Robert Gaw, Tiverton
I would like to put personality differences aside and discuss the facts of the past 16 years in Tiverton. It was a dream of mine as a child to live in this beautiful town, even though I have seen some horrendous politics in the town during my 31 years here.
I look at my tax bill for the past eight years and it has an average increase of 0.7 %, the previous eight years had an average tax increase of 6.2% — by the way the previous eight years the council was controlled by the group supporting the recall of two council members. Keep this in mind when you decide if you should participate in this self-serving recall.
About 10 years ago, Justin Katz and Robert Coulter spearheaded a movement to have a democratic private ballot vs. an archaic system of publicly raising hands at the school auditorium. The Financial Town Referendum (FTR) changed that forever and finally gave the voters of Tiverton a chance to privately voice their opinions and control their taxes and the proof is an average tax increase of 0.7% which correlates with inflation.
This same recall group lobbied heavily against giving the voters a voice in this and the FTR. From everything I can determine, this recall has been led by a group of sore losers who collected signatures by misleading people about what Coulter and Katz’s positions are on allowing a mall in Tiverton.
Neither of them or anyone I know want a mall in Tiverton but it was a good selling point to collect signatures and it seems to me some people believe if a lie is repeatedly told it becomes the truth. History has proven this to be correct and it has had disastrous results.
Coulter and Katz have brought long overdue stability to the town of Tiverton, helped level our taxes and increase property values and have made decisions which are in the best interest of the public, not just a few or special groups trying to grab control and lead you to double digit tax increases like we experienced in 2003 (10.1%), 2007 (11.5%) and 2009 (11%).
I encourage you not to vote and participate in these shenanigans and power grab. By not voting it will invalidate the recall based on the required number of votes. Do not let this group of squeaky wheel crybabies who collected signatures based on false statements push you around. This fiasco has been spearheaded by a group who have their own interests in mind. Do not vote in this foolish recall and waste of your tax dollars.