TAX-CAP ORDINANCE STILL A BAD IDEA

It’s budget time, again, in Tiverton. This year we revisit an old idea proposed by a new Town Councilor in Tiverton: a mandatory tax cap. This ordinance truly represents the “govern through my tax bill” philosophy that many in Tiverton endorse. The problem is this ordinance would take away the flexibility to deal with problems that always seem to arise every year. Take a look at our town; our DPW workers have done an excellent job this winter and what is their reward? They have gone 3 years without a contract. Look at our schools; hardly funded. I worked in the Tiverton school system for 12 years. Towards the end of my tenure I witnessed a school department that was expected to excel, but only given the minimum budget. Evidently, some would like to see the situation deteriorate further. Tiverton teachers are some of the lowest paid in the state and the town’s secondary schools are aging. There is little money left for supplies. Our resources are diminishing but the expectations are not. The results of a tax cap, that takes away the power of the town meeting, will only contribute to the continuing dismantling of our public schools and our services.

To see what is expected for next year, read the proposed budget on the school website. They are asking for very little. The staff is not receiving pay raises and the increase in payroll is only for new staff in essential areas. They are asking for meager items such as smart boards that other systems have had for years. As a former technology teacher in this system, and a community member of the technology committee, I can testify that the schools servers, the equipment that host the website and store critical educational data, are at the end of their life expectancy. A restrictive tax cap would only prevent any needed upgrades.

Proponents will argue that the votes cast for the current town council far outnumber the total number of voters at any town meeting. They will also state that the people who voted to reject the referendum to change the charter a total of three times didn’t really know what they voted on. All I can say is, “I did!” Finally, they’ll refer to Prop 2 ½ in Massachusetts and its success. I worked in Massachusetts during that transition. Massachusetts had an efficient and more comprehensive state funding formula in place. Rhode Island does not. The transition will result in only turmoil. The sponsor wants to lower his tax bill and he does not care how it affects services or his fellow citizens that rely on them.

As I post this letter, there will be some who are surprised to hear from me. After all, there is the perception that anyone who posts a letter in favor of education while teaching in Tiverton, is only doing so for their own financial benefit and not the good of our town. I am proud to prove them wrong. Please do not vote for this ordinance. When the previous council that was more pro services proposed an ordinance to allow the council set the budget, it was a bad idea. It still is!

Edward Davis