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Dear Rob Cote,

You asked in paragraph 2, how can the City Council not find 5 pennies to cut from the budget. I'd like to answer that. Because it was Scott Avedisian's budget. When you start with an overpriced budget, it's hard, if not impossible to end up without one.

As Mayor I will copy what Jorge Elorza did in Providence. I will spent the first 90 days examining every dollar in and every dollar out. I will also copy the idea of former Mayor Angel Tavares, and reduce the Mayors salary by 20%. It's time we went on a financial diet. Warwick taxpayers simply can't afford to keep paying more and more. I also believe in Total Transparency. Taxpayers have the right to know what you had to use the Freedom of Information Act to learn. Also, i believe that overtime should be on a use-it-or-lose-it basis, just like the rest of America. We have had a resolution on the City Council docket to audit the City for almost a year. It keeps getting postponed. I wonder if the Mayor is behind that. I would be willing to perform the audit myself for free. It wouldn't cost the taxpayers a penny and, as a licensed commercial and residential mortgage banker, I have 38 years of budget analysis experience. If we are paying too much for a line item it won't take much to notice it.

Lastly, Rob, I believe that the Car Tax is the most unfair tax ever. It is especially bad in Warwick where car taxes are sometimes more than double the tax in other cities and towns. That is why, as you will remember, I testified at the State House with you on several occasions against this unfair tax. In my platform I support a 50% cut in the present car tax for Seniors and Veterans. It isn't as much as either of us want but it's a start.

Rob, Cranston is lowering taxes and gaining population. Warwick is raising taxes (16 years in a row!) and as a result we are losing population. In the last ten years Warwick lost 5,800 taxpayers and 4,666 businesses. I have a plan to reverse that trend. Please visit www.correntemayorwarwick.com

Thanks Rob.

Enjoy your summer.

Richard Corrente

Endorsed Democrat for Mayor