Adventures in Town Government

The Fight Moves Outward

By Justin Katz | December 15, 2009 |

The General Assembly will no doubt search for tricks and methods of denial, but the state is going to have to continue cutting its budget, and according to the Providence Business News, Governor Carcieri is looking toward the cities and towns: The state budget would be balanced by cuts in spending for local education, aid…

Garbage Talk

By Justin Katz | December 14, 2009 |

There’s an unusually large crowd for tonight’s town council meeting… unless, of course, the recession has made this a more common form of entertainment than was the case back before I stopped attending regularly. It seems a handful of attendees are here to discuss increases in mooring fees (for late payment). Hopefully, a greater number…

Bad Government, Sneaky Taxes, and Garbage

By Justin Katz | December 9, 2009 |

This coming Monday, December 14, the Tiverton Town Council will (hopefully) be hearing from residents concerning a proposed “pay as you throw” program for garbage pickup. The nutshell background is that (despite regular and significant annual tax increases) the town has not been putting aside adequate resources to close the landfill when it runs out…

We Need a Taxpayer Grievance

By Justin Katz | December 7, 2009 |

How can an entity — whether a business, a town, a nonprofit, whatever — operate like this? [Little Compton Firefighter Fred] Melnyk was off duty at the time, out of uniform, and had been in the fire-station earlier at 11:16 when the medical incident in question was called in. An emergency medical technician (EMT) with…

About That Status Quo

By Justin Katz | December 3, 2009 |

Meeting with East Greenwich town officials, Sen. Leonidas Raptakis (D, Coventry, East Greenwich, Warwick, West Warwick) spoke against state mandates: “We have so many archaic statutes, contracts and mandates, unless we start deleting these mandates or give cities and towns latitude, we’re going to start this revolving circle again, and it’s going to get worse,”…

Tiverton School Committee Merit Pay Workshop Video, 6

By Justin Katz | November 29, 2009 |

Tiverton School Committee Merit Pay Workshop Video, 5

By Justin Katz | November 29, 2009 |

Tiverton School Committee Merit Pay Workshop Video, 4

By Justin Katz | November 29, 2009 |

Tiverton School Committee Merit Pay Workshop Video, 3

By Justin Katz | November 29, 2009 |

Tiverton School Committee Merit Pay Workshop Video, 2

By Justin Katz | November 29, 2009 |