Letter: Town of Coventry 2013 Financial Town Meeting

By Coventry Town Councilwoman Karen Carlson

Letter: Town of Coventry 2013 Financial Town Meeting

By Coventry Town Councilwoman Karen Carlson

  Dear Coventry Taxpayers: I would like to clarify something that was printed in the Thursday, June 13, issue of the Kent County Times and also state my position on the recent Financial Town Meeting: There was an erroneous statement in the article on the 2013 Coventry Financial Town Meeting. The article intimates that I concurred with all of Councilman Jendzejec's statements. I most certainly do not agree that Tuesday evening's FTM was any type of "plan on the Republican's part to disrupt a time-honored tradition". (As far as I am concerned the moderator, Tim Williamson, managed that all by himself.) May I remind the Councilman that both of the Republicans on the Town Council voted against moving the budget forward at the last Council …

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Karen Carlson

7:54 am on Monday, June 17, 2013

John, Great questions for the Council meeting tonight!   more ›

Letter: The Future of Coventry and Our Pension Problem

By A Coventry Resident

  The town of Coventry has reached a pivotal point in its history. We are faced with a major fiscal hurdle that will define who we are as a town. We face the same challenges here as many other cities across the state, and much of it has to do with pensions unfortunately. What are we to do, raise taxes on the hard working families, or renege on promises made to municipal workers and police officers? For far too long, some in the town have kicked the can down the road, telling taxpayers their tax levy wont increase on one hand, while granting additional benefits to pensioners, further indebting taxpayers on the other hand. We cannot have it both ways. This is not an attack on anyone, the point of this letter is to simply point out the facts…

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school

2:34 pm on Monday, June 3, 2013

mad hatter you are correct. It is the Unions fault, and every time someone mentions this they are labeled union hater, buster, etc. The union heads are looking out for their own personnel interest,when things go bust they won't be around in the future but their pockets will be full. An those who pay dues have been left with promises that can't be honored.   more ›

Letter: A Vote for Fiscal Responsibility

By Coventry Town Councilwoman Karen Carlson

  At the May 13, 2013, Coventry Town Council meeting I, along with District 2 Town Councilman Greg Labossionere, voted against approving the 2013-2014 Coventry Town Budget that will be presented to the voters at the upcoming Financial Town Meeting on June 11th.  As a candidate for Town Council last November I pledged that I would vote for "fiscal responsibility", and to me this budget is the exact opposite of that. The new budget is an increase of $3,540,687 from the 2012-2013 budget. The tax levy of $62.3 million would go up to $64.6 million - an increase of nearly $2.3 million. This increase means a proposed tax rate increase of 3.5%, increasing the residential tax rate from $18.06 per thousand to $18.69 for property valuations. …

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Steve

6:37 am on Friday, May 24, 2013

Hi Ken, all of my kids went to private schools as well from K-12. My point was that a public school education via property taxation is actuallly quite cheaper. It basically costs about 92% (I think) of your property tax bill for public eduction in Coventry. My point was that is a far cry from the tuition at Hendricken, LaSalle and Prout. And those are some of the reasonable ones that cost around …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Letter: 'We Could All Take A Lesson From That'

By Laura A. Flanagan

  At the last minute invitation of a friend, I attended the Emergency Meeting of the Town Council on Tuesday night.  Admittedly, I have stayed away from Town Council meetings for quite a while. I have also not closely followed the fire district situation, because I live in the Anthony District.  First, let me say that I do not like the idea of the Town loaning money to the fire department. In my view, it makes all the taxpayers of Coventry liable for the debt of others. Folks like myself and my neighbors already have a fire district tax, and I think it stinks that we are now liable for another districts financial failures. Selfishly, it does not seem fair or just.  It makes me angry.  The fact that the leaders of this particular fire …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: Continue Conversation on Sales Tax

Rep. Jan Malik (D-67, Barrington-Warren) has introduced legislation to eliminate the RI sales tax with a goal of, at least, starting a 'serious conversation'. It seems to be working.

  To The Editor: When I introduced legislation to eliminate the Rhode Island sales tax, I indicated that I had one goal in mind – to start a serious conversation. Our sales tax is killing small businesses, especially those in border communities. How can Rhode Island continue to compete at 7 percent, with Massachusetts already lower than us and considering reducing its sales tax even farther? How can Rhode Island restaurants compete at 8 percent? They can’t. We need to find a way to fix this, and a serious discussion of our sales tax is a discussion we need to have now, before more small stores close their doors. Apparently, I have accomplished the goal of getting a discussion started. In a recent article in GoLocalProv, a number of …

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Finn Says She Is Open to Discussion on Gun Registration Bill

In a letter to the editor, Finn address the concern and criticism of the gun registration bill introduced last month.

  [editor's note: The following letter was submitted by Rep. Linda Finn (D-Dist. 72, Middletown, Portsmouth) regarding the gun registration bill, 5573, that would require gun owners to register their weapons with local police.  The controversial proposal drew hundreds to the State House last month to speak up against the bill.] I have received many responses from concerned citizens, both gun owning and not. I would like to clarify a couple of items and respond to some of the criticism of the bill.         Please remember that at this point, this bill is still only a proposal. In order for it to become law, a House committee must first hear it. That hearing before the House Judiciary Committee is open to all to testify about their opinions…

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: Protect the Land and Water Conservation Fund

By Miranda Bertholet

  Dear Editor, For everyone who loves Rhode Island’s beaches, the new year––and a new Congress––could bring new promise that Rhode Island’s beaches and public lands will be protected for generations to come. Decades ago, Congress set up the Land and Water Conservation Fund to protect, improve, and expand our public lands. In Rhode Island, a portion of this funding has gone to federal conservation lands, such as the Block Island National Wildlife Refuge, and some has gone to grants to conserve and improve our state and local parks and recreation areas, including many of Rhode Island’s beaches. But unless Congress acts now, the program will run out of funding in late March. We want to protect Rhode Island’s public lands so that future …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: Same Old Routine for Scott Guthrie

By Richard Polselli

  Here we go again, Scott Guthrie started right where he left off from the last legislative session. Fresh off the campaign trail where once again he deceived the voters as a man of the people. True to his union ways he has currently filed legislation to bring fire departments up to the NFPA code 1987 labor standards. Has he not the slightest idea what this will cost municipalities and fire districts already crippled by pension costs? This would cost fire districts and municipalities undoubtedly millions for the upgrades. Shall we push this cost on our already beleaguered taxpayers? However this should be no surprise because this is from the man who is a retired fire fighter who is on a $35,000 tax-free disability pension. He also voted …

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coventry taxpayer 2

9:32 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013

RS..... How is that western fire dept. treating you??   more ›

Letter: Introducing Ethics and Philosophy to Today's Students

By Emile Durfey-Lavoie

  The following letter was submitted by Emile, a Chariho High School student, who feels this type of curriculum would benefit all high school students: Hello, whomever this message so concerns. I was wondering if anyone would be interested in creating an ethics/philosophy class for local high schools. Besides my interest in such things I believe it would be highly beneficial to the student body as a whole. Not just to the student body either, the community and, possibly, the country as well. As the students take an ethics class they may potentially be impacted in some way or another. That impact the class caused could then travel with them out of high school and either into the workforce or some college. As the students go to college, …

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