The last year has been a wild one at every level – international right down to local. There are plenty of reasons to look forward to 2021 to be a better year. Tiverton, though, still has many challenges to deal with. The economic hit from the pandemic is squeezing many family budgets, and we just had the highest tax increase in Tiverton in nine years. Tiverton families need a town council to keep spending under control, now more than ever.
Tiverton also needs the next council to stop making all of its key decisions (and keeping all of its dirty laundry) behind closed doors in “executive session.” It’s hard enough for residents to stay on top of the issues during a pandemic. It’s harder still with Tiverton’s political atmosphere being poisoned with misinformation, outside money, incomplete news reporting, and social media bullying. The best way to see through the smoke is to observe things directly, but folks can’t do that if so much town business is done behind the scenes.
Trash, landfill closure, casino revenue, land use, personnel, transparency, protecting voter rights, and keeping taxes under control. Addressing these key issues requires a serious, qualified, and open town council that is respectful and responsive to residents. This need is aligned with the Tiverton Taxpayers Association mission and demonstrated commitment to low taxes, good government, community involvement, and supporting local business. It’s been a privilege to be endorsed by TTA and to have been elected four times before in three different offices, and if returned to office for a fifth time I will continue working hard for all Tiverton residents.
