This year the FTR will have two budget proposals to choose from. The first is the recommendation of the Budget Committee, which includes a 10 percent year over year increase in municipal spending. The second was submitted by Elector Petition and nominally trims the municipal increase to 8 percent.

Both proposals assume a substantial amount of casino revenue to lower your taxes, and in fact the Elector Petition uses the state’s actual estimated amount (less than $1 million in this startup year). When the math is complete, the Budget Committee proposal decreases the tax levy by .5 percent, while the Elector Petition proposal decreases the tax levy by 2.9 percent (yes, a 2.9 percent decrease!). 

There were also eight taxpayer friendly resolutions submitted by Elector Petition, but as of this writing five were “blocked” by what amounts to the Tiverton Town Council directing the town attorney to block. This substantiates concerns publicized by your elected Charter Review Commission – that the council will take any steps necessary to prevent you from voting on proposals they do not like. Since last Thursday, fellow taxpayers have filed three lawsuits with the hope that you will be able to vote on these resolutions submitted by Elector Petition. 

Which leads to a larger issue – that the town council is trying to direct the casino revenue into restricted accounts so that “no one can get their grubby little hands on it” and that they have approved proposals to make Elector Petitions ineffective and in one case even eliminate the Budget Committee and FTR altogether, so the town council can increase your taxes at will.

This is the ultimate power grab just in time for the lion’s share of the casino revenue to come online. I submit that taxpayers do not have “grubby little hands” and that the casino revenue should be used to the largest extent possible to offset the tax levy and immediately lower your taxes. 

I urge voters to support Budget Proposal #2 and all resolutions submitted by Elector Petition. Frankly, if the town council wins in court and again in November, then this is the one and only chance you will have to use a portion of the casino revenue to lower taxes. It is critical to lower the tax levy as much as possible in this FTR on Saturday, May 19, at the high school (absentee voting at Town Hall on Thursday, May 17, and Friday, May 18).

The tax levy in Tiverton never goes down, but this year Budget Proposal #2 calls for “a decrease from the prior years certified Net Tax Levy of 2.9%.” Vote to lower your taxes while you can, before the town council grabs the casino money! 

Jeff Caron

Tiverton
Mr. Caron is a former chairman of the Tiverton Budget Committee.