The number one complaint is TAXES ! I am yet to hear how these candidates will control spending and tax increases. All I hear is we need to come together . Make the Town whole . High taxes is why the Town is divided so I challenge them to lay out a platform here and know .
How will we get the Industrial park sold.
What adjustments will you make to zoning.
How will you fund the unfunded pension liabilities.
How will you stop the unending law suits over zoning and planning.
How will you pay for the new equipment needed by Fire , Police ,Public Works . and our Schools.
I have not heard one word on these issues by the T! candidates.
The TCC has a plan and has been working for the last two years to get it done.

Yes, Joe. Here are some of the "highlights" that 2 years of the TCC has given us:

1. Mr. Nelson states "In the last two years the [tax] rate of increase is down to 2.47%, the lowest two year tax increase in a quarter century." and in doing so suggests that the TCC is responsible for this. The fact is that both of the budgets over the past two years were the budgets recommended by the Budget Committee which is not a TCC-majority town committee (nor is it a TDTC majority committee) and were approved by a majority of voters at the Financial Town Meeting in 2011 and at the Financial Town Referendum in 2012. The fact is that, in our first FTR, Mr. Nelson proposed an an alternative budget that that stripped $600K in unjustified cuts to the Schools and transferred this money to to support a proposed town budget that was triple the amount proposed by the Budget Committee (a 4.6% increase), failed to provide fire protection to 1/3 of the town, raided our General Fund, and used ghost revenues from unidentified sources. All 15 of this year’s TCC endorsed candidates supported Mr. Nelson’s alternative budget.

RI. as a whole is experiencing one of the worst recessions in history . With an unemployment rate of 10.7% many are unemployed ,many more under employed. People are having trouble making ends meet as gas, food,heating oil or LNG along with other commodities escalate in price. Their salaries are not growing as fast or at all. I know so many who live pay check to pay check. They are not living beyond their means, many have cut back, and cut back again. No cable, vacations or other luxuries. Just the basics . Every time they get an unexpected bill it's put on the charge card. Fix the car the boiler the dentist for the kids. This is the situation many live in . They have a mortgage on their home and ever year that bill goes up as taxes are taken out of escrow . Increases in taxes hurt too many to grant relief. Expanding our tax base and controlling increases is the answer .
I have some ideas that will help bring down costs. Privatizing some services . Changing Zoning in some areas of town. Allowing the Rec. and Open Space committee's to raise more funds . Most of these ideas are know but were not acted on over the years. I will work to get them done. I would engage our State and Federal Rep's to make changes to mandates that cost taxpayers . Making local issues front and center on their agenda. If the right people get elected we can change the downward spiral this town has fallen in.
Comment_arrow
Joe Sousa

Joe Sousa says:

"The TCC has a plan and has been working for the last two years to get it done."

Joe-Could you please educate the readers as to why you publicly stated for months on end that you did not belong to any political party/group and you would not accept the endorsement of any political party/group, and now in the past week you so a 180 degree about face and accept and welcome the endorsement of the TCC.

Either you had some sort of epiphany in the last couple of weeks, or you were secretly a member of the TCC all along and just now decided to come out of the closet.

So which was it Joe? The voters deserve an answer.

For the record Joe Sousa was invited to speak, he was added to that list by the Editor of Patch Not by the TCC or by himself, If you had paid attention you would have seen that I asked this twice and the Patch answer was that he spoke at their forum, That in no way answered my question of "who added him to the TCC list, The voters once again have the answer, it was Patch that first added Mr Sousa's name, twist it as you will but that's the way it happen, Whio added the super of schools to Curb/T1? no one did! says right on the Page he was invited to join and did! Why would the head of the Tiverton NEA be offering and help that it can provide to CURB/T1, again the Nea is for taking care of TEACHERS , not schools or students. Once again you fail to present the truth,

Joe Sousa was invited to speak at the tcc forum as a guest and a voter runing for office at that time he did not ask not was he endorsed by the TCC, What this town need is to have ALL the canidates meet at an open forum and discuss publicly the views held by everyone running for any office

Thank you Erin for the clarification about Joe Sousa being ENDORSED by the TCC. Apparently Jim L was a little confused about Joe's endorsement by and affiliation with the TCC. Hopefully your explanation cleared things up for him.

I'm sorry for the confusion over my accepting endorsements . I said I want to work for the taxpayers and draw the best ideas from both sides . I've heard the TCC side and agree with a lot of what they say . I've heard nothing from T1 candidates except they don't like the TCC , No plans to fix our town have appeared on this site. Only hate from anonymous posters. I didn't accept any endorsement ,but I endorsed the people I think will work in the best interest of our town . When T1 puts some thing on the table to compare maybe we will have some debate. I thank the TCC for allowing me to speak . I would speak and answer questions at the T1 form if they let me . If invited I will be there.
Joe Sousa Candidate for Town Council

Mr. Sousa-You have been asked a simple question and have NOT provided an answer. The TCC in a previous article endorsed you-it's in black and white. If you do not want their endorsement, why don't you just come out and state it? It would be quite easy for you to write a simple statement either accepting or rejecting the TCC endorsement.

Mr Sousa has once again answer your question about endorsements taxpayer and he remains his own canidate

Does the endorsement really matter? Everyone knows Mr. Sousa aligns himself more with the TCC, supports the same candidates (e.g. Dan Gordon) and uses the same candidate-vetting process. I don't know Mr. Sousa, so I'm not sure whether he has an axe to grind or he truly cares for the good of the community. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but I disagree on the issues and with association choices.

Just to clarify on Mr Souza, he is not being endorsed by the TCC. There is a pamphlet in the community stating who is being endorsed. I have one now. Tivertontaxpayer1, get your facts straight before you talk!!!

Mr Arruda i have asked you questions on here and you haven't answered one, not much point talking to you

Curb/T! taxpayer, niether the TCC nor Joe Sousa put his name on that list, I would suggest you inquire of Patch how it got there, Since the Tcc and Mr. Sousa have both stated that no endosement was given, nor one asked for or approved this is jusy another attemptte to dazzle voters with repeating the same remark over and over like it is the truth

Thank you to all of you that have sent us some really great questions for our candidates. We encourage you to come out and meet the Tiverton 1st Candidates, have your questions answered, and spend some time getting to know them. We hope to see you all tomorrow, Sunday Oct. 21, from 6-8 p.m. at Sandywoods Center for the Arts. There will also be an opportunity for you to speak with all of the candidates directly during the reception that will immediately follow the candidate forum.

It is great that your hosting this!! I can't wait to attend and find out how little experience the candidates have.

Curb/T1 Always with Tiverton teachers lowest paid, Answer Raise taxes! how? remove the right of voters to submit budgets to FTR