To the editor:

We address the letter entitled “Beware self serving spin-and-divide tax tactics.” It is a little difficult, outside of the author's statements characterizing the general populace as ill-informed and lazy, to ascertain which facts the author feels do not "connect the dots." However, we stand by all the stated facts.

First, the record clearly shows that certain Charter Review Commission (CRC) candidates do seek to eliminate the Financial Town Referendum (FTR) and Budget Committee (BC), replacing them by the Town Council ‘doing the budget'. Second, the Casino Sub-Committee is specifically charged with "developing a plan for the allocation of" casino gaming revenue, which, if it were to be used for direct tax reduction via the FTR budgeting process, would not be necessary. Third and most disturbing, a CRC candidate in this very paper wrote that the BC is “no better than Stalin, Lenin, or Kim Jung Un.” These facts do not constitute “spin.” The author may not like that we shed this light on certain CRC candidates last week, but facts are facts.

Regarding his stated “opportunity” to change the charter, the author writes, “draw your own conclusions based on independent and supported facts.” Well, facts are facts, and from the official Tax Levy Certifications on the town’s own website, the year-over-year tax levy percentage increases from 1991 and prior to the FTR were: 9.8%, 3.8%, 4.7%, 2.7%, 9.0%, 5.5%, 1.3%, 2.6%, 5.4%, 3.0%, 1.0%, 5.5%, 7.3%, 3.9%, 10.6%, 7.9%, 6.8%, 11.0%, 3.1%, 7.8%, and 3.1%. In contrast the year-over-year tax levy percentage increases under the FTR were: 2.6%, 2.2%, 0.0%, 0.9%, 0.9%, and 0.5%. We have presented the facts, and we agree — “draw your own conclusions.”

Many of those large tax increases prior to the FTR were the direct result of town officials using their power to ram the tax increases through regardless of laws, regulations, and rules. With the secret ballot, direct vote of the FTR we do not have to trust town officials with the reins on the budget and our taxes.

The author then asks if we “aim to serve the greater good of the community and all who call it home, or are they [Caron and Driggs] self-serving...?” Our goal to lower Tiverton’s taxes squarely serves the greater good of the entire community, and has been repeatedly supported by the community majority at the FTR. It is all those concerned taxpayers who want to keep more of their hard-earned money so they can choose how to spend it versus the town spending it for them the author is labeling "self- serving.” Rather, we submit the opposite: His leveraging of the tax levy (other people’s money) to pay for what he may want is “self-serving” and a “divisive tactic”.

We can assure you that the slate of candidates endorsed by the Tiverton Taxpayers Association will protect both the FTR and casino money with the common goal of lower taxes for all Tiverton residents.

Nancy Driggs Jeff Caron

Tiverton

The authors are members of the Budget Committee, former co-chairmen of the committee that wrote and proposed the FTR charter change, and are current candidates for the Charter Review Commission.