To the editor:

Tiverton has a Charter section that must be protected: The Financial Town Referendum, which includes a provision that allows a taxpayer to file an Elector Petition, and helps to control taxes when the elected governing bodies fail to listen. 

The Financial Town Referendum gives the taxpayer this tool to fight out-of-control budgets, to demand respect for their ability to pay, and to protect their wallets.  The morale in this town is awful, people are very upset with the high taxes and want to move out.  A good way to fight back is by supporting candidates for the Charter Review Commission who will protect the Financial Town Referendum.

Some candidates support the elimination of the Budget Committee and plan on changing the Charter to accomplish higher spending.  In their scenario, the Town Council would then determine the budget, which is like the fox watching over the henhouse, without checks and balances.  Support candidates for the Charter Review Commission who will keep the Budget Committee as the budget recommending body and as the taxpayers’ sharp pencil.

Support candidates for the Charter Review Commission who will ensure that casino money is kept squarely in the control of the taxpayers by keeping it within the Financial Town Referendum budget process versus new spending from side accounts.  You, the taxpayer, and not seven Town Council members, should decide if the casino money should be used to lower taxes or for new spending.

 Keep the FTR, the Budget Committee, and casino revenue by supporting the Tiverton Taxpayer Association candidates for Charter Review Commission who will accomplish these goals.

Donna Cook

Tiverton

The author is a member of the Tiverton Budget Committee and a candidate for the Charter Review Commission.