Norton, Blanchard, Miller... it appears the fan club of Ward 1 Councilman had another brain-storming and letter-writing session, similar to their PondView outbursts. Maybe it`s a result of those Sunday pow-wows the Councilman holds for this special interest group. They are the same crew who were happy to bring a tax-paying business to its knees through endless litigation, resulting in a potential loss of almost $100,000 that other taxpayers will have to pick up.
Speaking of budget busting, how exactly are detail-devoid proposals of Ward 1 Councilman in line with the Budget Commission fiscal plan? They deviate in revenue collections, by stopping the homestead exemption phase-out and removed a modest 1% tax increase that was due to the union raises, resulting in an almost $1,000,000 deficit. With this new "fiscal accountability," the Councilman turns to the senior management, including the City Manager, to make it all happen with a budget that has been cut by the Commission to the bone. Those would be the same staff that he just denied any cost of living increase.
There is plenty of evidence the City Manager has been doing a great job - either as part of the Commission or as boots on the ground, implementing the proposals. The last year's surplus, improved tax collections, cost savings programs and recent bond rating upgrade are just a few examples. The Rumford few latch onto some school issues under a jurisdiction of a Superintendent that makes almost $20,000 more than the City Manager; an existing 10-year DBO contract with United Water that the company has no obligation to renegotiate; and lying about the pension ARC, which is fully funded under the proposed budget, since it has a lower liability due to Google money. What a hack job!
But I guess, there must a payback to their "leader" for getting stuck the East Providence taxpayers with yet another legal bill for the PondView case. The question other hard-working residents should be asking is how much more money is East Providence going to sink into this loser of a case that may only remotely benefit one, small area of the City.
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