West Warwick to vote on 2010 budget -- again
2:42 PM Wed, Jun 24, 2009 | Permalink
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Projo 7 to 7 News BlogTaking the news pulse of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, by Providence Journal and projo.com staff, from 7 to 7, every business day |
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Get the 7 to 7 on your mobile at www.projo.com. Twitter: projo | RSS | Email alerts Five weeks after residents rejected a $79.7 million budget for West Warwick, voters will be asked to reconsider that decision at a continuation of the May 19 Financial Town Meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. at the high school. If the budget is defeated once again, the current budget will apply to the 2010 fiscal year. The result will be layoffs for eight employees in the Police Department, eight in the Fire Department and nine in Public Works, for a total of 10 percent of the municipal workforce. It would also result in the closure of the public library and cutbacks in street lighting. The proposed $30.5 million municipal budget and $49.2 million school budget, if approved, would hike property taxes by about 80 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The vote comes after the School Department announced that it doesn't have any money to pay teachers for time they have already worked. Companies that are owed money by the School Department, which spent the last year spending money it knew it didn't have, are also expected to be left hanging. Thursday night's vote will only affect the fiscal year that begins July 1. It will not deal with the budget shortfalls of the current year. 
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PLEASE vote AGAINST this budget! There are 3 options (1) raise taxes; (2) cut services; or (3) get the gosh darn benefit packages in-line with reality!!!!!
Option 3 is where WW and RI in general need to get to - keep the pressure on the unions and the elected officials that are in their back pocket!!!
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I second Jim's proposal.
PLEASE vote down this Budget, AGAIN!
The Council has done nothing since the last Financial Town Meeting to address the concerns of the taxpayers, to wit, NO tax increase!
Why are they presenting the very SAME Budget?
The answers lie in the General Assembly yet Murphy and Williamson have remained silent. Why?
Please bring your neighbors with you.
The Council will try to portray this as an impending disaster. Don't be fooled!
The School Committee told the people they would live within the $49 million Budget approved last year yet did NOTHING to comply. Now they say they need $3.3 million to finish the year!
WW has over 43 Coaches making anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000 per sport! This is for a part time job!
Just say NO! (For the SECOND Time!)
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ENOUGH is ENOUGH. WE THE PEOPLE of West Warwick must vote once again AGAINTS this budget. Don't let the elected officials scare you about shutting down everything in town. We must get more concessions from the unions. School Committee show us cuts in your budget. To date we haven't seen any cuts from the school budget. Eliminate costly programs that do not provide the basic required and mandated education for all students in W.W. That should save lots of $$$$$$.
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These idiots in West Warwick don't get it, the voters said NO!! Did you hear us, NO!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Option (4): Raise taxes since there hasn't been a significant tax increase in that town in about 4 years. Time to catch up to what every other city and town has done and stop taking it out on those who have mediocre salaries and benefits compared to others. Your efforts should be focused on those at the state house whose salaries and benefits are far greater and who work far less. It really doesn't matter though since there will be a mandatory tax increase imposed once the schools win the lawsuit against that town. There will be NO voting allowed then! Read up on the Caruolo Act. Unfortunately, it will once again be the OTHER town employees that will suffer the most for this. Pay attention to history!
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The clear choice is to approve the budget. Like most people, I am not thrilled by the idea of a tax increase. However, I do realize that the Police, Fire and Municipal Unions have made concessions to help the taxpayers of the town and the same cannot be said for the School Committee and the Teachers Union. If this budget is voted down, there will be a dramatic reduction in services provided by the the Police, Fire, and Public Work Departments which will hurt all residents. It is truly unfair to lay off members of the Police, Fire and Public Works Departments when each of them have already agreed to many cost-savings measures. VOTE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET!!!
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The major issue is the school budget. We are a blue collar town that HAS had tax increases each year and a climbing unemployment rate. We are headed for BANKRUPTCY as we were 20 years ago. If we do, all contracts will become null and void. It is time that we make hard choices and tighten the belt. Cut all non-mandatory programs (including electives and sports) until we can afford more than the basics. Or seriously contemplate bankruptcy! Too many folks CAN'T pay more!
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how much more can we take? im retired and just
trying to enjoy the time i have left, if we all
get together and just not pay any tax, then perhaps then they will see how to cut expences.
property values are down, but still being taxed
at the high rate! get ridd of the many people in
town services that do nothing!
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