Though Democrats have slammed former President Donald Trump for highlighting a rise in crime during the Biden-Harris administration, the recent experiences of one New England town are proving particularly instructive in countering the left's narrative.
As Fox News reports, conditions in Burlington, Vermont, have deteriorated significantly in recent years, a fact which locals attribute to homelessness, drug addiction, and rising rates of crime that remain unaddressed by federal policies.
Local residents of Burlington spoke with Fox News Digital last week, detailing their frustrations with the homelessness and drug use that have both gripped their hometown.
Many noted the unease with which they now approach the city's downtown area, with some expressing fears for their physical safety.
The influx of fentanyl, and the addictions it has spawned, have prompted a rise in crime that has left community members shaken and seeking solutions.
According to one young man from Burlington, “It's really good during the day, but during the night, like people have said, it's really dangerous” due to the desperation drug use and addiction causes in affected individuals.
With drugs such as fentanyl and “tranq” becoming more prevalent, Vermont has marked a 500% increase in overdose deaths over the last decade, with first responders strapped for the resources necessary to properly respond to the volume of assistance needed.
Nancy, an elderly resident of Burlington, admitted, “I don't walk at night,” and when pressed for a reason, she stated, “Cause it's dangerous.
“People get beat up at nighttime,” she observed, adding that her neighbor was assaulted in such brutal fashion that the attackers also tried to destroy the individual's wheelchair.
A local entrepreneur placed blame on what she characterized as misplaced priorities among those in power, telling Fox News that emphasis is being put on all the wrong things.
“There seems to be a lot of focus in this town and by the government on helping people who are addicted. There seems to be a lack of respect for people who are doing business, you know, who are trying to run a store,” said the woman.
After having slashed law enforcement budgets in recent years, the city is reportedly now attempting to hire additional police officers to address growing concerns.
Burlington's story is perhaps illustrative of Donald Trump's recent claims that, despite Democrats' claims to the contrary, violent crime has been on the rise during Biden's time in office, even though ABC's David Muir attempted to fact-check the former president on that argument during his September debate with Kamala Harris.
Interestingly, the FBI itself recently had to revise its own figures -- cited by Muir against Trump -- to show an overall growth in criminal offenses for the year 2022, as the New York Post noted, and though the agency attempted to keep the changes as quiet as possible, they serve as concrete validation of the troubling phenomenon with which Burlington residents are all too familiar.
