Letter: Ten good reasons to vote yes for recall

Posted 9/19/19

To the editor:

Best way to handle the Tiverton recall? Educate yourself! Here are 10 good reasons why you should vote and vote yes on the recall:

1. The recall is allowed by Charter for …

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Letter: Ten good reasons to vote yes for recall

Posted

To the editor:

Best way to handle the Tiverton recall? Educate yourself! Here are 10 good reasons why you should vote and vote yes on the recall:

1. The recall is allowed by Charter for officials that are incompetent in their duties.

2. The Tiverton Taxpayers Association even attempted to make it easier to recall someone when they recently had control of the Charter Review Commission, including Rob Coulter.

3. The recall is to remove unethical people from their positions. The Ethics Commission may not have ruled against Katz and Coulter, but it does not mean they are ethical either! Their actions have spoken louder than their words as seen with the recent attacks on the two sitting Republicans and sole Democrat on the Board of Canvassers and highly respected town clerk. They do, however, enjoy overstepping their authority.

4. This council has accomplished nothing of any substance since taking office. No landfill, transfer station, or recycling center solutions, no solar ordinance, and no better infrastructure. They have mismanaged town affairs and have accomplished the worst political climate in Tiverton history.

5. Yes there is just over a year left in their term, but how much damage do you want done? And how long will it take to undo that damage? As to being in office for two years, again the Tiverton Taxpayers Association Charter Review Commission threw out a citizen request for 4 year terms! Ignoring the will of the people.

6. This council is doing the housekeeping that any other council does in regards to contracts, ordinance reviews, financial planning, and more. What have they done differently? Cronyism!

7. The original petition was filed against Katz, Coulter, and Driggs. However, many of your neighbors, although they don't care for Driggs, wanted the removal of the two that have taken away the voice of anyone that doesn't support them. It has zero to do with a power grab. Folks from all parties have signed on to the recall and many gave reasons beyond what the petition stated. These folks are Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Conservative, Moderate, and Liberal and they are your neighbors.

8, Mr. MacLaughlin pulled the papers near the second week of April. And again, folks with completely opposite political views had contacted him to sign on. There was a reason that the signatures were delayed in being turned in and it had nothing to do with not being able to obtain them. Although, as seen with a recent concern about a board reappointment, many folks feared retaliation upon signing.

9. The recall, per the town clerk, will cost around $9,000. This is at no added expense or additional taxes as the Election Account is restricted and funded at a flat amount year over year, election or not.

10. Mr. MacLaughlin simply pulled the papers for the recall. From there over 22 people collected as few as seven signatures and as many as 120 individually. To call it anything but what it is, the people demanding action, is flat out pathetic and a reflection of the Tiverton Taxpayers Association and their supporters.

For the recall to count, 940 registered voters must cast a vote. The best way for the recall to be successful is to ask yourself this: Why should you believe an extreme right political blogger (Justin Katz) whose paycheck is reliant on his carrying out of those political views? The answer is simple. There is no compromise with Katz and Coulter. Your action in voting yes on October 10 is yiur compromise.

David J Paull

Tiverton

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