To the editor:

Dear Barrington Town Council and School Committee members, it seems apparent that pet projects and social trinkets are the priority of our town leaders. It's time to focus on what matters most to the residents of Barrington.

1.  Improving the community and the relationship with residents and business

2.  Lowering taxes

Over the past few years, this town has diverted much of its effort on low value initiatives that do neither. (Think school start times, a splash pad at Police Cove, and our "no plastics" initiative.)

I'm all for conservation, but making Barrington the poster child for eliminating plastics isn't something to rave about. Eliminating plastic containers is a great idea, but not on the backs of small businesses.

Barrington and Rhode Island rank the lowest in business sustainability, and it's near impossible for business in town to prosper. Which leads me to our second point.  

Both the Town Council and School Board want to cry poverty when it comes to programs. Our tax base is derived primarily from the residents, and not businesses. This is the number one reason our budget committees are struggling to keep our tax rate flat and these latest increases are a burden to our residents.

Here's an idea: promote Barrington as a place where businesses thrive. Make it easy for businesses to develop in town. Instead of thinking about how to purchase public land for parks development (which most people know I'm a stickler about our fields situation), focus on getting a small to medium business into our town to help our tax base. Or maybe, find a business that is willing to re-locate to town. Promoting jobs, community, and stronger tax income… novel idea.  

It's nice to have a lot of small things, but not at the expense of your identity. Our town is like a home filled with tiny ceramic clowns (no pun intended). The idea seemed cool at the time but through the years it's just weird (to own a home full of tiny clowns).

Seth Fisher

Barrington