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This contract saves us $2+ million each year at a minimum.

I fought for 4 years to get a 20% co-pay for the taxpayers and we got it. I fought to get the WISE union to pay 20% for their copay and we got it. Administration pays a 20% co-pay. I fought to keep taxes down for 4 years and they have not gone up due to the school budget and they won't go up again due to the school budget. Please take the time to look at the numbers, the facts don't lie. Here is another fact, if the teachers did not agree to an extension last year we would currently be $2 million in the hole right now. I have kept within the budget for 4 years despite having our budget cut $12 million by the city over the last 2 years and paying back the city the $3.2 million deficit that was here when I entered office.

I commend Mr Nadeau for his feelings and understand that he wanted to make 90+ changes to a contract in one year when those changes were put in over 50 years, before I arrived. I have not and do not pander to any group. If you have been to School Committee meetings, you would know that I always thank people for doing something because I am polite and this is the way I was raised. They did something good for the city and I thanked them, that is all. This was only one sentence pulled out from several minutes of speaking. This contract is good for the city. At the end of 2 years, we will be ahead and every year after that. Remember that the school committee was the first to ask for and get a more for a co-pay. We lead the charge and the city is seeing results because of our leadership. Had we not voted for this we would have been in court and returned to $11/ $28 dollars a week (not an amount I voted for, this was in prior to my arrival on the committee).

My comment was also meant to thank the school committee chair and our legal council for meeting for several months with the WTU despite erroneous reports by the Warwick Beacon. In the last 2 months, it was reported that we had not been negotiating. That is not the case.

Finally, in response to your comment that "for once" I represent the taxpayer, feel free review the meeting minutes of the School committee meetings. You will see that I have made appropriate cuts, funded what was necessary to run the schools, proposed a 25% co-pay and a cut to all salaries several times in the last 4 years. I have been the person to propose nearly every increase in co-share and to cut raises in the budget every year. I have represented the taxpayers with every vote I have taken including the 2 year contract.

We are not Central Falls, Providence, East Providence or Woonsocket and we are not in danger of bankruptcy due to the school budget so despite the words of 1 member of our committee saying we could have gotten more, we could and probably would have lost everything and been in the same boat as other cities in the state. I do not want to be the next Central Falls. I believe for the first time ever, the teachers did not get retroactive pay for last year and they took a 1% raise for this year that will be paid for in the current budget without raising taxes. They will get a 1.5% raise next year that will be achieved without raising taxes, it will be in the budget.

I would say that these accomplishments speak for themselves and show that I have worked hard for the Students, Parents and Taxpayers of the city of Warwick as I said I would 4 years ago. I am running for School Committee again and hope to be re-elected. I live here and would never put my needs before the needs of the community.

I would be happy to meet with you to discuss this further at anytime. Feel free to contact me Patrick@Maloney4Schools.com or Maloneyp@warwickschools.org.

Sincerely,

Patrick Maloney Jr.

From: Committee ratifies 2-year teacher agreement

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