To the editor:

As a Tiverton resident, I was glad to see budget #2 pass. The FTR has enabled the residents to gain some semblance of control over our budget.

We pay far too much taxes!!

However the comments and articles in the paper last week were rather silent on savings in the School Department area. Sixty-five percent of our budget is for the School Department. The teachers union has lots of control in this town.   

A big savings could be realized if we required the teachers to pay more for health care. They should pay 50 percent for health care — I believe their share is around 20 percent.  We should institute a graduated phased-in increase over five years until we reach the 50 percent mark. Everyone needs skin in the games.

Also there should be tax breaks based on the number of dependents you have in school.

All things equal, a resident with zero children in school should pay less property taxes than one with four children

Michael Roderick

Tiverton