DID YOU KNOW...?

Did you know that: The Town Council majority believes they can veto the 2009 Financial Town Meeting and strip the School District of hundreds of thousands of dollars? This same Council majority failed to act when our elected Treasurer disregarded the law and refused to resign his office after he registered as a Middletown voter? Most of this Council’s deliberations on these and other public matters have been held behind closed doors in Executive Session? This Council majority has failed to focus on economic development?

Now comes the real “did you know” zinger!

Did you know that Council Member Dave Nelson, president of the Tiverton Citizens for Change (TCC), wants the Council to block the FTM from voting on budgets unless the Council first approves? While Tiverton’s voters rejected several recent ballot initiatives to eliminate the FTM, Mr. Nelson thinks he can disregard our vote and bypass the FTM through a Council passed ordinance!

Democracy works for Mr. Nelson and the TCC only when they get their way. The 2008 FTM approved a higher budget than the TCC wanted so TCC members sued the town! The 2009 FTM, through a secretly planned bait and switch by the TCC-led Budget Committee, approved a budget the TCC liked so they did nothing at the time! The 2010 FTM, approved a responsible budget that was higher than that recommended by the TCC-led Budget Committee, so TCC members sued the town.

Mr. Nelson and his TCC friends clearly think we can’t be trusted at the FTM or the ballot box! So now he wants to find another way to grab power! Come to the April 4th Public Hearing (7 pm, Tiverton High School) on Mr. Nelson’s power grab, speak against him and speak up for your right to choose how we decide our budget!

Mike Burk
Tiverton, RI

Mr. Burk is the chairperson of the Tiverton Democratic Town Committee