Phil Scott,I rode into my office in Burlington in late August, enjoying the new bike paths along the Champlain Parkway and Pine Street along the way. Also evident in my midday walk through City Hall Park were the well-documented substance use and homelessness issues facing Burlington. During your conference, you also took issue with the characterization of Burlington as the “economic engine” of the state. Chittenden County — with Burlington as our epicenter — represents 26% of Vermont’s population but generates 37% of Vermont’s gross domestic product and 35% of its income taxes. Whether that’s fair or not, Burlington — and Vermont, by extension — needs your more active involvement to address challenges that fall disproportionately on Burlington that are not the fault of city policy.