To the editor:

The Times’ account of the candidates forum last week reminds me of the expression “no pain, no gain” for the PCC. It certainly seems that its members are not afraid to stick their heads out of the foxhole and take some incoming.

Let’s remember that they organized the tent town financial meeting and were successful in turning back a gargantuan tax increase that an out-of-control and weak council tried to slip by the public.

When the Rhode Island General Assembly, less than ably aided by our local legislators, tried to put tolls on the new Sakonnet River Bridge, the PCC was out in front of that successful fight. We needed a new bridge because RIDOT failed to maintain the old one. Our legislature wanted us to pay for RIDOT’s mistake.

When sewers were proposed for Portsmouth, the PCC took on the town administrator’s and RIDEM’s fairy tales regarding the environment. Now the state legislature wants to take on our zoning, and the PCC is fighting back.

Perhaps they should attempt to drive on our state highways at rush hour. Perhaps then we would get the widened highway we were promised 50 years ago by RIDOT.

One last kudos to the PCC: Its members were the ones who surfaced the $145 million in proposed indebtedness for sewers that some politicians slipped through the legislature.

The detractors of the PCC should acknowledge what the organization has done.

Philip Driscoll

Portsmouth

Note: Mr. Driscoll identifies himself as a registered Democrat and a member of the PCC.