Letter: Charter ‘trio’ would work against Tiverton taxpayers

Posted 6/20/17

To the editor:

The three Charter Review Commission candidates who authored a recent letter state that Tiverton is “a town divided” and needs those who “see the middle ground and can …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Letter: Charter ‘trio’ would work against Tiverton taxpayers

Posted

To the editor:

The three Charter Review Commission candidates who authored a recent letter state that Tiverton is “a town divided” and needs those who “see the middle ground and can compromise … to bring Tiverton together.”  Curious, I looked into what "compromise” means to them.

In 2015, the one who I interpret as the leader of the “trio” blamed you, the voters of Tiverton, for his woeful problem – the cost of pre-school for his two daughters, and he urged others to support increased school spending.  He even said, “If you are a resident of Tiverton and couldn’t live with a modest tax increase of roughly $100 per year, shame on you.” Talk about “self-serving,” explicitly saying he wants your tax dollars to pay for his kids’ pre-school. He even called the Tiverton Taxpayers Association, which works tirelessly to control tax increases, Tiverton’s “ugly secret.”

In 2017, the second of the trio lambasted the Budget Committee, who limited this year’s tax levy increase to 0.5%.  He threatened townspeople with doomsday scenarios to promote higher taxes.  He references “an alternate budget with 50 signatures …” under the charter remand provision as “suspicious” and warns, “Don’t be fooled into falling for shady numbers.”  It is clear he is against the elector petition which gives taxpayers a direct voice to control their taxes, and that he dislikes a Budget Committee that works for taxpayers.   This trio candidate is seeks to raise your taxes more than FTR voters want.

Also in 2017, the third trio candidate lobbies to reward the fire chief with a new car – the same chief whose department mismanagement just cost the town $175,000 in a legal settlement and who is trying to advance spend the casino money by increasing his department size.  

She then goes to bat for the police chief who hired six recruits without council approval the week before the November casino vote.  She falsely refers to “drastic” budget cuts when in fact most budgets increased or were at least were level funded.  She also argued that town and school employees need to be paid more – followed by playing the scare tactic card when she references “trash pickup”, “ambulances breaking down,” and “meals to seniors.”

The evidence is overwhelming:  If the trio candidates are elected to the Charter Review Commission they will work against the taxpayer.  The “compromise” the trio calls for is higher taxes for Tiverton residents.  There is no other conclusion.  

Voters, please support Tiverton Taxpayer Association candidates who will work for the taxpayer by protecting the FTR from being neutered or eliminated, and by taking every step possible to ensure the casino money is available to lower your taxes.  

Donna Cook

Tiverton

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

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.