Letter: Educate yourself before voting for Tiverton budget #1

Posted 5/16/18

If you’ve been driving through Tiverton lately, you’ve most likely seen “Protect Your Taxes” signs around town. Some residents received bags with rocks thrown on our …

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Letter: Educate yourself before voting for Tiverton budget #1

Posted

If you’ve been driving through Tiverton lately, you’ve most likely seen “Protect Your Taxes” signs around town. Some residents received bags with rocks thrown on our lawns with a “free newsletter,” and now some have had the pleasure of a fancy, two-sided color post card being sent to our mailboxes.

The Tiverton Taxpayers Association (a political action group) spends lots of money claiming to be our almighty tax saviors. I’d encourage every resident that considers voting for budget 2 to do some research. I’d ask you, “why does this group spend thousands of dollars each FTR election in lieu of saving a few cents in taxes”?

Maybe more importantly I’d ask, “where does that money come from?” Shouldn’t we question how this is all paid for and who is paying for it? We are giving a lot of blind trust to a group of people who claim to be working in our best interest.

Here are some things you should consider: the author of budget #2 recently brought multiple lawsuits against Tiverton, forcing the town to use tax dollars defending these frivolous lawsuits.  Budget #2 supporters, have you read through his budget proposal? Coincidentally slashing the litigation account while his personal lawsuits continue and the Tiverton Taxpayers Association threatens more legal action?

Budget #2 also cuts funding to East Bay Community Action Program and Visiting Nurses of Newport County. The TTA cares about Tiverton residents but yet cuts funding to our local food bank and nursing services that our seniors and in need residents rely on.

Budget #2’s author grossly overestimates casino revenue and has no safety net in place if that money doesn’t materialize. When asked what would happen if his predications were wrong, he stated the town council could declare a state of emergency.

Should we plan our town’s finances with the risk of a potential state of emergency? Should we risk receiving unexpected additional tax bills in our mailboxes if budget #2 comes up short? Is that a gamble our households can afford?

Budget #1 provides for all town services while reducing our tax rate significantly. It’s fiscally responsible and uses reasonable casino revenue estimates that includes a safety net in case funding falls short. It continues providing social services to our neighbors that need them. 

I’d kindly ask Tiverton voters to educate yourselves before you go to the polls. Know what the budget you are voting for provides or cuts. This information can be found by watching Budget Committee meetings on YouTube’s Tiverton Videos channel or by visiting http://www.tiverton.ri.gov/departments/ftr.php

Jennifer Joslyn

Tiverton

The writer is a member of the Tiverton Budget Committee.

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