To the editor:

Voting has consequences, and your votes prevailed in the recent budget election.  I withhold congratulations, however.  For the implications of your victory will damage governance and government services in Tiverton. 

The library issue alone seemed worthy of our common support. Should the town council vote to support library funding, which I hope it does, other services will be negatively impacted without doubt.

I am fairly new to Tiverton, having moved here eight years ago.  Comparing our tax "burden" to other places I'm familiar with gives pause to the contention that ours are too high, that there is fat in the budget, or that parts of the budget are our of whack with needed resources.  In fact, the budget 1 figures were, to my mind, reasonable and responsible. 

The definition of freedom I hold dear is the fact that, should we so chose, we are free to be cooperative, conciliatory, and reasonable neighbors.  With this definition, I hope you agree, even though on some issues we will not entirely agree.  One's worse fear is that some or even many community members believe that shared sacrifices at any level are unnecessary, that most town services are nice-to-haves, and that the town — or perhaps no town — is worthy of their involvement and support. 

Is that fear real and growing here in Tiverton?  I certainly hope not, and I urge us all to think about our future together, and I stress together, here in Tiverton.

Will Newman