If "Tiverton 1st" needs someone to run for school committee against these yahoos to keep them out of office. I am willing to step up, Brian.

Dan: The date for candidates to enter this year's election has passed. But there are some excellent candidates for School Cmte (as well as Town Council & Budget Cmte), and Tiverton 1st will be endorsing & supporting them. Voters will have a clear choice between TCC candidates & what they've done & will do to our community & schools on one hand, & community-minded candidates on the other who will serve the people & not their own extreme political agenda. There's much that you can do to make sure voters are informed and turn out on Nov 5. Just getting out to vote & encouraging friends & neighbors to do so, & making sure they understand the choice, is crucial. And of course, you are welcome to attend the first Tiverton 1st meeting on Sep 9 to learn more (details TBA this week). And if you're interested in serving, consider volunteering for a town board or commission, or running in 2014.

I would love to attend, Brian, is there a website or email address I can contact for more information?

vote with brian, bring back the FTR let 300 people give out raises and control your taxes, THEY know whats good for you, yes the incuments who stood against the FTR, because it ended years of 3 or 4 % raises, gee Dan D says i just bring up past issue, what do you call this?

JimL: You keep changing the subject & spouting your delusional myths, we'll keep correcting them with facts. As you know but try to deceive people about, I was the number one proponent of replacing the FTM for may years. I actually co-wrote the first draft of the FTR plan & was co-chair of the FTR Cmte until David Nelson proclaimed the FTR his "prize". At that point, the TCC members of the committee chose to ignore the collaborative nature of the committee & push through changes in the plan that rigged the process in favor of their political agenda, and failed to address many problems that even they acknowledged were there. TCC's Ahab-like obsession was to create a process that would allow two members of the Town Council to possibly override the FTR voters decision. TCC raised $10,000 is secret funds to use mailers & robocalls to sell the plan & were successful. As those of us who opposed the plan made clear, we opposed THIS plan as written, not replacing the FTM. Fortunately, as this year's FTR showed, people were voting to replace the FTM, not in support of TCC's anti-community agenda as you thought. While there remain problems with the FTR plan that the upcoming Charter Review Commission will hopefully correct, I am glad the FTM is gone & much prefer the FTR (which is why I wrote the original plan). Now put your head out of the bubble for a second: NO ONE WANTS TO BRING BACK THE FTM--that's another pathetic TCC talking point. Time to change the subject...

Brian "Tax the hell out of em" Medeiros November will be the Time for truth. Till then, blow that horn for give away contracts .

You're the same fools that claimed the FTR would "Time for truth"...and guess what...IT WAS!

Well, Joe, I knew we could count on you for your usual calm, rational, fact-based views. One thing we can agree on is that the voters will decide the direction of Tiverton in November. And when you pull out that lame right-wing mantra of "tax and spend" to try to knock down things that don't serve you personally, know that people will have actual facts this time. And maybe you can explain why you accuse the School Cmte & teachers of not caring for struggling taxpayers, yet I've never seen you say one word about the TCC/Nelson budget's scam of taking $600K from the schools, NOT to return it to taxpayers, but to put it in the municipal budget (a nearly 5% increase) so they could control it. If you REALLY care about struggling taxpayers & not your own agenda, why don't you condemn your TCC friends for that? Why don't you criticize them for hiding behind struggling taxpayers while REFUSING to increase hardship abatements for those struggling? One thing taxpayers know for sure by now: TCC will do NOTHING for anyone else unless it benefits them personally even more. This simplistic anti-union, anti-teacher rhetoric, and reliance on self-created worldviews that have nothing to do with reality, can't stand up to any real scrutiny, and scrutiny of facts and reality is what this election will be about.

They hammer the TCC because they threaten their misguided agenda . Brian is one of the Pryor councilors who voted against every proposal to bring businesses to town while giving generous contracts to public workers. It's like they want to drive people out of Town. This is a presidential election year. These years usually bring out a lot of voters. It's up to us " IC FAT" and the" TCC " to get the message out. Vote for conservative candidates to bring fiscal sanity to our town . We are going door to door to spread our message, and hope to hold an other Tax payer Revolt this fall . People will be informed and involved this fall. They can throw their lies at us. We will show them to be the reckless tax and spenders that they are

Is this really the person- and those like him-running for school comittee? To speak truthfully for what is best for Tiverton Schools? Watch this and you decided.....Indeed, we see you coming Justin.
http://networkedblogs.com/B0Qyz

The sad truth.. Many of our parents and grandparents did not prepare properly for retirement. They trusted the government and depended on Social Security to support them in their golden years. Now the cost of living out paces their Social Security. Heat, electric, food, medical, and taxes are a huge burden for them. Sadly, the TCC ( run by those who are not financially suffering) pray on these poor elderly, allowing them to believe that they can fix their woes by lowering their taxes. They have vilified the teachers and created a perception that teachers' salaries are the cause of their "high" taxes. This is so far from the truth! The issue is the lack of other businesses in the town to defray the tax burden. The talk of test scores etc. is just a straw in the " burn the teachers at the stake" fire. We could be #1 in the state in every possible area and it would not change their mantra. Scores are not why they do not want to pay the teachers a decent wage, their pockets are! They have no kids and don't really care about the schools or the poor. How many new teachers are going to choose to work here? Most of our fine teachers live in town, pay taxes, send their kids to our schools and feel scapegoated and ostracized by many the town's residents. I lived in Portsmouth for a few years and my kids attended their schools. The parents respected the teachers and supported them. This is the key to student success!

Best school system in the state and lowest paid teachers. I cannot fathom how anyone could have a problem with this.

thats right! Cherry pick facts to meet your goals! But Joe, lets say that you are right and we have the worst High School in the state... then wouldn't the reverse argument be true, that maybe it is the worst because we pay our teacher the ABSOLUTE LEAST of any school in the state?

Thanks Janet for making the excellent point that we need to raise the teachers pay in order to attract more quality teachers. Thanks for supporting the union>

If you're going to cite statistics, at least look at them. The percentage of Tiverton 12th graders who planned to attend college in 2011 was 92%. That ties Tiverton in ninth place out of 41 schools. As for other states, your premise was to "see where Tiverton compares to the rest of the state of Rhode Island."

Dad you can't expect accurate figures from the crazy lady. Be careful or you will be on her lawsuit list.

Private schooling is a choice people make when they can afford it, each person's reasons are their own. Often, it will have nothing to do with the quality of education.

So, would you rather we pay an average of around $21,000 per year, or the $14,000 per year we currently spend?

Janet crawl back under your rock in Easton.

First expensive tuition costs does not equate to high quality instruction. Second, private schools get to "pick" their students where public schools accept everyone. This argument is comparing apples to oranges.

You are from Easton. Why don't you help you local school district. I am sure they would welcome your analysis and review.

Hi Janet,

When you're out doing your research do you think you can find out about the 12 do nothing teachers that Joe is always talking about. I keep asking, but he never tells me who they are.

Thanks.

KSilvia: Well said. While Ft Barton's achievement is impressive, it's important to note the many achievements all across the school system (the School Cmte listed many at last night's meeting). And for all the know-nothing comments about "giveaways to the unions" (were these people living under a rock during the heated negotiations a few years ago?), the facts show just how reasonable both sides were in this new contract; there was no windfall or giveaway on either side. But TCC never lets the truth get in the way of a cheap political attack.

Ksilvian the top 3 for their grade levels statewide fpr low income student preformance on the Necap, tou mean there are folks in this town that can't afford teacher raises or step increase's every year because it raises their property taxes? while the top teir got no cost of living raises everyone else got step increases now the top teir will get cola raises , which will then mean raises or step increases pay will have to be given to make the step level pay inline with the top pay, but thanks for poinying out why the taxpayers worry about the school budget all the time enough said

the incuments, they stopped the FTR now Brian will say well i wrote it was it passed? after that move, and a fake budget sent upstate and telling sing out for hunger to stick it twice, that whole crew who seem to be the no names on here got the boot the old guard doesn't like that do you, The TCC got the FTR on a ballet and put to a vote, and it pasted inspite of all you folks could do, THATS A FACT, this town council got the dump closer squared away, something no other council had the guts to do because they worried about their next election, not the town, This town council has done more to improve zoneing and created more interest in the indy park than any other council in years, so i'll just sit here picking you apart, while you folks you insults and name calling And Brian the king of the cheap political attack,I haven't seen anyone from the TCC attack you in any manner, perhaps you could clear that talking point up?oh that right i don't get answers, me and my questions are a waste of time problem for you is that alot of folks think my question matter.

Brian you say by any standard there are plenty of areas that need improvement with the ranking off the elementary school that is not a problem, What do you propose to make the high school improve? give the top tier teachers a pay raise and just pretend the step increase for other teachers don't exsist, tell me how that creats improvement I speak directly of the high school level but i suppose i will get the whole town reply

Yes, and that is why i wrote a letter about that very circumstance. A Town Council member proposing a budget that took money from the schools and was appropriated to the town. That basically means a Town Council member can control the school's budget and not have to give any reasoning or explanation, which takes power away from both the School and Budget Committees who were elected for that purpose.

Thanks JAT. Every time they repeat the lie that we opposed replacing the FTM, we need to respond with the truth. We supported replacing the FTM with an FTR, but opposed this FTR plan because we did something they never bothered to do: read and vet it. That being said, a large majority voted for the FTR, it worked well in a simple 2-budget option year, and hopefully the upcoming Charter Review Commission will propose fixes to prevent the nightmare scenarios this plan makes possible, and make clear that no Town Council will EVER have the ability to overrule FTR voters decision.

It is now more than obvious that there is a specialized agenda against the schools, when all TCC party members have all written letters focused on only the teacher contracts. Asking to postpone the ratification until after the election and if elected they would basically rip up the current contract and start over.

I don't see how this is beneficial for anyone, and this is the type of behavior which drove Little Compton to Portsmouth among other factors. This has got to stop!! Tiverton is a community and as a community it is EVERYONE'S responsibility to educate our young.

If we are going to encourage our kids to one day take ownership in our town someday, then we have to set the example in doing so with facts, intelligent debate, and compromise. Thus far there is no evidence of that in those letters or exhibited last night at the School Committee meeting by the TCC.

I fully support the Tiverton First movement which is for the best interest for the town of Tiverton. It requires all of us to pull together to make something we can all be proud of. We should ALL be proud to have the highest ranked Elementary school in the state!! We should ALL pull together to make the rest of our schools the best in the state!! We can NOT do this by giving the message to our educators that not only should be the best we will also pay you the least. This is NOT done in private sector or anywhere else.

3 school commitee member at the urging of Mr reaick to a stand to oppose the FTR so could you explain how that isn't a stand to stop the FTR, Thats just a fact, it's black and white, its on tape they were even told that some didn't think it proper, that won't be forgotten either, i think i will just hang around till it gets closer to election time just to keep you guys honest

Jim L: Does TCC pay you by the (poorly-spelled) word to spread this incomprehensible, delusional foolishness? You might want to ask Mr Nelson to send you some more letters to put your name on, because this is sad. The School Cmte opposed the rigged, flawed FTR plan put forth by TCC because it was flawed & rigged. Had a fully vetted, non-politicized FTR plan been put forth, there'd have been little opposition. But voters chose to approve it, we respected that view & move on. Unlike TCC, we didn't sue the town to try to overturn voters' will, or call them stupid for their decision. For an organization that blatantly deceived people by writing letters & having others put their names to them to spin delusional conspiracy theories about the School Dept shows people all they need to know.

Jim: Nothing here is even remotely factual, just bitter ramblings. If you & TCC are SO concerned with struggling seniors, why not expand hardship abatements for them? This TCC-led Council won't because they don't want to pay a bit more to help these people they exploit to push an extreme agenda. I live paycheck to paycheck, but I'll pay more to help my neighbor. Time to put up or shut up.

This TCC-led Council has no problem sticking their nose in all kinds of matters they have no business in, but now you make excuses why they couldn't expand tax abatements in 2 years? This Council has accomplished somewhere between little & nothing, because they've wasted endless time & taxpayer money doing their personal business, not the people's business. To continue to hide your anti-school, anti-community agenda behind "struggling taxpayers" while failing to do the most direct thing well within the Council's authority is shameful hypocrisy.

Revisionist history belongs in the fiction section. People in town haven't forgot .

European nation also guarantee secondary education up to 20 years old. And vouchers cannot be used for religious academies (name one none religious private school in RI).... and lets soo... if out of 173 "average" would be, I suppose if you went to Barton this would be easy (according to you), #86 or 87. since all of our schools far outpace that.... Mediocre is not what I would call it. and out of 56 middle, 28 would be the "average" and we are 21 and high schools... 26 would be median, and we are at 19... so... combined... all of our elementary schools are in the top 1/4 of the state, and our middle and high schools in the top 1/3. All while paying the LOWEST wage package of any school district with a cost per student in the bottom 1/4.... so, you keep paying your kids tuition to Catholic school (I went to Catholic school too, and had to take summer school for 3 years to catch up when i transferred to public school) and I will send my kids to the public school system that is the actual REASON I moved to Tiverton and not North Kingstown or Bristol when the choices were presented to me 4 years ago.

DanielleR: You present statistics from the RI Dept of Education ranking all three Tiverton elementary schools in the top 3rd in the state (including the #1 spot), THS & TMS each ranking better than about 65% of the schools in the state, with scores & achievements rising, and then conclude this is "mediocre". You're entitled to your opinion, but such an absurd conclusion based on those stats simply shows your bias against public education. So #1 isn't good enough? Nothing the schools could do would overcome that bias. And sure enough, you follow it with the usual right-wing nonsense about "schools are a business". Really? Show me a "business" that is mandated to provide a free education to all students regardless of situation (to even compare public schools to private schools who can pick & choose students is ridiculous). Just admit that you resent paying taxes for public schools, either because you have no kids in the schools or can afford a private school (if like many of us you couldn't afford private school, you'd no doubt be advocating more funding for public schools, but since it's someone else's kids, who cares?). Our schools are improving, they are achieving the objective of providing every student with a quality education as affordably as possible, and all the attempts to put our schools in a bad light won't change that. And if as a community we continue to support our schools in their mission, there's no reason to think that progress won't continue.

Really Gentlemen....I absolutely DO call the test scores mediocre when I also look at the per pupil expenditure in town - one of the highest in the State. Given that I love to spend money, I don't mind spending it IF I am getting a "quality" product. In my opinion, which I do believe I am entitled to, I don't see that level of quality in the Tiverton schools. I would love nothing more than to save thousands of dollars annually and send my child to public school! But until Tiverton can produce a National Blue Ribbon school that teaches the students French and Spanish beginning in pre-k, I will continue to make sacrifices ( ie. limit vacations, etc) to ensure that my child receives the education I feel will benefit her most. By the way... The per pupil expenditure is much lower at my child's school, as re the teachers' salaries. Dan D....I am sorry that you were disappointed with your education. I attended Tiverton schools and feel the same!

Aquidneck Island Christian Academy
Yearly Tuition Cost $4,800
Average Class Size 6 students
Average SAT score 580

Jim L, do you even know what the word mitigate means?

So many clueless statements, so little time. You & your TCC buddies were so focused on gutting the school budget that you dropped the ball on the tolls. The time for our Town Council "leaders" to focus on stopping tolls was last year, BEFORE the bridge was turned over to RITBA. And now, instead of uniting the nearly 100% of people who oppose the tolls, you're trying to turn it into another divisive political issue, insuring yet another TCC failure. It'd be even more ironic if we can somehow stop the tolls at this point, and if the money some seem to think can be "redirected" can't be, a new tax is required to pay for bridge maintenance. What will you do then, start a "TCC demands tolls" campaign? That's the dirty little secret of TCC's kneejerk anti-tax stance: you want to eliminate taxes, but refuse to take responsibility for the cuts they'll result in (witness Mr Nelson proposing $600K in school budget cuts but refusing to propose $600K in program cuts). You claim you can have everything but not pay for it. It's that irresponsible mindset & lack of political courage that created the fiscal mess that we're now trying to dig ourselves out of. As far as you submitting Mr Nelson's attack letter under your name, don't blame me or anyone else for a deception you & Mr Nelson chose to perpetrate.

You keep spewing the same nonsense over and over. If you want to have a polite, fact-based discussion, we can do that. But the days of letting untrue statements & conspiracy theories go unanswered are over. One of the problems is that you either don't understand what people say, or you choose to misrepresent it. Answer the question: if the only way to stop the tolls is to impose a new tax of some kind, what will you do? As far as abatement, it's within the Council's authority, and they haven't done a thing despite using "struggling taxpayers" as their excuse for trying to gut the schools & community services. What more do you need to know?

No. Asked & answered 653 times. DId you or did you not submit a letter under your name that you did not write, at Dave Nelson's request? Actually, you already admitted that. Now it's Mr Nelson's turn to own up to this deception, and tell us who actually wrote that angry attack letter.

Only when he's speaking "Dave Nelson."

To be fair, I just watched the meeting the fire contract was continued. Believe me at over 4 hours that was no easy task - but it is understandable that the public would have no idea it was continued because the vote and discussion took place around 11:30! Talk about not being transparent.

Anyway, they continued because a resident found a math error on the analysis - anyone but me thinking maybe Mr. Nelson should be paying closer attention to what the Council is responsible for and less on what the school committee is doing?

Jon - any idea when that was that Katz said that, I would like to hear it for myself (not that I don't believe you).

Jon your working Two jobs to make ends meet? But you feel bad because teachers making $60,000.00 thousabds dollars a year haven't had a raise in 3 years? Right!! i'M SURE THATS ALL TRUE, and as for the trash, that reason to vote against someone is just laughable, Transparency rules well not for the schoool commitee i guess

What actually happens when you send special education students out of district is that costs go up!! Westport actually hired specialists to try can get those children being sent out to come back into the district to save $140,000. That is the net savings they observed after hiring the specialists. I can't give details but that is true and the information I provided is what was provided at one of their school committee meetings a couple of years ago.

Mr Arruda is right: just take a look at how much Little Compton pays per student compared to Tiverton. Tiv: $14k... LC: $21k and they ship their kids out. Vouchers and sending kids out of district will cost MORE in the short and long run. Facts the TCC hides as they try and kill the schools... and... this town would not have ANY say in the teacher contracts or curriculum ... is that what we really want? higher costs and less control?

Can anyone translate for us? Fake JimL are you out there? Jim, you've been posting for 12 hours and haven't said anything yet. Why don't you relax, have another Pabst and enjoy the end of the Sox game.

LOL, BD

Watch the video of the meeting which Gloria has posted. All your questions will be answered. Although I am sure you will not acknowledge the information that is provided by the School Committee and Superintendent during the meeting.

What unnamed poster. I introduced myself when I first starting posting and used my own name multiple times Jim L

WE NEED TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE! HOW DARE YOU DEFY US!

They want to send kids with special needs to a different school? Ridiculous. Because my child has special needs they will want to ship her away to another town. Away from her sisters, her friends, and her community. Why? Because she has special needs. That shows you right there what kind of people they are.

Agree Renee. I was also told that they are in favor of outsourcing all our high schoolers as well. So it seems, the kids in general are the problem.

I believe I know you, and your daughter, Renee, and my son does too. She belongs here, with her classmates. and what people forget, is that the town gets money from teh fed depending on the number of special needs/disabled children. So, they send her away, the school loses federal funding. Does that make sense at all?

Let's be clear: these TCC candidates have a right to their extreme, self-serving ideas and proposals. But they also have an obligation to be honest about what they believe & what they'll do if elected. Fortunately, they can't fly under the radar this time. Their past words & actions demonstrate all voters need to know. And we need to make sure voters know the true views of these candidates, because they certainly won't. You can be part of the "radical right", promoting eliminating public schools in favor of a voucher system, sending special education students out of town, starting a war with the unions rather than negotiate in good faith, cutting $600K from the school budget with no explanation of what to cut to make up that funding, etc. That debate is part of the democratic system. But the voters have a right to hear that debate, to know about a candidate's true motives & plans & past, and not the propoganda spread by thousands of dollars in robocalls.

Even if the kids are sent out of district, we still have to pay for them to receive those services. It is more costly to do so, sometimes by double! That does depend on the services needed. If our current system can't provided the services required then they have to send the child to where they can provide them. This is in no way in the best interest for the tax payers.

Anyone, Just a quick question, what is considered special needs?

@ryan If you mean through the school department, probably anyone that has and IEP and is receiving services through special education.

Let's not ignore the facts here that having the special needs children mixed in with regular classroom environments benefits the "normal" kids as well! My son went 3 years ago through the Pre-K program offered at Pocasset (for all special needs children in Newport County) as a "model" (he is not special needs) and he developed a wonderful sense of compassion and caring and tolerance and acceptance of those children. This is a HUGE benefit to my son. I wish they could have expanded it so more children could have attended. The fact that those children then attend the regular schools and classes as well is a continued significant benefit for all involved.

big manny just scroll on down if you can my full name is there, as for this letter i have told you and all others on here just post it again,but i'm still waiting, REcent your o recent you don't even know what it was or what it said

with people regularly (and by people, i mean one or two TCC supporters) threatening "anonymous" posters on this patch, why would ANYONE, especially those with children, use their real name? No one wants to get harassed, or worse. enough with the BS calling out of anonymous posters. At least we post things we actually write, unlike certain people we know who allow the TCC to write their material for them.

JIML pleas post with your real name unless of course it is someone else doing the writing for you.

Jim: How can a letter be fake? Exactly the way you & Mr Nelson faked one, by him sending you a letter & asking you to submit it under your name. That would be fake, deceitful--par for the course. And I certainly hope you will find the letter & post it again, only this time tell Mr Nelson to also post the name of the actual writer. The president of an organization promoting itself as "transparent" has a responsibility to at least tell us who his ghost writer is. Jim, your lack of self-awareness is stunning. You criticize anonymous commenters while helping TCC put out a phony letter. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

Tiverton has a wonderful program for children with disabilities, that not only helps those children learn, but helps non-disabled children learn about them and accept them. Other districts send their youngest ones here because of how great the program is! Tiverton is the MODEL for all of Newport County! Great idea TCC! Lets scrap a program for disabled youth that is incredible! Oh! but there are FOURTY FIVE people over the age of 65 in town that are considered living below the poverty line. FOUTRY FIVE . And Justin and teh TCC will not give them tax abatements, instead, they want to lower their taxes by $100 a year and everyone's taxes by $100 a year by killing off schools that serve 1500 children. and they use these FOURTY FIVE people (living in approximately 30 houses) to justify harming 1500. Amazing, what a wonderful group this TCC is, always looking out for everyone! (as long as you are rich and a member of the Tea Party and hate children)

Bigmanny you forgot to mention you drink pabst!!

Hey bigmanny, I have stated numerous times on this website that JimL indulges in Narragansett beer. If you are going to accuse him of drinking use the proper brand beverage.

Don't worry Jim, I have your back on this one.

Jim: There's something ironic about someone who criticizes schools with huge achievements in reading & writing constantly spewing such incoherent comments. It doesn't matter how many times I or anyone else explains facts to you; you're in the TCC Bubble and facts are a liberal conspiracy to you. Tax abatements are a way a community can lessen the tax burden on struggling taxpayers, mainly seniors on a fixed income and low-income families. The Town Council is the body that can choose to expand these abatements. This TCC-led Town Council has spent two years trying to gut the schools under the guise of "helping" struggling taxpayers, while refusing to expand abatements. Why? Because it would cost them a bit more to make up the difference, and their only real concern is lowering their taxes, not "struggling taxpayers". And it's their right to put self-interest above everything else, but also their obligation to be honest about it. I live paycheck to paycheck, but I'll pay a bit more to help my struggling neighbors. Will you? Will TCC? As I said before, time to put up or shut up about their supposed concern for "struggling taxpayers".

If they could give all 45 seniors living under the poverty line tax abatements (that is, we assume they all own houses in the first place) the town would need to raise taxes by about $50 a year on the rest of the town. Im ok with that. Brian is probably ok with that too. Boom, tax abatement solved. Oh, guess who is not in favor of helping the less fortunate? the people claiming to want to help the less fortunate. The TCC, Joe Souza, Jim L, Dave Nelson, etc.... In stead of doing that, which would be SIMPLE. They drop this carrot of lower taxes... yeah, you know how much this saves those who would qualify for my abatement plan? Instead of saving $3000 a year under abatement, the TCC saved them $100 a year! Yay for the TCC!

I totally agree. I do not want to see anyone's taxes go up, but if the choice is, 45 seniors losing their home (again, that is if every senior under the poverty line owns their house, and does not co-habitate) then I think most people would be ok with a few bucks more per year.Or you know, maybe we just do not need a big new pavilion at Bulgarmarsh Rec area just yet.

so, the fact that they did not get any COLA this year makes them greedy? And do not come back with the "step" thing, that is a distraction. Every schools district EVERYWHERE does steps. We have the LOWEST PAID teachers in the state! Those greedy you-know-whats! We should pay them the same as teachers in Iowa make! (never mind the fact that the Iowa cost of living is half what it is here).

Did you wear a camo tuxedo on your wedding day?

Charter schools do not have a union, nor do they have 3 year contracts. This is true, but what you don't know is that teachers in charter schools get raises every year based on their performance. The average raise every year in a charter school can be from 2.5%-3.5%, again based on performance, and far as I know most operate this way.

Those schools are also publicly funded.

It depends on the type of school and the students they teach. Merit pay is a whole different game. In our Schools they get a raise even if they are bad teachers. The State Legislature ruined education in RI.

Yes that is correct, and currently most charter schools are offered for alternative schools, and their students do have more specialized needs then some public school students.

I myself was a teacher in Mass. and I have to agree with the statement that even "bad" teachers will receive raises. I will leave "bad" in quotes because there are many different ways to define this, but I did work with other teachers that were not doing as much as I was with things like chaperoning dances, coaching sports (I did get a stipend for this yes), after school activities, being available for extra help, and so on. For that I will agree with you Joe, it isn't a perfect system by any means and also would like to see it improve, but I don't agree in ripping it apart with brute force. I would like to be more constructive rather than destructive, because I am sure other people would agree on both sides on this point.

What part of that record is "phoney" and/or bizarre? My only connection to the NEA is my children, who are taught by some of their members. But I know that fact won't fit with your simplistic and paranoid conspiracy theories.

Joe: First, as someone who's posted comments under screen names (Jethro) for years, you might want to consider how foolishly hypocritical you look to condemn others for it every time you have no good response to legitimate points. Second, this pathetic charge anyone who supports our schools is NEA drains away whatever little credibility you might have left. When NEA employed some out-of-bounds tactics a few years back, some of us who support school were on the front line condemning those tactics; where were all you anti-school zealots when you could have done some good? Third, throwing out a bunch of general, unsubstantiated claims (too many teachers! NEA lies!) as though they were facts shows how empty your anti-school arguments are. Fourth, thanks for making the choice so clear with your endorsement of the TCC candidates for School Cmte; if they're elected, we can be sure of more divisive words & actions, more baseless & factless charges, & more destruction of our schools & community in pursuit of a far-right, Tea Party-style, self-serving agenda. Tiverton deserves and needs much better than that.

Joe you posted in the eastbay section with the name Jethro. But you have denied being Jethro and posting with a fake name. Clearly you are lying about that.

Jim L: With all due respect, a toddler banging away randomly on a computer keyboard would type something that makes far more sense than most of these comments you submit ("Foks"? "gomma be eating money"?). Trying to find anything factual in what you write is like playing Where's Waldo.
Despite the fact that EVERYONE opposes the tolls & you are VERY late to this issue, you're going to try to make it a partisan issue to the end. Not that it matters one bit to the discussion, but for the record, I'm a lifetime registered Independent. But never let the facts get in the way of a good rant.

Do you feel the same way about the Teamsters and Fire Dept and Dept Charis who all got raises given by THIS Council? Are they NEA too Jim?

Did you speak out against all the raises given by the Council Joe?

Joe: That's funny, because I hear from all kinds of people how comical they find the idea of you running for Town Council. And plenty of former TCC supporters will tell you how they feel deceived and will never support TCC candidates again. I'll let people compare my comments to yours & determine who speaks "dribble". Just because you & a few others in "the Bubble" think something doesn't make it a fact. It's a no-brainer to say "taxes are too high & politicians don't listen". The question is what you do about it. Your course is to attack teachers, unions, Democrats, & anyone who disagrees with you, and tear down your own town & schools. That's your right. We'll see in November whether people in Tiverton have pride in their community or are willing to follow you towards self-destruction. We face a lot of challenges, but the only ones who can improve or destroy Tiverton is the voters.

Worth repeating, although it will fall on ears in denial:

Here's the TCC record on helping those in need:

Voted to eliminate visiting nurses services
Promoted a budget that provided inadequate funding for special needs students
Support a proposal to ship special needs students elsewhere (like they were second class citizens)
Refusal to expand tax abatement program

Jim L: As usual, you completely missed the point. You & TCC are the ones putting hard-pressed seniors at-risk by refusing to expand tax abatements, by your irresponsible budget plans (fortunately rejected by the majority of voters), & by your attacks on our schools & community that will cripple property values if allowed to succeed. TCC had a chance to do the right thing & support a unity budget put forth by the Budget Cmte (including that lefty radical Joe Sousa), & they FAILED yet again. They then took the $600K they attempted to strip from the schools and POCKET it in the municipal budget they controlled instead of returning it to the taxpayers they like to exploit. Mindless anti-tax bile helps no one in the real world, only in the TCC Bubble. Responsible balancing of costs & needs like the Budget Cmte & School Cmte have demonstrated helps the whole community.

As Brian said Jim, I do not want them to lose their homes, I want the TCC to expand tax abatements for them. They refuse to do so because it would cost each other person who owns a home here about $50 a year more in taxes (read: $4.25 a month). So, I want to save those seniors. Your friends want to use them to explain why taxes need to be lower. The TCC wants those seniors to lose their homes because they cannot understand that, to someone who is poor, $2875 a year is no different than $3000 a year.

I'm not sure it that's a great idea, maybe fake JimL or Dave can write it for him.

Joe, maybe you can also ask them about the "12 do-nothing" teachers while your at it. You don't seem to have any answers.

Did you speak out against all the raises given by the Council Joe?

So those employees are important to the community and school employees aren't - got it Jim L.

KSilvia, Jim is trying to imply that people who care about the schools don't care about other town employees. That's not true. We have simply been pointing out the hypocrisy of people who are criticizing the teacher contract and the process behind it while giving other municipal contracts a free pass.

Jim, I'm sorry but I just don't understand how you can put so little value on our teachers and compare them to snowplow drivers. I'm certainly not belittling anyone who plows. My husband did it himself for several years, but I hardly see the comparison. There is ALWAYS someone who is willing to plow, probably for a lot less money too. These are the people that educate and care for our children. And I did take your suggestion and asked about spec ed being moved.. I think I'm going to wait and see who is elected to the SC before I start to stress over it. My child has every right to an education in her own town. She is just a much as part of this community as the elderly.

Dan....say hi next time you see me! =)

T Dad: That's the entire TCC strategy, to divide & conquer, to play one group against another. They condemn the School Cmte for a responsible contract with modest pay increases (after the 1st year), but were poised to approve a firefighter contract that features...wait for it...modest raises after the first year. And it's no doubt a reasonable deal and well-deserved. All our employees should be respected & treated fairly, and hopefully will resist the games intended to turn them against each other. Of course, we'd have more confidence in this contract if this Town Council hadn't put it forth with a glaring mathematical error that was fortunately caught by a citizen. The next time TCC tries to convince you that they're "fiscally responsible" while attacking the School Cmte, ask yourself which board approved a competently prepared contract & which needed someone in the audience to keep them from another epic failure.

So, the state dropping tolls in the border of our town is not town business?

I believe he was scheduled right after Rep. Gordon. After all, the bridge is in his district. Do you think the TCC will endorse him again? You can still write him in.

Jim L, is there you attempt at answering my question? If so, how come if it's the TCC/
Town Council's job is "to HANDLE town business" then why are they now making an issue of the tolls? Second , my question had to do with the TCC/Town Council's unwillingness to address the issue of the tolls with the GA when it was being discussed in open meetings. It had nothing do with state reps?

Step 1: Apply
No other steps required. Geeze louise.

Ask your ghostwriter David Nelson!

I'd take him up on this "Brain", I think I've decoded the challenge. Pick his ghost writer Dave, Atty. and councilor Fred Floon, Justin, and the Budget Buddha. I suspect the "brain trust" of the TCC can identify themselves, even after the vodka has been flowing a while on Lawton Ave. Have JimL make his check out to the town, earmarked for taxpayers that are truly in need (you know, the ones that the frauds of the TCC that claim to represent).

Jim: I have absolutely no idea what any of that means. It sounds like some kind of Norwegian game show. But as far as "hated TCC", let me make clear that I don't hate anyone. In fact, I'm sure there are many TCC supporters who are sincere & well-intentioned. But the small group of "TCC leaders" have spent the past several years trying to tear down my community to push a right-wing, self-serving political agenda, using deceit and intimidation as primary tools, raising & spending thousands in secret contributions on robocalls to sell a dishonest message, and attacking others falsely while whining about being "attacked" when we point out the truth. I and many others in this town have stood up and will continue to do so to make sure the facts are known. People who are proud of Tiverton are coming together to prevent those who do nothing but badmouth our schools and our community from destroying it.

I think the charter porpoise brain review is something that might be of interest to the folks at Department of Ocean Engineering at URI and may beyond the scope of a concerned citizen.

Jim: I haven't been appointed king yet (nor have those on the Council who seem to think they have), so I'm not in a position to "do" anything with the Charter Review Commission. I would suggest you read the Town Charter to understand the process before you start making more assertions with no basis in fact. But in short, the next Council wis required by Charter to schedule an election for a Charter Review Commission, who will make recommendations for possible amendments to the Charter to the Council, who will the decide which if any to put on the ballot for voters to decide. There are many possible proposals, but as far as the FTR, the primary change would be to add language that would make it absolutely clear that no Town Councilors will EVER have the ability to claim they can override the will of FTR voters, or veto a budget/tax-levy approved by voters. Period. The lack of such language was my primary objection to the FTR plan put forth, as I was a leader in trying to replace the FTM with the FTR. I'd like to hear your argument, or anyone from TCC, about why two members of the Town Council should ever be able to veto voters' decisions, and if you have none, I'll expect you all to join me in supporting that language being added.

Jim L, I asked a very simple question which you can't or refuse to answer regarding the TCC/Town Council's inaction regarding objecting to the tolls. I don't understand how that is "smearing" you. If the TCC/Town Council was working to improve the Town then they would have taken a pro-active approach in objecting to the tolls at a time when it could have possibly stopped them from being implemented. Your response(or lack there of) is a typical ploy used by TCC supporters when they are asked direct questions which they can't answer. It's a good example of a deny and deflect strategy.

Oh manny you must have it hard, you asked for my real name I gave it to you, look in the phone book , I notice you hide and you and your friends just revert to form when i hit ya with the truth , Like i said when i'm out doing stop the tolls folks ask if i'm jiml and then ask why the no names on here just attack a council that others seem to think have done much good for Tiverton, Manny Jim L is just fine you can find my real name, plenty on here know it and 3 folks have been removed for threating me, but i'm still here I don't call names. i don't make fun, i try to renain polite because i you my real name, but you don't use those limits do you manny? Makeing a bad name for anyone named MAnny in town aren't you?

Jim, buddy I think it's time to take your pill and relax. Go sleep it off and try again later. It's my understanding the question is how did the TCC/TC "object to the tolls". Not Rep. Gordon's inaction or other unelected people you don't care for, but your very own beloved. mythical, mystical, TCC. You know, the "transparent" one that asks you to submit letters on their behalf. If you are unable to answer, why don't you bring "otherside" back for an encore?

Jim, The Town Council is elected to oversee the police, fire, and trash pickup. They are NOT elected to oversee the School Budget. We elect a school committee to perform this task. This is the big problem in Town.

I think it was wrong for Justin Katz to write a letter asking that the School Committee not vote to ratify a contract for the teachers union, but ignore the fact that the Town Council had the firefighters union contract up for a vote on the same night.

The TCC and the Town Council followed the WInd Turbine discussion at the state level and didn't require a presentation from any of our state representatives, so why would they need a heads up about the tolls?

These are not attacks on you, but I am pointing out issues with the Town Council.

Jim L, first the TCC/Town Council does not legally control the School Department's budget(even though Mr, Nelson and Co. think they do.) Second you did not answer my question. Although, you answer is a great example of the Deny and Deflect Strategy(DDS) which is used by TCC supporters.

how can anyone agree with mindless ranting? Hung taxpayers out to dry? the only way this contract could have been any MORE in the town's favor is if we CUT their pay, and that was not, and should not, happening.... and the FTR making a difference? Well, yes, you are right, because if we had an FTM, we probably would have had gerrymandering to force the TCC budget in, which would have cause the town to get sued by the state for using an unvetted budget. so, yes, jim, you are right, we are "attacking you" ..... with facts. Just because you do not like the facts, does not mean they do not exist. the sky is still blue, no matter how much you might wish it to be purple.

Jim: If this is the best TCC can come up with, you're in sadder shape than I thought. The teacher contract was publicized, explained & debated for a week (much more extensively than the Council did with the firefighter contract). It's a 3-year contract, just like...the firefighter contract (which adds two retroactive years). It has raises only in years 2 & 3...unlike the firefighter contract which has raises all three years. You TCC'ers better get your stories straight. Justin Katz & Ruth Hollenbach told us it was "irresponsible" to give more than a 1-year or give any raises. That's called "situational logic", where you convince yourself the same thing is great when it's something that benefits you & bad when it doesn't. Rational people without a school-hating agenda can see that the contracts are comparable & reasonable. The School Cmte got theirs done without the embarassing math error that held up the Firefighter contract. Still waiting for Jim to condemn the Town Council for a 3-year contract with raises, and for trying to keep the $600K they proposed cutting from the schools instead of returning it to the taxpayers they claim to be concerned about. And now Jim tells us that the Council has "given this town" the FTR; and I thought that was the VOTERS who made that choice, but apparently it was TCC & their Council majority (and $10,000 in secret funds for robocalls).

And still waiting for TCC School Committee candidates Justin Katz & Ruth Hollenbach to condemn their TCC-majority Town Council for a 3 year contract, raises in all three years. They told us this was irresponsible when it was the teachers' contract, but apparently it's just rosy when it's a firefighters' contract. That's called hypocrisy & intellectual dishonesty, plain & simple and there for everyone to see. After what Nelson,Coulter & Co have done to this town the past few years, does anyone really think we need any more of that in elected office?

I have no idea what you said... but the schools do not present budgets. The budget committee does. And apparently, the TCC does too, even though their budget made no sense at all. Save dues paying members? You mean teachers. Those of which we already do not have enough of. right. Have another pabst, or gansett, or bottom shelf vodka, or whatever you are drinking/smoking. come back when Dave Nelson writes another somewhat coherent, if wrongheaded, letter for you.

Jim: If you believe this Council has done such wonderful things, please tell us with facts & details, not your usual babble. The School Cmte proposed a reasonable budget with a minimal increase, as they've done for years. The Budget Cmte approved this responsible budget, & TCC had its chance to promote unity & compromise by accepting the Budget Cmte plan. Instead, they rejected the Budget Cmte's responsible proposal & came up with a scam budget that relied on phantom revenues, raided the General Fund below the legal level, and cut $600K from the schools without any clue how to make that up (it was this TCC irresponsibility & personal vendetta that would have forced closing a school or eliminating extracurriculars, so stop blaming everyone else for your foolishness that voters rejected). Worst of all, instead of returning that $600K irresponsibly cut from schools to the taxpayers, our TCC "tax patriots" pocketed the money into their own budget, creating a nearly 5% budget increase. It was shameless, hypocritical & disgraceful, and hopefully voters will remember this in Nov. The reality is that TCC clearly isn't on the side of those who cherish our community, but their not on the side of struggling taxpayers either. They're on their own side, for their own benefit, period. And those are the FACTS to prove it, Jim.

I totally understand your hatred of the school system, Jim. they did completely fail you. Grammar, spelling, math. No one should be able to graduate with a 3rd grade reading and math level.

yes, that is right, we have the lowest paid teachers in the state. Teachers are the lowest paid profession with a masters degree, and most teachers in town have one. Are we not proud that we pay the least of any town in RI for our teachers, and we have people complaining that they make too much?

JimL are you now claiming that the letter thing did not happen. I am trying to figure out what you are saying but I do not have enough beer. Your a fun guy to talk with on here but your family may want to hide the keyboard to save themselves any further shaming.

Sorry, Jim, but you're the one to blame for submitting a letter falsely under your name that you didn't write. Mr. Nelson is to blame for asking you to do so and deceiving the people of Tiverton. And whoever wrote the letter is to blame for being too cowardly to submit his or her baseless attacks under his/her own name. You, Mr Nelson & the rest of the TCC gang need to look in the mirror to see your problems and stop blaming everyone else for your screwups, stop blaming teachers for whatever issues you have.

well, our kids sure are not the first priority of the TCC now, are they? No, we pay the LEAST in the state for ALL of our public servants and you all complain that they make too much. Yes, it is sad that they failed you and your family. But are you not at least partially to blame for not getting the education that 92% of the rest of the students got?

Jim L, you are lying when you say are teachers are the highest paid in the state. You also contradict yourself(no surprise) when you state our Town Employees,police officers, and firefighters are the lowest in the state but you claim "we pay the most anyway." What on god's green earth are you talking about?

you realize, that the police, fire, DPW and everything else is union too, right?

Dan: You missed the TCC memo. Teacher unions, 3 year contracts, & modest raises BAD! Municipal unions, 5 year contracts & modest raises GOOD! No matter if that's hypocritical and makes no sense. They seem to believe that if they say it then it's true, and if you point out the absurdity, you're "attacking" them. Let's hope the people of Tiverton have had enough of this insanity.

Jim: Go back and read past comments. You're the one namecalling time and again (just above you refer to your opponents as "Munchkins"). I've never called names, nor implied drunkenness, and I don't control what other commenters say any more than you do. I take responsibility for what I say, and you should do the same. If you want to have a respectful, fact-based dialogue, that's up to you, and that's my preference. If your plan is to keep hurling these baseless charges & insults and then acting like you're the victim, no one's buying it.

Yes, JimL I agree! How dare anyone call those carefully thought out and eloquently stated opinions anything other than the masterpieces that they are. Take for example this fine piece of political philosophy "sht get the letter out, lets prove he's lying some how! wait he signed his name to a letter he didn't write Okay we can hit him with that as long as he doesn't challenge us to post the letter! " What does any of that mean JIMl , Or perhaps this winner"Well i did brain since you haven't figured it out,now about those 2 question nope theres a letter money was taken they stuck the town with the , Vote for why brain says so he can do a charter review and fix things his way and he has written a solution to every problem in town but no one let him implament it "
Jim L it may make sense to you but please explain this one to us and especially your friends on the council.
8:47 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
"This council has accomplished little or nothing, i will give you this right or wrong "
SO glad you are seeing the truth about these folks.

Joe, since you are on the record opposing giving raises to the teacher's because of the economy, I assume you will be speaking out against the firefighters receiving raises at the next TCC/Town Council meeting.

Joe, is this how you would solve problems in Tiverton? Like you publicly posted those in Portsmouth should do concerning a wind turbine? You recommend arson and insurance fraud. Yep- just who we want representing the town of Tiverton- NO WAY.

Joe Sousa
12:10 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012

Burn it and collect the insurance .

gansett

Jim: If I'd spent a year and $10,000 to come up with an FTR process whose whole purpose was to produce a certain political outcome, and then was rejected by voters the first time it was implemented, I wouldn't be bragging about it. Due to the usual attempt to conceal TCC's true intentions, the ability for two Councilors to veto FTR voters decisions remains a possibility under the current FTR system, especially with the current TCC-led Council. Adding a simple sentence stating that "the decisions of FTR voters are not subject to Town Council approval" will eliminate that absurd possibility. How could any rational person who supports the rights of voters oppose that?

Thanks for setting us straight Joe. According to Dave Nelson the Budget Committee members, including you, are part of the over the cap gang. He was so against your budget that he put up his own on the ballot. IC CARON.

Joe: As I said at the time, I wouldn't go putting up those "Mission Accomplished banners just yet; take a lesson from W.

Joe, please enlighten residents regarding the items you proposed cutting as a member of the Budget Committee from this year's budget.

Privatizing what, exactly?

Joe, thanks for providing another fine example of the TCC's Deny and Deflect Strategy. For those of us who follow Tiverton politics, we know you did not recommend any cuts to 2012-13 budget,

Jim: Sure glad you're keeping it classy & don't call people names. No one can discredit your views any more than your own words.

Jim L, you are an original. You demand that a poster produce the letter that David Nelson had you sign but later in your rant you state you would sign it again.

Jim: You and your TCC friends are so fanatically obsessed with taxes and government being evil that you can't see that government is how a community of people organizes itself, and taxes is the necessary way we pay for it. It's Civics 101. You don't like taxes and government & public schools? Do you have a better plan? Please let us know. The idea that taxes alone are what causes people to struggle financially is delusional. How about fuel prices, unemployment, health care costs? Those all have far more impact than property taxes, which also fund the very services struggling taxpayers rely on most. Are you claiming that $1.39/week savings from the TCC Budget would have made the difference in someone keeping their house (and most likely these TCC "lower tax" schemes would cost us more in reality)? TCC has shown repeatedly that they care only about lowering their own taxes, not struggling taxpayers. I'll support increased hardship abatements even though I'll have to pay more. Time for you & TCC to put up or shut up. And is the guy who submitted a phony letter to the editor at the request of David Nelson to deceive voters REALLY going to try to question the ethics of others? Classic.

Jim L, when you argue with someone at least have the common decency to spell their name correctly. It's BRIAN not BRAIN!

Joe, how much did the value of your multiple properties increase over the same 20 years?

Joe: It's amazing one person can spew so much nonsense, without a scrap of fact to back it up. When the great right-wing Tea Party revolution you keep predicting for Nov happens & you're elected, you'll need to actually deal in reality, not just make generic political speeches. Just look at the current Council majority to see how badly that turns out. I give you credit for at least not trying to hide your extreme ideas like TCC does. Sure, let's privatize everything: schools, police, fire, public works. What could possibly go wrong with this right-wing concepts of blind faith in the private sector & no involvement or oversight by government (BP, banking meltdown of 2008, and let's not forget our contamination of soil by illegal dumping of natural gas waste). The mall was a bad idea in every way, & a pink elephant that would have cost us more than it brought us (as an Enterprise Zone, it wouldn't have produced full taxes for a decade, & ZERO on the first year). Sorry, but you can't say "the facts are evident" when you have none. Just repeating the same generic statements as though that makes them "facts", & saying DEMOCRATS BAD, add nothing to the discussion. You're far more of a "politician" than I ever was; you're a professional complainer. And hey, that's your right. Anyone going beyond your simplistic worldview knows there were countless factors in rising cost & taxes. The key is to work together on rational solutions going forward, & that's not exactly your strong suit.

Just Another Taxpayer Sorry I don't respond to lunatics.

JIML the very person who brings up family the most is you. You got caught posting under another name and then told us all it was one of your sons. You also tell us how they were good boys who got in trouble by the evil Mr. Rearick during their angelic high school days. As far as the tolls JImL i was at the rally standing not to far from you. I have also emailed the gov and my reps to complain about it.

Just the facts, Jim. Sorry that bothers you TCC folks.

Jim: I know this is going to SHOCK you, but did you know that even your GRAND TCC/NELSON BUDGET SCHEME OF 2012 would have RAISED taxes? And it had to rely on phony gimmicks (unexplained "new revenue", raiding the General Fund below the legal limit) to make it look like a smaller tax increase than the Budget Cmte's. AND it took $600K the Budget Cmte determined the schools needed & would have forced closure of a school or eliminating extracurriculars. AND then, instead of returning that $600K to the taxpayers TCC claims to be concerned about, moved the $600K into the TCC-led Council's budget, a nearly 5% increase. TCC can't even claim to be anti-tax any more; will you attack them now? Anybody not in the TCC Bubble knows costs rise, taxes rise to meet those increases, & the goal should be to keep costs & taxes to a minimum & assist those who need it, not to use taxpayers as an excuse to enact an anti-school, anti-community agenda that benefits a few. You don't "help" struggling taxpayers by cutting their taxes a few dollars, and people aren't struggling by A LOT of dollars, , & then gutting services the less-affluent rely on most. I support a community; you & TCC support some right-wing "everyone for himself" vision.

Jim L, first, my question was to Joe. Second, what is your position regarding the TCC/Town Council considering giving raises to the firefighters? Is it okay to give raises to "Town" employees but not to the teachers? I await your answer.

Jim L, let me ask you the following. If you were selling your home, would you take less money then the real estate agent was making in commission off the sale of your house? I agree the Town should sell the old schools but for the real estate agent to make $20,000 and the Town only $5,000 is not a good deal for the Town. You don't need a real estate license to realize this is a bad deal for the seller(the Town of Tiverton.)

Jim: If I was the designated mouthpiece for TCC and their Council majority, I'd spend all my time trying to change the subject too; it's a pretty pathetic record to defend. You can try to change the focus to me, but I'm not the one who gave a $20,000 commission on a $25,000 sale; you don't need a real estate license to see that was a bad deal. It was also a bad deal to give a letter of approval for a major development without knowing any details. But this TCC-majority Council seems to think it knows better than everyone else, and doesn't need to actually research or rely on actual facts. Hasn't worked out too well so far, and hopefully the voters will remember in November.

Joe: Just because you think you "know" something doesn't make it a fact. Who would be paying those taxes on an empty plaza is the owner went bankrupt, as was epidemic a few years ago? Depending on when this mall came into being, it would've been either five or ten years before the town would see the full taxes (and never if the mall went under). In the meantime, the town would be on the hook for police & fire costs for this development. Beyond all that, a mall (especially on Souza Rd) would permanently alter the small-town nature of Tiverton that many cherish. The Councils I served on supported many development projects, but this was a bad idea for the town. And check the recent history of Swansea & Dartmouth and learn that endless commercial development isn't the financial answer you think it is. "Take the quick money" may be your philosophy, but it's the same short-sighted outlook that creates longterm financial problems. A mall would be the least beneficial use of the Industrial Park possible. And whatever it's overall benefits as a program, PAYT is one of the biggest de facto tax increases ever, brought to you by this TCC-majority Council that claims to be so concerned with struggling taxpayers. I guess only tax increases that don't benefit you personally are evil. If you think your right-wing, privatize-everything philosophy represents anything more than a small minority in Tiverton, it's you who is out of touch with reality.

The Swansea and Dartmouth malls are open and doing fine. They pay tens of thousands to the towns and require very little in services. They pay the detail cops out of their own pockets on holidays. They provide jobs and opportunities for people. Also support sports teams and other civic ventures. . The mall on 24 would have bin a win win for this town. You are one of the NIMBY's who has caused the problems in Tiverton. You can't name one business you supported in town. The Zoning changes proposed by previous councils have stopped business from coming here. The KOA camp ground, Bed Minster, Several small businesses that wanted land in the IP. all turned away. Your revisionist history is a bunch of Bull!

Joe: Again, just because you believe & say something is true doesn't make it a fact. In the years after some tried to hold up Dartmouth & Swansea as models for Tiverton, both underwent serious financial crises, despite having about as much retail development as possible. Beyond the financial risks, big-box retail forever changes the nature of a small-town. Some are fine with that; the approx 1000 people who turned out at a TC mtg in 2004 to oppose malls disagreed, & I've seen nothing to suggest that's changed despite all the promises. You know NOTHING factual about my time on the Council. We strongly supported many businesses & development plans that were a good deal for Tiverton. I can't speak to most of your accusations, as they pre-dated me. But the Joe Sousa Mall would have been the latest in a line of white elephants where residents were promised things that were never delivered, were left holding the bag, & sacrificed the small-town quality of life. That's the ultimate lose-lose. Anyone watching the current Council give approval to a huge development with no details, vetting or track record of success can see the danger of blind faith; faith works well in religion, not so much in financial dealings. Smart growth takes community-wide effort, & a balanced, best-result approach that enhances what's great about a community & doesn't diminish it. Looking forward to you presenting a single accurate FACT at any point in your campaign, instead of the usual right-wing claptrap.

That letter along with your nonsensical blabberings has forever ruined your reputation JIML. You are clearly a man without morals. One who is willing to say and do whatever his handlers tell him to do. Once again JIML who was the first person to bring your family into this site. You did when you accused your son of posting something under another name and by repeatedly attacking the school super for his disciplining of your kids many years ago.

Joe as a candidate for Town Council, it is your responsibility to inform voters what you mean when you say you wanted to cut other items from this year's budget and that you favor privatizing current Town services.

Hey Lipe - YOU'RE RIGHT! We shouldn't be touching the Special Ed kids. It's not fair to them.

I think Tiv Dad is asking Joe to be specific because, and it's not just him, most people running for office give very generic statements about cuts, but they won't tell us voters what the cuts are going to be. I tried to say this to Joe, but he keep branding me a lunatic because I won't give him my name. I would guess that even you would want to know what he wants to cut before voting for him or anyone.

I also agree with you on the tolls - NO TOLLS, NO TOLLS, NO TOLLS.

Jim L, I have told you this several times. If you are going to criticize someone spell their name correctly. It's Rearick not Reakik!

Jim L, I am a real person.

Jim L: WIth every comment, the amount you don't know becomes clearer. 1st, please tell me how this Town Council has even TRIED to help the town, or any taxpyer but themselves? By trying to deplete the General Fund below the legal limit, take $600K from the schools to put in their own budget instead of returning it to the taxpayers? Please. And while I admire your dogged attempts to make the discussion about me, it won't work. This issue is the destructive,self-serving words & actions of this TCC-majority Council, & the usual distractions won't help. In response to your endless clueless accusations, I've told you many of the FACTS about what the Council did during my four years, but you ignore reality any way. If you had any clue, you'd know I didn't run again in 2008, so wasn't even on the Council for most of these issues. But since I wrote the 2008 Council resolution opposing tolls, your new favorite issue, can I expect your approval? Now let's hear SOMEONE at least try to defend TCC's indefensible record; this standard TCC distract & attack tactic isn't going to be able to hide it from the people of Tiverton.

Jim: Yes, thanks for keeping the discussion so high-minded! You DO know that all your previous factless rants & attacks are still there, and people can SEE them? Given TCC's track record the past few years, if I was a TCC candidate, I'd be trying to hide that fact and imploring people to "vote the person" and hope voters don't know the facts. TCC spent years, and thousands of dollars in robocalls, doing their best to divide Tiverton, to scapegoat teachers, to deceive taxpayers. And then in Orwellian fashion, they claim to represent "taxpayers" and be advocates of "uniting the town" & "transparency". People are smart enough to know when someone says one thing and does the opposite, and no amount of robocalls can hide that. If voters examine the candidates and their records and their true plans, and "vote the person", I believe not a single TCC candidate would be elected. But the easiest way to insure a better Tiverton is to take those glossy TCC candidate-endorsement cards that will inevitably come in the mail, bring them to the polls, and make sure not to vote for anyone on that list. Vote for the candidates who will work on Tiverton's agenda, not TCC's self-serving agenda...simple as that.

No to mention that most private schools also include misc costs for uniforms, books, sports equipment, travel, after-school activities, SAT tutors, parent-teacher association (PTA) membership, newsletter and school paper subscriptions, retreats, diploma and yearbook payments, lab fees, etc . As well as the "annual fundraising campaign" contributions.

Joe you didnt look at an old site, you lied or at best picked fact to fit your argument.

You think youre gonna get an answer JOE? with either set of facts those kids get a better education for less money?

I said I looked at an old site . I also said it under a real name. Why don't you answer the question .
So what do we pay in Tiverton again ?

Joe: On that glorious day when you actually offer an accurate fact instead of what you "know" to be true, you may actually add something to the discussion. You & Jim make these broad, mostly inaccurate claims, and then when corrected you return to insults and distractions. I'd much rather have a respectful debate of the facts, but that's clearly not going to happen with you, and so be it. I trust people to know who is making factual & logical arguments, and who isn't. You really should actually read things you want to comment on. I didn't say the malls were in financial trouble, it was the TOWNS themselves, despite massive retail development. Unlike those who just talk about what they think they "know", the Town Council I was a part of during the mall discussion actually did research, talked to people from towns that had gone through it, and determined big box malls to be a net-negative, especially given the damage it would do to the small-town nature of Tiverton that many cherish. Others can disagree, but those are the facts. The landfill is a complex issue that, as with everything else, you offer a simplistic view on. Just because reality doesn't fit within your political worldview doesn't mean you can just create new facts.

Joe you forgot Harbor Mall the one closest to Tiverton it is a ghost town and will be forced to close once the super Walmat is built. Also have you been to Dartmouth or Swansea mall lately Half the stores are empty.

Jim: I see we're now in the speed-round. Here goes: You might want to ask Dave Nelson to see the TCC financial reports; that's where the thousands of dollars in contributions is listed, although using a loophole in the law, TCC doesn't tell the public who the contributors are (out of town developers looking for a favor? We'll probably never know.) That is the OPPOSITE of transparency. The TCC-majority Town Council was so busy trying to take funds from the schools and put it into its own budget that it's failed to do anything on hardship abatements. There was no "hurry" to pass the teacher contract. It was fully vetted, mutually beneficial, and handled professionally; contrast that with the Council's Firefighter contract, which they had to delay because of a math error pointed out by the audience. EVERYONE opposes tolls, and most of us were trying to prevent them long before you & TCC "discovered" this issue during a campaign season, so stop beating that dead horse. Elections are in Nov, Jim, that's why I was the Council until the end of 2008. Just how the allegedly anti-tax TCC justifies Pay-As-You-Throw, a huge & regressive tax increase that hits low-income residents the most, is beyond me. No, Jim, this Council did not GIVE us the FTR; despite what you've heard, the voters still make those decisions in Tiverton. And I was trying to replace the FTM back when TCC praised it as "pure democracy".

Jim: What a short memory you have. TCC didn't win, they LOST this year's FTR (and the 2010 & 2011 FTM's). You folks deluded yourselves that if only you could get a referendum, voters would go like sheep to support whatever "TAX BAD!" budget you put forth. Unfortunately for you, people are smarter than that, and realize that simplistic anti-tax schemes are irresponsible & destructive to a community, & that the TCC concept that you can cut essential budget funds & not gut services is fantasy. I was worried in 2010 that the TCC candidates would puruse their right-wing agenda instead of Tiverton's agenda, but I hoped I was wrong. But their words & actions proceeded to exceed the worst concerns I had. I have no doubt you & your fellow TCC Bubblers consider the facts I and others refute you with to be "negative". Your latest hypocrisy: there's something wrong with a teacher exercising his/her right to run for office? Mr Nelson has continued to be president of TCC, a political action cmte with an extreme agenda, while also supposedly serving the people of Tiverton. But that's okay? Mr Coulter refused to recuse himself on a lawsuit brought against the town by TCC'ers, including his wife. That's okay? People see what's going on, & all the fact-less drivel in the world won't change that. TCC piety about "healing the town" is hollow when all they say & do is designed to have their self-serving agenda "win" at all costs. People can see TCC repeatedly has said one thing & done another.

Sorry I don't respond to anonymous lunatics

Talk about a rant. Just saying...

Jim L you rant with the best of them. Why aren't you running for office? At least Brian served on the Town Council for four years.

Jim L: Mr Nelson recently made that claim here recently. What he failed to mention was the thousands of dollars TCC raised anonymously for the FTM & FTR & special election. Because of a loophole in the reporting law (which TCC opposed closing, despite claims of "transparency"), political action cmtes like TCC could raise & spend thousands without revealing the contributors. So the truth is that we have no idea how much Mr Felise (or anyone else) gave to TCC for those campaigns. But they did have to report the total raised & spent, & that was thousands--check the report. I've signed the tolls petition, & I'm not the one out there trying to make what should be a community-wide effort into a partisan campaign issue. So you think the Council is powerless to decide tax abatements? I'm not a candidate, & have no intention of allowing you to try to turn the focus away from those who are. To use your words, "riddle me this": why does Jim waste everyone's time asking other commenters endless questions that are off the subject? Answer: distraction from TCC's words & actions. Good try, though.

Jim L: You're embarassing yourself. Again, the comments are still readable right above. Any rational person can see that that's not at all what Dan D said. He's actually pointing out the hypocrisy of those claim to care about struggling taxpayers while trying to deceive them that the only way to help them is to hurt others is town. That's the TCC divide & conquer strategy, and a lot of people are clearly sick of it and want something better in Tiverton. But again, when you lose every single argument because you don't know what you're talking about, I guess that's all you have left

You already said you wrote it. Stop acting like you didn't post the letter.

Joe, Dave Nelson is just awful. He gives a letter to JimL instead of submitting it himself. Rob Coulter, awful. Coulter brings his garbage to work instead of paying for the garbage bags. Jeff Caron, awful. He 's eating from the public trough (uncle sam). Lamber, awful. Talks about drawing businesses to town to increase our tax base and then opens a business several towns away.

I'm not saying awful people, I'm saying awful public officials.

Joe: Maybe you missed the memo, but I'm not running. Fortunately, there are plenty of strong, community-minded candidates for Town Council, School Cmte, & Budget Cmte who give people a clear choice between more of the TCC self-serving, divisive agenda and a positive, cooperative approach. And voters who are tired of what TCC's done & tried to do, to our community & schools, can simply take their glossy TCC mailer to the polls & make sure to not vote for anyone on it.

Jim: Neither you nor anyone from TCC has EVER answered a single question. Please explain why TCC tried to take $600K from the schools & then pocket it in the TC budget they controlled instead of returning it to "struggling taxpayers"? Why did you support that? Explain why this TCC-led Council wasted $100K in legal fees in a failed effort to take $600K in funds from the schools, but did almost nothing for the past year to stop tolls until a campaign season when the bridge was already transferred to RITBA? Explain why you didn't support calls for Mr Coulter to recuse himself from voting on a lawsuit that his wife helped initiate? Answer those questions directly, or spare us all any more attempts to distract from TCC's destructive record.

Joe: I not only read it, but I was on the Council when it was revised and put into effect. It makes clear that big box retail is not in keeping with the small-town nature of Tiverton, despite what you seem to think. It's not anti-business, but advocates a smart growth approach. You advocate a more radical approach, in support of any business/development with no regard for preserving the quality of life or balancing risk & reward, and that's your right. But to keep slamming others for things you clearly don't grasp doesn't enhance your credibility.

I told you when you posted with the other name. I don't answer questions for Anonymous Lunatics !

Jim: This is how you try to have a discussion. Joe accused me of being anti-business, I explained why he was wrong & questioned him on whether his all-business-is-good outlook included LNG, a major local business development. If you'd bother to read things before going off on one of your rambling tirades, you'd know my question to Joe said nothing about the current TC (no, seriously, scroll up and read it). You have a right to post these indecipherable, repetitive, reality-free stream-of-consciousness comments; the rest of us have the right to ignore them.

DIM L please take a deep breath put the can down and break out the graphic organizer. It might help you to organize your thoughts so that they actually make sense to someone other than you. OTHERSIDE for the good of the family unplug the computer and just let DIM L pound away on the keyboard. I doubt he will even know the difference.

Jim: See above. Have a good night.

DimL that was the point you chucklehead. We are never sure what you mean or say.

then why wasn't he fired?( if that was what you were saying) Do you have a gag order why can't you tell us your garbled version of the alleged incident.

Jim: I'm sorry. I'm working on writing as clearly & concisely as you. I'll make you a deal: I'll explain town government to you in depth when you (or any TCC'ers) answers my questions above. But I'll give you a hint as to why the Town Council can determine the parameters of hardship tax abatements in Tiverton: because they're the TOWN COUNCIL. Too bad they've spent all that time & money trying to take funds from the schools instead of taking care of things that are actually their responsibility. Hopefully the next Council will put Tiverton business before personal agendas.

Did you get the nickname from the character on the Beverly Hillbilly's Jethro Bodine? If so, the nickname sure fits! Sorry I have to go to my cipher'in.

That's your anonymous opinion. I said I posted under that name and I was truthful .You still attempt to deceive the public. The other names were you trying to make pretend to be me. I know that to be true.