Warwick Tea Party Budget Analysis
At the Warwick School Committee meeting last night–in a virtual repeat of Monday night’s City Council meeting–residents and students voiced their dismay over the idea of cutting school activities, including sports, to make up looming budget deficits. Perhaps the most insightful, eloquent and forceful defense of sports was given by former Pilgrim standout and Syracuse University football player Emerson Kilgore, who is now an assistant Principle in Providence. All will get another opportunity to let all of the entities hear it at 6 PM on Thursday night, when the City Council, Mayor and School Committee will meet over the school budget.
In anticipation of the meeting, the Warwick Tea Party has provided their analysis of the 2011 Warwick City Budget (Download file). According to their research, since 2004 Warwick taxes have continued to increase with the majority (57%) of the increase going towards city-side (municipal, fire, police, etc.) spending, not schools. In 2011, 91% of Mayor Avedisian’s proposed cuts are from the school-side of the budget. Overall, if memory serves, schools account for approximately 63% of the city budget.
That being said, the WTP’s analysis also confirms what we all know: most of the area ripe for cutting is in employee salaries and benefits in ALL departments, by far the largest line-item in ANY budget–private or public sector. That doesn’t necessarily mean firing anyone, just pay freezes, step freezes and implementing fiscally responsible health care and pension plans NOW, not in 2012.
Wow, what a presentation. It doesn’t get any clearly where the money is going in Warwick.
Now the question is does the Mayor, city council and school committee and the courage to meet with the unions and get the concessions suggested to reallocate the money.
Great job Warwick Tea Party in exposing the real story……….
Won’t be long before all these groups stop using the “Tea Party” moniker:
“Even more demoralizing for activists, perhaps, is a new Washington Post-ABC News poll showing disapproval of the tea party at an all-time high;”
Tea Party, I hardly knew ye.
More like OBAMA we hardly knew thee!
Breaking news out of Boston:
City Council approves 19% raise for firefighters (17.5% base +1.5% for passing drug testing)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/06/_by_andrew_ryan.html
Michael – check out the comments section if you still think that “most members of the public support public unions.” Currently running around 30-1 against the union.
I’m sure the 150+ commenters are all paid neo-conservative plants, so no reason to be concerned about the organizations you are supporting.
Well, at least the progresso-fascist is finally admitting he knows nothing about the Tea Party.
Stuart the Troll – from where are you quoting? You forgot to include that semi-important piece of information.
“Now the question is does the Mayor, city council and school committee and the courage to meet with the unions and get the concessions suggested to reallocate the money.”
Not a chance. They do a broad-based car tax hike this year and depend on sales and/or income tax hikes by the GA next year.
Sorry, Dan, I thought you kept up on the news….
Try that google thingy:
Poll: The sagging popularity of the tea parties
A new Washington Post/ABC News poll includes questions about the tea parties that have the nascent movement’s popularity slipping badly. Overall, since the last poll, the percentage of Americans who hold an unfavorable view of the movement has jumped from 39 percent to 50 percent. The leading edge of that has been a collapse in support from 18-29-year-olds. In March, they had a positive, 43-38 view of the tea parties. They’ve swung hard to a negative view, 27-60.
Yes, of course, Stuart. I should use my psychic powers to know about every news story that is posted on every news outlet in America. Including polls that are reconducted every two months.
I am perfectly capable of using Google, I pointed it out more as a commentary on the type of person who just start quoting without telling people where their quote is coming from.
Hah, Dan, you should just trust that I am reporting a real news story – because I mostly use just google news and never click on any fox link. Anyway, the point is that your tea party is going to be a completely spoiler for the coming election on 10 and maybe in 12 too. Heck, between Rand Paul and now this crazy lady in Nevada…….who will lose big time to Reid….add in Ms. Birther herself, Tabiz or whatever, on the ballot in Ca…..and the center is gonna run, run, run. Heck, this tea lady in Nevada wants to outlaw booze and also things we should deregulate BP even more. That should go over well with most of the US populace…….. Well, you can’t say I didn’t predict it – and here goes more. As I said above, the tea party moniker will be retired because people are going to associate it with the nuts. But have no fear. The haters, racist, far righties and others will come up with a new rallying cry – they always do! Maybe Palin will come up with the idea for new slogans….if you pay her enough! Heck, you could not make this stuff up! I’m actually pleased at the entertainment value of Rand Paul and these other characters. They are so clueless that I have to scratch my head…… Yesterday, Rand told Fox he was not a libertarian because he believes in war and forcing women to have unwanted children…….as I said, you could not make it up. Well, we will see next election – I suppose one or two of these nuts will get in and provide some laughs, but the Congress will likely stay Dem thanks to the Tea Drinkers and their corporate sponsors. Heck, when you pay to create a… Read more »
I must have joined the Tea Party during one of my somnambulist episodes because I have no recollection of ever associating myself with them.
Stuart, your post could easily have been a few sentences if you actually cared about conveying ideas rather than hearing yourself bloviate on and on about nothing. Why you continue to post here at all, only you will ever know.
Stuart likes that word “heck” a lot.I guess he thinks it makes him sound folksy.
He must’ve gone over like a fart in a spacesuit in Appalachia.
“Why you continue to post here at all, only you will ever know.”
Because you keep responding to him. He gets his jollies from you getting in a lather.
Patrick-Stuart does serve a purpose here-he’s the turd in the punchbowl that keeps us aware of who the gravediggers of America are.