MORGANS' SPEW STEW

Morgan’s Spew Stew

Response to State Representative Morgan’s recent Op-Ed

Representative Morgan, once again, you continue to pat yourself on the back, but for all the wrong reasons.  If only once you could tell some truths about CCFD or for once you could just be honest to the residents of District 26.  Your hypocrisy is nauseating.

I have asked you to tell the truth, to support your claims and statements with substantive facts, you never do. 

You are upset because you are called a liar.  The saying goes “if the shoe fits…”

Why is it that each time there is an attempt by someone to speak with you for whom have a divergence in opinion, you walk away?

 In fact, at the last CCFD meeting you attended you said “go f*** off” as you stormed out.  Is this type of behavior what you consider representing your constituents? Is this the “fairness and authentic public service” you want us to believe that you’re interested in?  To dodge the questions, misinterpret the facts, and fabricate truths to fit your needs hardly seems fair and authentic as you would like us to believe you are interested in.

State Representative Morgan speaks of Leadership or uses buzz-words like “genuine data” and “special interests”.

First, let’s look at your leadership.  As a state representative, you should be leading the charge with encouraging and pursuing ways to improve and strengthen the public safety infrastructure which protects our children and our seniors.  You should be leading the way to keep constituents working and employed.  Contrarily, you have done just the opposite. Your leadership has led a minority group of rebels known communally as the Taskforce and the CCFD Board to dismantle and decimate the fire, rescue, and emergency services for Coventry residents. Your taskforce meetings could be held in a phone booth. There were 4 people at the last one. That is hardly a sliver of the populous of the 36,000 in Coventry.

As a State Representative, you have consistently stated on talk radio and in news reports that CCFD should outsource to an out-of-state private contractor thereby eliminating 52 jobs right here in your own backyard, your own state and your own representative district. 

Your recent rambling “…my constituents deserve public officials and public institutions that look out for them or at the very least do no harm. ”Patricia, have you lost your mind! Do you even remember what you say or what the Republican Communications Director at the State House writes for you?  “…DO NO HARM”, seriously!  Your translation of that must be to put 52 hardworking constituents on the unemployment rolls, watch their homes go into foreclosure and then cause additional strains on the welfare and unemployment system.

 Again, hardly seems as if that is appropriate and responsible actions for a State Representative whom claims that she is looking out for her constituents.

I would be remiss if I did not point out that you garage your shiny black BMW and reside high atop the Hills of Wakefield Street in West Warwick. Therefore your poor decrees certainly will not have an effect on you or your loved ones as a resident of West Warwick when YOU call fire or rescue services, but for the rest of us who do live here in Coventry, we’ll be left picking up the pieces of your wind storm as we wait for a fire truck or ambulance.

Now let’s take you to task on Genuine Data.  The CCFD firefighters have provided genuine and undisputable data, something that you do not do, EVER!  You claim that equipment was purchased unnecessarily and that the CCFD staffing of ONLY two firefighters per fire station is far more than needed.  I implore you to provide and prove to the residents of CCFD and Coventry how you can factually state what equipment is needed and what staffing levels should be.  I beseech you, with your vast knowledge and experience in firefighting and emergency services to provide Coventry residents with your statement of facts and your direct evidence that support you outrageous comments. 

You have lied to your constituents by misrepresenting wages and benefits of the firefighters, wrongly claiming apparatus was purchased unnecessarily, stating that taxes were increased 70% when they were not, claiming that the property insurance will not be affected when it will, asserting the public is going to be safe when you cannot and claiming that the union contract caused the issues in CCFD when it did not.

Representative, have you had any clue before inserting your opinion without knowledge, you would have come to realize that taxes in CCFD have not increased in the 4 years prior to the recent issues, even after nearly $300,000 of State Aid to the fire district was eliminated by the very legislature which you are a member of.  (What was your vote on that issue?)

As a matter of fact, residents of the Harris, Phoenix and Tiogue sections received a tax DECREASE in 2006 and have enjoyed a lower fire tax ever since.  Now, thanks to your involvement, consistent misrepresentations and lack of REAL leadership, the Town of Coventry as a whole has been forced to regress and suffers from inadequate fire and rescue staffing, increased response times and unfortunately a black eye throughout this State.

Let’s face it Representative, my characterizations and representations of you are spot on and prove more and more accurate every second you speak or type.  You are a bold face liar and a fraud.  The old adage walks like a duck, quacks like a duck fits the characterizations of you perfectly. Provide your facts, direct evidence and study’s, not just your lip service, buzz-words or baseless opinions. Your unscrupulous actions are certainly not something to brag about. 

Lastly, I am not just a firefighter, but I am one of your constituents who have two young children, senior parents, senior in-laws, other family and friends, as well as property right here in Coventry, not West Warwick, for which I demand an answer from you.

David J. Gorman

President of Coventry Fire Fighters, Local 3372, & Coventry Resident