem from a combination of factors, including the opioid crisis in Vermont, the post-pandemic housing crisis, and the depletion of police forces that occurred as a result of the racial justice movement of 2020.
That year, the city council passed a resolution supporting a 30% reduction in the police force through attrition. Additionally, the resolution declared racism a city-wide public health crisis. As a result, the previous staff of 105 officers was reduced to only 74.
Since then, the Burlington City Council has voted to increase the number of police officers as well as increase funding by $2.47 million. However, the city has struggled to fill the roles, as there are currently only 68 officers on the force.
Ernie Pomerleau, CEO of Pomerleau Real Estate and a Burlington community leader, told Fox News he believes in the primary vote. denied that the police had made a “mistake”.
“So they allowed the police force to be destroyed – that’s a mistake,” he said, adding, “We have to support the police.”
George-Wheeler told Fox News that she believes the community will do what it can to help the homeless, but that the community needs to start policing better for equality.
“I think we need to get people to treatment. But you can’t do that without supporting the other side. When it comes to the police and the way the police are doing, they’re not fully prepared to deal with the issues. There is, and I think the city government agrees with that, because they’ve recently passed his budget – the mayor accepted funding to hire ten additional officers.
“We understand that they are understaffed and unable to address the issues we face as a community,” he said.
Fox News spoke with Patricia, another entrepreneur in Burlington, who echoed the same sentiment, saying the focus should not only be on compassion for the homeless and drug addicts, but also the well-being of business owners and the community at large.
“There seems to be a lot of focus in this city and on the part of the government to help people who are addicted,” he said. “It seems that there is no respect for those who are engaged in business, you know, running a store.
Original article source: Burlington business owner says public safety concerns are turning customers away: ‘Worst we’ve ever seen it’
