Flat Tax Costs to You

Here is what the flat tax costs you the local property tax payer. The % is the amount your taxes will need to go up to make-up for the proposed general fund monies no longer to be received. All this for less than 15 wealthy individuals (19 in Newport, 22 in Portsmouth)). End or freeze the flat tax & aid will be restored. Seems like a no-brainer to me. Sorry, this tax NEVER made any sense given R.I. economic position for the past several years.

Our property taxes should be going down, not constantly upward. How much longer before local residents say "No More" & place a good portion of the blame where it should be- the State Lege & the guv. Our tax system needs to be fairer and we should be eliminating breaks which have no proven positive effect to the citizenry- we, the people. Not, we the few.

Middletown: 2.185%

Newport: 2.508%

Little Compton: .951%

Tiverton: 1.753%

Portsmouth: 1.386%

Freebies on Sun. & Mon. Only

Newport County residents and employees of the local hospitality industry will be eligible for free admission or other discounts at a number of local attractions during “Newport County Days” on Sunday and Monday. The event is sponsored by the Attractions Council of Newport County.

To receive the discount, visitors must show proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or other identification with an address, or proof of hospitality employment, such as a business card, an employee ID or pay stub.

Free admission:

*Astors’ Beechwood mansion, 580 Bellevue Ave., Newport. 846-3772.
*Belcourt Castle, 657 Bellevue Ave., Newport. 846-0669.
* Historic Fort Adams, Fort Adams State Park, Harrison Avenue, Newport. 841-0707.
* International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, 194 Bellevue Ave., Newport. 849-3990.
* Museum of Newport History and Shop, Brick Market, 127 Thames St, Newport. 841-8770.
* Museum of Yachting, Fort Adams State Park. 847-1018.
* Newport Art Museum, 76 Bellevue Ave., Newport. 848-8200. Sunday only; closed Monday.
* Norman Bird Sanctuary, 583 Third Beach Road, Middletown. 846-2577.
* Save The Bay Exploration Center & Aquarium at Easton’s Beach, 175 Memorial Blvd.,
Newport. 324-6020.
*Newport mansions, which include The Breakers, The Breakers Stable & Carriage House (open Sunday only), Chateau-sur-Mer, Chepstow, The Elms, Hunter House, Isaac Bell House, Kingscote, Marble House and Rosecliff; also Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth.
Ten percent discount at all Newport Mansions Stores. 847-1000.
* Free toursu International Yacht Restoration School, 449 Thames St., Newport. 848-5777.
* Tour at 1 p.m.Vineyards Sakonnet Vineyards, 162 Main Road, Little Compton. Ten percent off wine purchases. 635-8486.
* Greenvale Vineyard, 582 Wapping Road, Portsmouth. Free tasting. 847-3777.
* Newport Vineyards & Winery, 909 East Main Road, Middletown. Free tour and tasting. 848-5161.
*Harbor tours u Amazing Grace Harbor Tours/Oldport Marine, America’s Cup Avenue, Newport. Free harbor tours. 847-9109.
* Sightsailing of Newport/ Bowen’s Wharf , Newport. Free sailing aboard the Schooner Aquidneck. 849-3333.
* Easton’s Beach, 175 Memorial Blvd. Free carousel rides. 845-5599.
* Newport Grand, Admiral Kalbfus Road, Newport. 500 reward points when signing up for a Grand Rewards Card. 849-5000.
* Ride the Jamestown Ferry to the Rose Island Lighthouse. Tickets are buy one, get one free; free admission to the lighthouse. 847-4242.

(source)

Towns Lose Under New Budget

Under the House's proposed General Budget, aid to towns & cities will be deep-sixed.

% = amount of municipal budget loss

Middletown $829,818 3.8%
Newport $1,564,837 2.92%
Tiverton $547,575 3.34%
Little Compton $89,670 1.93%

Portsmouth $554,736 2.84%

This could be restored in the flat tax were frozen or eliminated. But we wouldn't want to actually help all of us with our own monies, would be?

Thanks to http://www.rifuture.org/ & Tom Sgorous for the info. Meanwhile we keep the flat tax which costs us all lost revenues for the benefit of fewer than 15 residents. How's the working out for us?

Now is the time to let your local legislators hear your scream- before budget approval.

School aid is frozen, I believe- where it has been for the past few years while their expenses have gone up. How much more of this can local property tax payers bear? The Assembly swallowed up many sources of our income while looking "cool." Not so glam, however, when we all have to make up for the local shortfalls.

Local councils should be screaming along with local legislators. Listen ...

St. Sen. DiPalma before the Middletown Town Council

**UPDATE** Darn! All that editing & hours of stuff for naught. I fixed & hopefully link will work now.

This is Sen. DiPalma giving a lege update at the Mon. Council meeting. I missed the first 3? minutes- the State is doing roadwork on W. Main, most of the Charter changes are on the guv's desk waiting to be signed, and the change giving seniors with limited incomes a local tax break is in committee.

Since it was so long (too long- 13 min.), it had to be divided. See Pt. 2.

My totally unsoliticed advice: whoa, Nellie! Stick to a script (less than 5 min.) which would help eliminate the run-on sentences during which we fall asleep wherein you also throw in so much stuff that it's like my kitchen sink and I lose track whereupon the sentence ends and I hear something I'm interested in but I'm so off-track at that point that it takes me by surprise and I'm unsure that I heard it correctly. Got it? KISS.

New R.I. Budget Plan

** I've given you a few new numbers at the bottom. Not good, but the fed monies should help.**

No details yet, but here is some of the good, the bad, & the ugly. The House vote is tomorrow, unless a donnybrook ensues (and it never does). Then it's onto the Senate committee, then floor, where they had rebellion last yr. until leadership averted it- barely. Don't expect the same this year with the current Senate Finance membership.

Here is the bill's link. Blue & green mark the changes to the guv's budget. General Revenues to the District are decreased. School Aid stays the same.


Newport: $11,871,080 (Guv's proposal) New Amount- $10,327,939 From Stimulus- $665,740

Middletown: 10,497,116 (Guv's proposal), New Amount- $9,010,090 Stimulus- $597,011

Little Compton: $368,810 $218,957 $34,414

Tiverton: $4,898, $786 $ 363,307

"Open" Local Government

I found this from Matt's posting on open gov't in Prov. on www.RIFuture.com. I would apply it to any of our local governments- all of which have websites. It would also be interesting to apply this to our local School Committees which often have a dearth of info posted on their sites and yet all have tech departments.

"Can I find on the city's website which homeowner gets a new sidewalk and which City Council person requested it?
Can I find on the city's website which streets get plowed first or get street sweepers coming through more often?
Can I find on the city's website which properties the city owns, who bid on the properties and who each property was sold to?
Can I find on the city's website the minutes and/or audio and/or video of City Council meetings and/or all city open meetings?
Can I find on the city's website all recorded votes of the City Council and a list of introduced ordinances, which committee they are in and the status of each ordinance?
Can I find on the city's website when new employees were hired, in what department and their salary?
Can I find on the city's website all of the executive office's employees and their salaries?
Can I find on the city's website any voting information such as ward committees, polling precincts, working on election day, receiving passes for being a checker, etc.?
Can I find on the city's website all of the city's vehicles, who uses them and whether they are take home vehicles?"

”Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants…” - Justice Brandeis

Eliminating School Bus Monitors

I rec'd a note yesterday from my friend the D'Amicos regarding school bus monitors. You likely know Lou & Denise- "Lou's Hot Dogs." One of the guv's supplemental budget suggestions is to repeal the law mandating these monitors to save the local school district $ while he cuts their State aid.

Now I remember why this law was started. Kids got killed by school buses. Since this law was passed, and BTW, Middletown voluntarily started the bus monitor program, No Student has been killed by a local bus.

She was a first grader as I recall. She was getting off her bus at the end of the school day. Somehow the bus driver did not see her and started the bus to finish his route. You can figure out the rest. We planted a tree in her memory outside of Aquidneck School. It blooms in the Spring. Not much.

Since that time efforts have been made to improve school safety- those folding bumper gate have been added (much like at the Pell Bridge) along with an outside address system. You now can see and hear when busses are stopping, reminding other drivers to do the same. Monitors come out to help students safely cross, then check under the bus- front and back- before leaping back onto the bus which only THEN engages.

These monitors don't make a heckuva lot; likely not much more than minimum wage. They work odd hours, not the entire day & are out in all kinds of weather. And most importantly, not a single student has been killed by a school bus driver not seeing a little kid in their way.

So how much is that worth?

BTW, all of the following names either read or aware of this blog. Please post or send me your comments or thoughts. It can't hurt.

Here is the letter. Sophie Pendergast (her name is given as contact person) is the mother of that young student:

Dear Friends & Family,

I have a very important request.The Governor has proposed budget cuts that will eliminate school bus monitors. If passed, this will present significant danger to children who ride school buses in Rhode Island. I am attaching a letter for you to email to Governor Donald L. Carcieri, Steven M. Costantino, Chairman of the House Finance Committee, Theresa Paiva-Weed, Senate President, your local legislators and to any other members of the state legislature you choose.

This letter expresses your opposition to eliminating monitors. Please email the attached letter to each person individually. If you are unsure how to e-mail the letter, instructions are provided at the end of this e-mail.

Calling your legislators is very powerful! We implore you to consider calling after you send your e-mail.Please forward this email to all your friends and family in Rhode Island. This issue affects all of us and it will take lots of voices to be heard!

Finally, please copy FISST@cox.net when you email your legislators. This will help us track our progress.

You can look up your Senate and House of Representatives District by going to http://www.sec.state.ri.us/vic and entering your name, date of birth & zip code. I have listed the names, email addresses and phone numbers of the Newport County legislators below.

If you live outside Newport County and are unsure of who you should contact, please email: Families Insisting on Safe Student Transportation at FISST@cox.net

Or call one of us:· Sophia G. Pendergast at (401) 846-8513· Julie A. Mott at (401) 225-1791

We will happily provide any information you need very quickly. Thank you for your support of this very important issue!

Send an email to Governor Donald L. Carcieri Governor of the State of Rhode Island rigov@gov.state.ri.us 222-2080

Send an email to Representative Steven M. Costantino Chairman of the House Finance Committee rep-costantino@rilin.state.ri.us, 521-1313

Send an email to Senator Theresa Paiva-Weed Senate President Senate District 13 Newport & Jamestown 316 State House Providence, RI 02903 sen-paivaweed@rilin.state.ri.us 222-3110

AND… Send an email to your Senator and Representative

Senate District 11 Bristol & Portsmouth Senator Charles J. Levesque sen-levesque@rilin.state.ri.us 683-9194

Senate District 12 Little Compton, Middletown, Newport & Tiverton Senator Louis D. DiPalma 24 Sail CourtMiddletown, RI 02840 sen-dipalma@rilin.state.ri.us 847-8540

Representative District 69 Bristol, Portsmouth Representative Raymond E. Gallison 50 King Philip Avenue Bristol, RI 02809 rep-gallison@rilin.state.ri.us (508) 677-4235

Representative District 70 Portsmouth & Tiverton Representative John G. Edwards

rep-edwards@rilin.state.ri.us

Representative District 71 Little Compton, Portsmouth & Tiverton Representative John J. Loughlin II 105 Preservation Way Tiverton, RI 02878 rep-loughlin@rilin.state.ri.us 625-9889

Representative District 72 Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport Representative Amy Rice 438 Bramans Lane Portsmouth, RI 02871 rep-rice@rilin.state.ri.us 841-0505

Representative District 73 Middletown & Newport Representative J. Russell Jackson 10 Xavier Terrace Newport, RI 02840 rep-jackson@rilin.state.ri.us 848-7979

Representative District 74 Jamestown & Middletown Representative Deborah L. Ruggeiro rep-ruggeiro@rilin.state.ri.us

Representative District 75 Newport Representative Peter F. Martin1 ½ Willow Street Newport, RI 02840 rep-martin@rilin.state.ri.us 924-2402

The next post is the letter.

Proposed Loss to Districts

Thanks to Mike Cullen of Knowing Newport for posting the link of funding losses from ABC News, Channel 6.
These numbers are ALL MINUS.

Middletown
General Revenue Sharing: $829,818
Permanent School Fund: $65,591
Professional Development (given to schools for teacher training): $102,859

Sub Total $998,268 (minus)

Motor Vehicle: $34,883
Housing Aid: $57,755
Reducing Education Aid (for Pensions): $781,566

Grand Total: $1,756,962


Newport

General Revenue Sharing: $1,564,737
Permanent School Fund: $74,176
Professional Development (given to schools for teacher training): $106,908

Sub Total $ (minus) 1,756,821

Housing Aid: $29,897
Motor Vehicle: $97,913
Reducing Education Aid: $696,318

Grand Total: $2,569,949

Sorry, tired of switching screens & typing. Check the link for Tiverton & Little Compton until later.

The pension contribution is a LOSS. It's also a PLUS for localities since they will no longer have to pay that amount (it was a joint contribution). Got it?

More on Governor's Supplemental Budget

Providing some additional info, but not as much as I've previously mentioned, is Projo. I'm supposing the lack of info is due to the fact that all of this was released last night, making the budget look good until more actual facts are released. The response from two Middletown Councillors- Silveira (out-of-town) & VonVillas was that they needed more info. Town Admin. Brown (the low talker) will be a busy little devil working with this. You'll be hearing a LOT more from him in the coming weeks.


Remember, we're speaking on the current budget 2008-9. The R.I. budget cycle goes from July to July. The guv has taken particular aim at Unions- statewide & local. He concentrates on police, fire, teachers, and statewide retirements. By lifting some state laws, he hopes to give localities a method to reduce their budgets. Should some of these laws even be there is certainly up for debate. Before he's targeted State workers, now his aim is much broader.


Doubtless, it's going to be a lively discussion. When you've spent your last 6 yr. taking aim at publicly paid Union workers and blaming them for much of the State's problems, the broader, pointed attack now, is going to arouse much passion. Think "us" against "them" taking the money out of our pockets.


Few facts or commentary on what the Guv plans to do with whatever funding the Feds plan on sending our way. It would be interesting to hear what's in his pipeline and lend a lot more to the overall discussion, not to mention his credability.

Here are Joe Baker's numbers of how much our aid is expected to be cut:
Little Compton: $89,670; Middletown: $829,818; Newport: $1,564,737; Tiverton: $547,575.

Again, I haven't rec'd any comments from local officials apart from wanting more info. And any initial thoughts that they may have are likely unprintable.

Farewell, Sen. June Gibbs

The NDN front page above the fold proclaims: "June Gibbs got things done her way." I wasn't going to comment on it. Nope. Let it stand on it's own. Then my husband came home with the NDN which he'd read at Tim Horton's along with a sandwich. He was mad as a hornet while saying if that's how they were going to spend his tax money, he was on his way out of this state. How stupid are the voters anyway? I knew what he was talking about.

I've actually given up asking this question since I know the answer all too well- any country that could vote for Geo. Bush TWICE ain't way up on the i.q. charts.

"But she also knows how to get things done. One of her biggest achievements was a bill prohibiting new billboards. It was controversial at the time and the industry heavily lobbied Senate leaders to block the legislation. It did not look promising." She got it passed.

That's it. A 26 yr. career in the Lege & that's her accomplishment. Forget that billboards are subject to zoning. She got it done. They also pay taxes.

June, I could have given a better answer than that for you. She is, after all, a Republican liberal dinosaur. That's how she survived. She'd pick up endorsement after endorsement- Marriage Equality Rhode Island, Ocean State Action, Clean Water Action, the Sierra Club (you get my drift). Not so our current Senator-elect who is about as conservative a Democrat as you can get. Why did they give them? She'd support many of their issues & then they could pride themselves & advertise on being non-partisanship. So how did that work out for you? Shame on you. Her support likely cost you needed votes. You had the opportunity to support others but chose not to do so.

A billboard law. 1990. It restricts adding any new ones. And thanks to the NDN for repeatedly endorsing her along with any Republican who could spell their own name drunk or sober.

Her project now besides cleaning her house is eliminating the so-called party lever. We would have been better off for 26 yrs. if she'd spent more time cleaning her house. The party lever-with all the problems we've got, she choses the lever. The stupid lever which wouldn't make a darn bit of difference.

God bless you, June, a decent well-intentioned woman. You deserved better. It's not the reporter's fault. He just asked the questions. He doesn't even assign titles. We all deserved better. How stupid do they think we are? Very. How stupid are they? Same answer. We get exactly what we deserve.

I refuse to bang my head on the wall any longer. I've got laundry to do. Goes in dirty, comes out clean. Every politicans' dream. A least June was always clean & showed up. What the heck were you talking about and why? Making chocolate chip cookies good enough for the Senate Speaker or not, I'm surprised that they didn't run your recipe. When can I expect the article on former Rep. Bruce Long? Wonder if he's a baker, too?

Too bad you haven't disassociated yourself from the Republican Party unlike your hero Chafee. They didn't exactly knock themselves out trying to get you reelected. But that's because you're viewed as a dinosaur in your own Party. It will be fun watching who they get to run & take your place in the next election. It's a wide-ranging district after all.

Thanks to NDN reporter Joe Baker for this informative report. Not only is my house cleaner, but so, too, my clothes. A clear case of it being better to keep one's mouth shut & having people think that you're an idiot rather than opening your mouth & removing all doubt.

Little Compton Holiday Winner

Projo is running this great story about a mom who bought two of her sons $20 Mass. Lottery tickets. The oldest son (18) opened his on Xmas & won a million bucks stretched out over 20 years! What a gift! No-go for the 17 yr. old son.

He's already $35,000 richer. Both he & his Dad are carpenters.

C'mon. A nice gift for Mom (Anita Couto who works in the Clerk's office) is definitely called for!

Thanks to reporter C. EUGENE EMERY JR. It's a great read!

Beach Clean-Ups- Sept. 20

The ICC program is a worldwide event and Audubon Society sponsors the event in Rhode Island. The slogan for the event is “Keep the Sea Free of Debris.” Recently, an Osprey added a piece of plastic to their nest and the entanglement resulted in the death of one of the young birds.




So pick-a-beach. Contact them by Sept. 1 & you'll likely receive a t-shirt. SO fashion-forward.


Nine a.m. till Noon on Sat., Sept. 20.



Newport: First Beach- COA'S Dave McLaughlin

Ft. Adams- Red Godin, 413-6090

King's Beach- Tom Freeman- 848-7619

Rose Island- Reada Evans- 847-4242


Middletown

Second Beach- Liz Abramek, 654-9640

Sachuest Point- Gary Paquette

Third Beach- Catherine Arning, 846-2577


Tiverton

Grinnell's Beach/Fogland Point- Diane Sunderland- 624-8207


Little Compton

Little Compton's town shoreline in various locations Sandra Farr, 635-8640



There are more locations, but I tire of typing (Jamestown, Prudence Is., Portsmouth). For more info call the main sponsor, the Audubon Soc. at 949-5454 or Fri.'s NDN.

Middletown Schools Restoring Frosh Sports

***UPDATE*** This in from the NDN's reporter Matt Shelley. As my husband said, it takes a good Irishman, Wm. A. Kelly (class of 70) to do that! Baseball is back & football may also return. "Besides donating several thousand dollars to help the program this year, Kelly is helping create a permanent fund to support freshman sports for years to come."

Kelly no longer lives here, but owns Kelly Financial Services of Braintree, Mass. What a great thing to do! You may also make donations to the "Middletown High School Freshman Sports Fund" by sending a check to MPS on 26 Oliphant La., 02842.

Now if there were just some really rich nurses out there, they could restore them to each elem. school


From Meaghan Wims of Projo:

The School Committee last night shaved roughly $78,000 from its current-year budget plan by eliminating the freshman football and baseball teams, three part-time teaching assistants and one school bus.

The schools still have $15,000 to cut for a balanced budget.

Kraeger [sup't] said it will be difficult to find the remaining money, particularly if more teachers are needed to handle unexpected growth in enrollment.

Classes sizes now are maxed out. "The school district has so far recalled only about five of the 16 positions it eliminated for this school year."

When will fingers start being pointed to those who mandate everything & provide little (State funds cover 30-40% of expenses; feds- around 7%). It's not the income tax, the sale tax, etc. It's the property tax! You know, the ones the guv "forgets" to pay (Helmsley- "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes ..."). Hello Guv, General Assembly, Congress, Pres.

Newport, Tiverton, & Little Compton teachers are all still in contract negotiations.

Let's start to hear some chatter here!

Senior Farm Vouchers

This was certainly well publicizied-NOT! I just read about it. Councilor Santos, where were you? This comes from Middletown's Senior Center website which ain't much but at least has the current newsletter up. You can call the Dir. but don't bother with e-mail.

The Senior Farmers Market Program August 1st – October 31st 9:00am to Noon

Purpose: To provide locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables to low-income seniors.

Eligiility Criteria: Must be 60 or above and have an annual income of:
* 17,223.50 for a single individual
* $23,106.50 for married couples

Benefits: Each approved applicant will receive a voucher with three (3) $5.00 coupons to purchase at APPROVED Farmers Markets in the state. Vouchers will be available on August 1st at the Middletown Senior Center.

This works around the State, I assume. Granted, it ain't much, but it's something.

State Senate, Dist. 12 Candidate

By Louis P. DiPalma

As we are all too well aware, Rhode Island faces significant budget challenges. The state’s 2008 budget required a supplemental appropriation and will inevitably result in an ever-increasing deficit. The state’s 2009 budget deficit is expected to be in excess of $425 million and growing.

National economic problems are responsible for some of Rhode Island’s financial woes, but we are significantly worse off than most states. We can, and must, do better.

The state’s unemployment rate is 7.2 percent, second highest in the nation. We should all be outraged. According to “official” estimates, we are not “technically” in a recession. This is small solace for Rhode Island residents who have lost their jobs and are paying more than $4 a gallon for gas. We can only imagine what home heating oil will cost this winter; it is estimated to be around $4 a gallon as well, further compounding an already difficult situation. Where and when will it end? When will Rhode Island emerge from recession and, most importantly, what can be done?

Most assuredly, the $7 billion budget passed by the General Assembly will not help. It is essentially a stopgap measure that avoids a deficit, as required by our state constitution, and it is essentially based on hope — which is never a plan. It does not increase taxes, which is a good thing, but it inevitably will require a supplemental budget in 2009, which is not a good thing.

First, we need more taxpayers. We certainly do not need more taxes. We need to grow our economic base by focusing on the things that Rhode Island does best. A lot has been said about making Rhode Island business-friendly, and we need to do that. But we also need to make it resident-friendly.

A friend of mine recently talked to his financial adviser, and the one piece of advice he was given is: “Don’t die in Rhode Island!” We don’t need to be scaring retirees out of the state. A critical element to achieving this objective is the development of focused, strategic and sustained economic development, including “green” industry and ocean technologies. Rhode Island can certainly lead and reinvent itself as it initially did some 200-plus years ago, led by Samuel Slater, the father of the Industrial Revolution.

Second, we need to focus on good governance. The governor once promised a “great audit” of state government. It never really happened, perhaps because the idea was too ambitious or simply not executable. We need to find a way to review every function of government to make sure it is efficient, well-managed and responsive to the citizenry.

If one examines the budget process over the past 10 years, a common theme quickly surfaces: Every budget was balanced with one-time revenues. Prudent budgeting processes must never incorporate one-time revenue sources to address balancing a budget. We need to be able to say — with a straight face — that Rhode Island is the best-governed state. This is clearly in the realm of possibility, with the appropriate vision, strategy, plan and metrics to measure our progress to achieve the desired end.

Finally, and most important, we need to embrace change as a fundamental way of doing Rhode Island’s business. We cannot afford to continue to do things as we have, simply because “it’s always been that way.” We cannot be afraid to experiment, to innovate and to change. Regional collaboration for common problem-solving is a critical component to addressing this challenge. We need a new perspective and workable solutions to solving complex problems. These approaches can and must be leveraged from what is employed in business on a daily basis. To continue with past practices is a certain prescription for budgetary and governmental disaster.

I, for one, love this state far too much, appreciate its uniqueness too greatly and believe in our future too strongly to allow that to happen. But it will take work and the involvement of our citizens — apathy simply will not do.

What Rhode Island needs now is change — real, transformational change. I am convinced that we cannot hope to solve, or even relieve, an ever-increasing tax burden, education funding inequity, development and environmental pressures and health-care problems by continuing to apply the solutions of yesterday.

We are all in this together — and we will all need to change. Waiting for tomorrow is too late. A new direction is needed now.

Local Candidates' Update

** Correction added re:- Newport House, Dist. 75. Oops! I misspelled the name (sorry, I was using a lot of source materials). The correct name is Peter F. Martin. I'm also thinking of adding political candidate web sites to my blog when I have the time & impetus. So please feel free to send. I'm also thinking of doing candidate interviews. So many things to do & so little time!

I'll post candidate filings as I find them out. Anyone wishing to send me a candidate announcement or the name of a filer is most welcome to & I will post (Newport, Middletown, Tiverton, Little Compton). Click here for the Sec'y of St. website on candidates. Thanks to Sec'y of St.'s Communication Officer, Chris Barnett.

Thanks to John McDaid of Hard Deadlines for making me aware that the Sec'y of St. has a website on this!

Portsmouth/Bristol Sen. Chuck Levesque (my personal fav) has a Rep. opponent: Chris Ottianao (Portsmouth surgeon who challenged him last time). Newport/Jamestown's Sne. Teresa Paiva-Weed has a Rep. opponent, Donna Perry of Portsmouth

Middletown: THIS IS UP-TO-DATE.

Council (Elect 7)

Barbara Barrow (Rep.)
Frank Bozyan (Dem.)
Richard Cambra (Dem.)
Helen Christy (Ind).- she was former Sr. Ct. Director
Cheryl Foster (Rep.)
Antone Viveiros (Rep.)
M. Theresa Santos (Rep.)
Chris. Semonelli (Dem.)
Edward Silveira, Jr. (Dem.)
Eileen Spillane (Ind.)
Robert Sylvia (Dem)
Barbara VonVillas (Ind.)
Elrony Williams (Dem)
Morris Hirsch (Ind.)

School Committee (non-partisan):

Frank Forgue (he is registered Dem.) Former Midd. tchr.
Bill O'Connell (he is registered Rep.) I believe he is a ret'd Mass. Cath. school teacher .
Kellie DiPalma (she is Lou DiPalma's daughter) Recent Brown graduate who attended the Abbey & St. Phil's. Registered Ind.


Louis DiPalma (Senate-Dem)
June Gibbs (Senate- Rep)

Rep. J. Russell Jackson- Dist. 73, D-Newport (District includes Newport & a piece of Middletown), Rep. Bruce Long- Dist. 74, R- Middletown (part of) & Jamestown (who laughingly lives in Middletown) is running against Deborah Ruggiero (D) from Jamestown.

Amy Rice- Dist. 72 (D) represents a piece of Middletown (almost half) & a piece of Portsmouth (almost half). She has two Republican opponents: Addison W. Closson III (a realtor) and Dan Reilly (the Bryant student whose Dad is one of R.I.'s top 10 non-taxpayers owing close to a million in back taxes to the State).

Newport (non-partisan elections):

Council:
Marvin L. Abney- At Large
Herbert B Armstrong- At Large
Mary C Connolly- At Large
Stephen Coyne (changed his mind after previous announcement that he would not run)- At Large
Jeanne Marie Napolitano- At Large
Stephen C Waluk- At Large
Charles Y Duncan- Ward 1
Justin S McLaughlin- Ward 2
James A Dring- Ward 3
Kate Leonard- Ward 3

School Committee:

Rebecca Bolan
Lynn U Ceglie
Jacob Cykert
Hugo DeAscentis
Sandra J Flowers
Jo Eva Gaines
David Hanos, Jr.
Patrick Kelley
Robert Leary
Bobby Oliveira
Tom Phelan
Charles P Shoemaker, Jr.

There are also elections there for Dem. Ward Committee people

**(Correction here)** Freshman Rep. Steven J. Coaty- Dist. 75, R-Newport, will have an opponent in his first re-election campaign. Democrat Thomas Kalinowski, of Newport & Peter F. Martin (Dem.) Go, Tom (a writer here)!

Tiverton (non-partisan):

Town Council:

Joanne Arruda
Donald Bollin
Michael Burk
Hannibal Costa
Alexander J Cote
Mark DeMello
Louise Durfee
Kevin Goulet
Jay Lambert
Randy LeBeau
Cecil Leonard
Christopher Perry
Edward Roderick
Roger Francis Winiarski
Judith Zeramby

School Committee (3 seats):
Richard Bush, III
Danielle Coulter
Denise deMedeiros
Deborah Anna Pallasch
Carol J. Herrmann

Budget Committee:
Robert Coulter
Raymond Joubert
Thomas Parker

Other Offices:
Laura Epke- Treasurer
George S. Alzaibak
Philip A. DiMattia

Budget Committee: Raymond J. Joubert, Thomas A. Parker

Nancy M Mello- Clerk; Probate Judge- Richard P. D’Addario

Rep. John J. Loughlin II, R-Tiverton & Little Compton. No opposition. Lucky guy.

There are also votes there for the Dem. Town Committee.

John G. “Jay” Edwards (D) District 70 representative seat currently held by Republican Joseph N. Amaral, who announced he will not seek re-election. No opposition.

Little Compton:

Lawrence G Anderson- Town Moderator- Democrat
Carol A Wordell- Town Clerk- Republican

Charles N Appleton, Jr. - Town Council- Republican
Fred M Bodington III- Town Council- Republican
Paul J Golembeske- Town Council- Republican
Gary S Mataronas- Town Council- Republican
Wm. McKenzie- Town Council- Democrat (wow, he must be lonely)
Robert Mushe- Town Council- Republican

Mary-Jane Harrington- Town Treasurer And Collector Of Taxes- Democrat

Wm Monahan- Assessor Of Taxes- Republican

Lynn Brousseaulebreux- School Committee- Republican
Cheryl Cady- School Committee- Republican
Micah Shapiro- School Committee- Independent

There are also partisan election for Rep. & Dem. Town Committees.

Good News for District Schools!

The Lege in their new proposed budget has decided to stem the flow of the bleeding from local education costs. Here is the rundown of school district increases proposed for the State's 2008-2009 budget:

Newport $233,854

Middletown $206,787

Little Compton $7,265

Tiverton $116,848

Thanks to Pat Crowley's posting from RIFuture & Projo

Recent News Links for District Towns

The weekly East Bay newspapers just get better & better. Tom Shevlin has a few articles up. One concerns the Middeltown Town Council recent meeting. Read yet another take on the recent brouhaha. I'm really eager to know what "embarassment" the Council was trying to protect us all from. With the Council paying close to $100,000 in separation costs for the former Town Admin, exactly what did we save by not going to court & being sued? And what would we have been sued for?

And here's another article on the town's new conservation zoning.

Anthony Spiratos is featured in an article on wind power (with pic!).

Another article is on lobstermens' attempts to get certain methoprene- an insect-killing pesticide banned. So far they have been sucessful in Newport, Middletown, Little Compton. (reporter- Jill Rodrigues)

Reporter Tom Dalglish writes about Tiverton's recent town budget meeting. Taxpayers are agry & I don't blame them. You can finger-point to local school committees & coucils, but the finger is more correctly aimed at the guv & legislature.

Little Compton's town budget meeting is on for next Tues.

Windfarm Concerns Go to Governor

Projo is reporting that the Guv's chief energy adviser, Andrew Dzycewicz, is scheduled to meet with Rhode Island Alliance for Clean Energy, to listen to their concerns about proposed wind farms off the shore of Rhode Island (e.g., Middletown, Newport, Little Compton, et al).

Seems he took offense at the assertion that campaign donations by a wind farm developer may have influenced his support. Perish the thought!

"People have different opinions," Carcieri said. "What I find offensive, frankly, is to say that a few contributions - I don't even know who these people are; when you're running a campaign, lots of people contribute - the notion that I am somehow influenced by contributions is absurd. I believe this is something we need to do, or see if we can do."

The governor said that there are six or seven wind farm developers who have expressed interest in submitting a proposal for an offshore wind farm. The deadline for submissions is May 16.

This guy is really thin-skinned. He's already made up his mind on the project, so the spin is to attack. I guess they didn't make the proper obeisance as did the religious leaders who recently met with him regarding immigration concerns. Of course, the latter confab accomplished little anyway. They just all made nice with each other.

Thanks to Projo reporter Tim Barmann.

Historical Open Houses- Newport & Little Compton

Historic sites open house listings [free!]:

Thursday through Sunday, May 8 through 11

NEWPORT:
•Whitehorne House, 416 Thames St., Newport.
•Wilbor House, 548 West Main Rd., Little Compton.

Visit the past. Take a 24-stop tour. Admission’s free.

On Saturday, noon to 3 p.m., as part of National Preservation Month, the Preserve Rhode Island organization presents “Thresholds…Step Inside History,” an open house of two dozen historic sites around the state. You probably won’t be able to get to all the sites, but you can try. For more information, go to http://www.preserveri.org/.

Thanks to Projo