Letter: All of us will pay for Bristol's exorbitant spending hikes

Posted 3/19/18

A common saying in political circles is: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu!”

And what’s on the menu, in light of significant growth in the cost of …

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Letter: All of us will pay for Bristol's exorbitant spending hikes

Posted

A common saying in political circles is: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu!”

And what’s on the menu, in light of significant growth in the cost of local (Bristol) government expenses and school funding formula cuts from the State of Rhode Island, is your home and mine!

A town wide property revaluation process is now underway, namely to pay for all of this rapidly growing government tax burden.

More specifically, and with the Bristol Warren Regional School District Budget Request increased by $2.1 million (4 percent) over last year, plus the aforementioned state school funding cut of $1.1 million, totaling $3.2 million, Bristol property owners will soon be experiencing a significant increase in their local property taxes. Seniors on fixed incomes, families with young children and many, many other homeowners, will find this latest loss of budgetary control by our town council, especially painful.

(Note: Bristol’s Tax Levy on all property in town has increased an incredible 18.5 percent since just 2013.)

With that, the Bristol Town Council should allow for televised broadcasts of the budget workshops, beginning March 19, so the public is well informed.

Patrick “Pat” M. McCarthy

4 Maple Shade Court, Bristol

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