To the editor:

Recently the Tiverton Taxpayers Association (TTA) Town Council sent out a letter addressed to “Dear Tiverton Republican” on the Republican Town Committee letterhead. A cry for sympathy all the way! They should start their meetings playing the Charlie Brown song, “Why’s everybody always pickin’ on me?”

Here are a few of the interesting ideas they shared in that letter:

1 - They state: Mr. McLaughlin is suing the town for millions and has made good on his threat to pull recall papers on three of us.  My Reply – Frivolous law suits sound familiar!

2 - They imply: If you don’t agree with them, you must be either an activist, a special interest person, or someone with questionable motives.  My Reply - Huh?

3 – They implore: (this is the best one yet, and I quote):  “So, we wanted to reach out to you to assure you that we are working hard to fulfill our campaign promises, including reduced taxes, efficient and transparent government, and the preservation of your rights as a taxpayer, a voter, and a citizen.” My reply: What?! Here is my take on that:

- Cutting taxes - $3-plus million casino dollars makes that easy.

- Transparency - whenever, wherever, and however, if and when they want.

- Preserving rights: instead they attempted to steal, and have limited, our right to speak, along with other rights at town meetings.

4 - They write: “we need  your help,” and plead,  “please do not sign” any recall petitions, and send us any money you are able to donate to us, we might need it.  My Reply - Running scared? You should be!

Remember the following council moves?

- Appointed their solicitor without discussion or a true open interview.  A bag job all the way!

- Library Trustees appointments – two qualified applicants, one dud, oops, sorry, dude who don’t like libraries. They selected one qualified person and a dude (TRTC Chair) to offer a different perspective. Their idea of a compromise, they could have selected two TTA dudes and renamed it the Board of Un-trustees. Back-door politics all the way!

- The TTA council recently held a special meeting about the legality of an alternate budget for the FTR, one they opposed. TTA councilors/solicitor tried to get the second alternate budget declared illegal, off the ballot.  After it, Ms. Cook indicates everyone who voiced a different opinion or disagreed with TTA part of a mob led by non-TTA councilors.  

See #3 - above, preserving rights?

"TTA promises of transparent, above-board, honest, open government ended with day one's solicitor appointment and continues to be a total joke! "

I’d like to write more comments, but it is almost 6:30 p.m. and I have to go and sign a recall petition at town hall.  I just wish it had one more person listed on it.

I remain “Boy Scout squeaky clean.”                 

R.A.Taylor

Tiverton