A good budget provides for entire Tiverton community

Posted 3/8/17

To the editor:

When I think of a community, I think of a group of citizens with common interests, a shared agenda and most importantly, a group of people willing to help and support each other. On …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


A good budget provides for entire Tiverton community

Posted

To the editor:

When I think of a community, I think of a group of citizens with common interests, a shared agenda and most importantly, a group of people willing to help and support each other. On a small scale, I have been lucky enough to experience just that. As I explore this on a broader scale in town, I am concerned. Some taxpayers want to support the schools, others don’t. Some support the library, police, fire and senior center and others don’t. This is where I struggle. We need to pull it together. It is our responsibility to care for every phase of the lifecycle in our community and their safety.

You cannot possibly sew a quilt without first threading that needle. So, let’s start with the young families in town, buying homes here, settling in and establishing roots. They deserve to have the experiences similar to that of previous generations in town. Part of that experience is our library. It services every age in town. Story time, the summer reading program, movie offerings, a quiet place to read or study and of course the wonderful books, periodicals, DVDs, music, etc that patrons can check out. The library needs our support.

The babies, toddlers and preschoolers in town then become school-aged and deserve to have the best academic experience possible in our community. We have dedicated teachers, administration and support staff that take great pride in making that possible. My children have been blessed with excellent teachers and experiences. Whether your children are young or are now adults, we can all agree that we want the best for them. Our teachers need our support.

And in the thick of it all are the emergency responders. I have been nothing but impressed with our police and fire departments. From criminals being apprehended in our neighborhood to the fire department helping when a large tree fell on our house, they were there and they were there immediately. We need a safe community for everyone. Our first responders need our support.

And as we progress through the lifecycle, let’s be thankful for what the senior center offers. They provide transportation for our seniors to pick up groceries, prescriptions, etc. They provide balanced, nutritious meals. They provide a location for seniors to get out, socialize and participate in fun activities. The senior center needs our support.

So, let’s not pit one population against another. Our little ones will eventually be taking care of us, so let’s provide for them now. And our seniors did so much for us; let’s make sure they have the services they need. As a community, we need to help and support each other, no matter where you fall into the life cycle. The best way to do that is to understand the Financial Town Referendum and vote! Your vote matters. You can affect change and make an impact for the greater good. Vote on May 20 to support our great town. This is what community is all about!

Jocelyn Sherman

Tiverton

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.