To the editor

I am writing about the Charter Amendments proposed by the Town Council. For the sake of brevity, I am limiting my comments to the two that are most egregious. Question 10-Casino Revenue and Question 6-Charter Complaints.

I believe that Tiverton has an opportunity to strengthen its financial picture by addressing things that have been deferred as well as putting together a firm base for the future. The Town Council is correct in wanting to use casino revenue, while it lasts, for a capital fund, infrastructure and debt repayment. However, restricting its use with a charter amendment is the wrong strategy. It limits the flexibility that taxpayers may need in future years as spending priorities change. More importantly, it seeks to bypass the established process of having these funds flow into the General Fund. For these reasons Question 10, which deals with casino revenue,

Charter complaints should be taken seriously. They should be handled expeditiously, be independently reviewed and the decisions should not be made in an arbitrary fashion. Knowing these requirements, how can a reasonable person conclude that a solicitor paid by the own and serving at the discretion of the Town Council, will be objective — particularly, if the complaints are Town Council related. If you do, I have a bridge you might be interested in. Question 6-Charter Complaints should be rejected.

To conclude, all of the Charter Amendments should be rejected, as this will give the newly elected council an opportunity to reconsider these amendments and come up with satisfactory alternatives.

Sanford Mantell

Tiverton