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Now I am getting criticized even before I comment. No matter what I say, CrickeeRaven will say it is wrong, and in this case, it's even before I say anything.

I was at the School Committee meeting Tuesday night. I promised commenter Kammy I would ask "If the School Committee has the money in (a) the cash reserve from the health benefits, (b) the money saved from all the salaries of the laid-off teachers, and (c) the money already accounted for in the annual $160,000,000 budget, then why can't you pay the teachers their agreed-upon checks on December 21st?"

I thought I would not get an answer and I didn't. The rule is for public comment, not for questions and answers, but I promised to try, and I did. I spoke at the podium and said that "if" (and that is an honest "if", because we in the general public haven't seen anything in writing yet), the School Committee said IN WRITING that the teachers would receive a certain amount of money by a certain date (we believe that date is December 21st.) then they MUST honor that WRITTEN COMMITTMENT. If not "there will be hell to pay and I will be one of the people that lead the charge."

I met with President of the Warwick Teachers Union, Darlene Netcoh briefly, in the hall, who confirmed that the contract is not yet public. She said it was being proofread and should be available soon. I also had a conversation with the Chief Budget Officer, Anthony Ferrucci, before the meeting began. He was cordial and professional, and invited me to visit him in his office the next day (Wed. 12-13-17). I did. From 2 PM to almost 4 PM he gave me respectful answers to my several, hard questions. I left his office with a large 3-ring binder of his proposed $85 million project plan and an opinion of him as a man who sincerely wants to make Warwick a better place to live, and is willing to, at least, listen to those that disagree with him. In his "heart and in his belly" (his words) he believes that the "80,000 taxpayers that are paying the tab" (my words) will overwhelmingly support the tax increase needed for these improvements. I told him "Anthony, you couldn't be more wrong" "This is not about money. It's about how the School Committee (SC) has lost all credibility. The taxpayers won't TRUST the SC with one more dollar, let alone $85 million! The David LaPlante scandal. The Mario Atoyian scandal. The whole idea about The Ragosta Report being "verbal" when we all knew that it wasn't, and finally, the complete lack of participation in the teachers contract talks by the School Committee and the Mayor". "If the teachers were promised December 21st, then Anthony! They have to receive their money ON DECEMBER 21st." He said that it would not happen by December 21st. I pressed the issue, explaining how it was 4 days before Christmas, but he wouldn't, or couldn't, do it. I thanked him sincerely for his time. He didn't have to give me the respect of a returned phone call, but instead he gave me almost two hours, and I truly appreciate that he did. I left his office feeling better about the adversarial relationship he has with me, the City Council and what I believe to be a huge number of taxpayers. He feels "it's only a few upset parents". I told him he's wrong. He told me he was right. Fair enough.

Anthony, I appreciate that you believe. I analyzed the numbers you gave me. They are overpriced in my opinion, but not dramatically. The problem is; no one will believe that the SC will spend this $85 million any better than the $160 million the taxpayers ALREADY gave. Anthony, the teachers are right. It's not about the money. It's about credibility, and the School Committee doesn't have any credibility left. What they are doing 4 days before Christmas is disgustingly inhuman. Call it criminal. Call it breach of contract. It still is disgusting inhuman. The taxpayers/voters won't forget it. I won't let them.

Merry Christmas Anthony Ferrucci.

Merry Christmas teachers.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Rick Corrente

The Taxpayers Mayor