Corrente, GOP chair differ over meaning of `the numbers'

By John Howell
Posted 5/31/16

Both say the numbers tell the story. But the story is different in each case. Democratic mayoral candidate Richard Corrente argues the numbers show that Warwick is in decline, and more people and businesses need to be brought to the city.

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Corrente, GOP chair differ over meaning of `the numbers'

Posted

Both say the numbers tell the story. But the story is different in each case.

Democratic mayoral candidate Richard Corrente argues the numbers show that Warwick is in decline, and more people and businesses need to be brought to the city.

Republican City Committee Chairman Mike Penta said Corrente is “misleading the people of the city of Warwick.” Specifically, he points to a flyer published by Corrente, “the Warwick Taxpayers News” and claims the candidate “tries to paint the salaries of a number of positions in municipal government in an unfavorable light, but in his zeal to be sensationalize he fails to be truthful.”

Penta takes issue with the salaries of five municipal employees listed in the Corrente flyer, starting with the chief of staff. Corrente writes in the flyer that the Warwick position paid $116,271 in December 2014, whereas Cranston paid $60,591 for the same role. Penta responds that Warwick pays $101,992 and compares it to Providence at $123,611.

“That’s what it was in 2014,” said Corrente when asked about the difference. Penta took his figure from the city budget. It looks like both are right, as City Planner William DePasquale served in the role of chief of staff and planner during 2014.

The same is true with other numbers. In his outline of “where your tax dollars are going,” Corrente compares the mayor’s $100,000 salary to that of Cranston Mayor Allan Fung at $80,765.

Penta says the allegation about the mayor is incorrect, although he confirms the $100,000 amount. He goes on to say 17 other mayors, town managers and town administrators have higher salaries than Scott Avedisian. Penta and Corrente agree on the salary of the police chief, but not on the comparison figure for the Providence chief, where Corrente has $147,763 and Penta $153,673. Penta also takes issue with Corrente’s comparisons for highways superintendent and purchasing agent salaries, although they agree on the Warwick amounts.

“He needs to get his facts straight,” Penta said in an interview. “The mayor has done a great job.”

Is he running for re-election?

“I think he will. He hasn’t told me he would,” Penta said.

Avedisian has deflected questions about seeking re-election, saying he would have an announcement in June.

The mayor has likewise questioned Corrente on his numbers, especially Corrente’s claim that the city has lost 4,666 businesses since 2007. To arrive at the total, Corrente compared the 8,410 “firms” as listed by the U.S. Census for 2007 with data provided by the Secretary of State’s office for May 8, 2015, showing 3,750 businesses in the city.

In an interview Thursday, Corrente acknowledged he is comparing data from two different sources and claimed he was “stonewalled” by the administration when he sought to verify numbers of businesses through the assessor’s office. Corrente didn’t have more current census or more historic secretary of state figures that would have given comparisons.

Comments

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  • richardcorrente

    To clarify, I got my population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. Factually, Warwick has lost 5,800 taxpayers in the last ten years. As far as businesses, I tried to get honest numbers from Avedisians people but they kept giving me information that I wasn't asking for and NOT the information I was asking for. It got so bad that I filed a written complaint with the R.I. Attorney Generals office under the Freedom Of Information Act demanding the documents that showed the number of businesses and they still refused stating that the information was in "book form" not in a document. I finally went to the R.I. Secretary of State's office and compared it to the U.S. Census Bureau and Warwick lost 4,666 businesses in ten years. Avedisian said "We've asked him to give us a list" which is a lie because I was asking him for that list. He has it and he does not want the voters to see it, but he lies to the public with statements like "The numbers of tax bills to businesses continues to grow". That doesn't mean the number of businesses continues to grow, just the amount of taxes he charges.He has raised taxes every year for 16 years in a row. Not even he can deny that.

    Also, he just quit his job as Chairman of RIPTA. In the 5 years he was there (according to RIPTA's own financials on line) Assets plummeted by $14,703,460, Liabilities skyrocketed by $79,579,486 and annual income dropped by $2,554,279.

    RIPTA LOST ON A DAILY BASIS over $8,000 in assets, over $43,000 in liabilities and over $1,400 in income...EVERY DAY!!!

    He failed at RIPTA. He failed as Mayor. Warwick can't afford Scott Avedisian

    Richard Corrente

    Democrat for Mayor

    Tuesday, May 31, 2016 Report this

  • Reality

    What about the numbers regarding firemen unused sick pay bonuses? Mr.Corrente has yet to enlighten the public where he stands on this. We know that Avedisisan negotiated this over the top extra 50% bonus and Mr. Corrente's best buddies on the council aka Vella-Winkinson and Travis voted for it. When will Mr.Corrente tells us what he intends to do with this taxpayer ripoff.

    Mr. Corrente can also tell us how he intends to end another outlandish benefit aka lifetime healthcare for city employees with no copays.

    Richard.....we know what Scottie done to place us at the doorstep of bankruptcy aided by your friends Vella-Wilkinson and Travis but you have yet to answer the above questions.

    Tuesday, May 31, 2016 Report this

  • Scal1024

    I've asked similar specific questions on different articles and received no response from Mr Corrente. It seems he picks and chooses what questions to answer.

    Tuesday, May 31, 2016 Report this

  • DougMartin

    Doesn't surprise me. Corrente claimed Warwick Firefighters make double that of New York firefighters, and triple that of Jacksonville. A 20 second search proves him wrong. Distorted truths....

    Wednesday, June 1, 2016 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear "Reality" AKA Roger Durant,

    You complain about EVERYTHING. Some day you will say something nice and it will come as a shock to everyone. And Roger, when did I become "best buddies" with Camille Vella-Wilkenson and Donna Travis? All I have ever said is that Vella-Wilkenson is one of the hardest working people I have ever met and Travis has done more for Oakland Beach than everyone on the planet, put together! That said, they are so involved with Avedisian that I doubt they will ever put a "Corrente" bumper sticker on their cars but when they are alone in the voting booth...different story. To respond to you, Scal1024, and DougMartin, I have stated many times that if the firefighters (or anyone else) has unused sick time, personal time, or vacation time, doesn't that suggest that it is un-needed? In corporate America the rule is "use it or lose it". I think this should apply to all departments of government. I did look into the claim of excessive overtime and learned that the 45 new firefighters received training pay that was improperly listed under "overtime" instead of adding a new category labeled "training pay". The lazy person that did that should be shot. Lastly, I have done a considerable amount of research on health benefits. I have learned that benefits with no co-pay and no deductible cost double! When the taxpayer is paying it, there should ALWAYS be a co-pay. There should ALWAYS be a deductible. Always. The way to "reduce the abuse" is to share the cost. When health insurance is free it is abused. When health benefits are affordable it's a win-win for taxpayers and Warwick employees. For the record, and yes, you can quote me on this later, I would rather put money into salaries than benefits. When Warwick hired those 45 new firefighters, it was to eliminate overtime. My research has shown that they have reduced it significantly but not completely. Where you and I agree, Roger, is that Avedisian brought us to the brink of bankruptcy. My plan will bring us back because it will increase the number of taxpayers. The U.S. Census shows that Avedisian lost 5,800 taxpayers in the last ten years alone. That means a lot more taxes for you and me. My plan has tax rebate checks, a moratorium on building permits and an all-out promotion of Warwick to the rest of Rhode Island to increase our numbers and I promise you Roger, I will!... even though you will probably complain about that too.

    Stay well.

    Richard Corrente

    Democrat for Mayor

    Wednesday, June 1, 2016 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    Rick,

    I don't know where you got your number of 45 new firefighters but maybe you haven't seen this.

    New firefighters haven't stemmed overtime

    Posted Thursday, November 20, 2014 2:05 pm | 7 views

    To the Editor:

    For the past several years during the budget hearings, a small group of tenacious residents listened again and again as the Warwick Fire Department attempted to justify its cost escalations, particularly in the line item of overtime. The residents were told in 2012 that due to a $3.1 million federal grant a new firefighter school would be held and that approximately 20 new positions would be created on the department. The testimony from the chief, from the mayor and from the chief of staff indicated that the overtime would be dramatically reduced, if not eliminated, when the new hires were put on the job.

    Several residents and council members questioned that in view of the fact that the $3.1 million grant was funding for the positions for two years only, where would this money come from in the future to pay these salaries and benefits? Would it come from the virtual taxpayer credit card swipe, or was there a plan in effect. As put forth so eloquently by the management team, the additional personnel would pay for themselves by the elimination of overtime, hence the funds being paid at the time would no longer be necessary as the city would have a full complement of firefighters.

    How accurate was that testimony is the question? In the last few months, the same group of residents put forth a public records request to see exactly how much the new compliment of 20-plus firefighters has reduced the overtime. After weeks passing with no answers and no documents, we were told that we needed to pay $150 for the information that was requested, as it was such a monumental undertaking for the department.

    Was that really true? Is it possible that these roadblocks were purposely put in place in an attempt to stop this two-page $150 document from being made public? You may be astonished by the numbers.

    It seems that in Warwick we still have a lingering problem of abusive overtime as the document reveals that the WFD consumed 39,412.5 hours. Yes, you read this correctly. Say it out loud so you can understand it. Thirty-nine thousand four hundred 12 point five hours of overtime. Unfortunately, the document does not divulge the total dollar amount (we gladly would have paid another $75 for that page). Where are the savings? What I do find interesting is that number (39,412) happens to be just about the exact amount of hours required to fund 19 employees 40 hours a week for one year.

    This problem continues and has been an ever-present issue as the Warwick Beacon article of 2006 describes, and there seems to be no end in sight. I believe that the residents deserve the breakdown for the past year, as was the case in the attached article.

    Any resident that would like a copy of the documents can obtain them by contacting me at cartaxrevolt@aol.com.

    Rob Cote

    Warwick

    Wednesday, June 1, 2016 Report this

  • FASTFREDWARD4

    who would bother coty

    Wednesday, June 1, 2016 Report this

  • CrickeeRaven

    Dick Corrente, now you're really starting to show your stripes -- as if assembling a half-baked pile of fraudulent numbers wasn't enough, you threaten harm to city employees: "The lazy person that did that should be shot."

    You sure inspire faith in your supposed management style that way, Dick.

    Maybe you've been conferring with Councilman Merolla, who called Warwick "a candidate for bankruptcy" based on similarly fallacious information. [http://warwickpost.com/council-vote-leaves-mayors-proposed-budget-unchanged/]

    Is the city in danger of missing payroll? Is the city about to default on any of its obligations? Has the city proposed exceeding the state tax cap? Is the state budget and review commission being assembled for Warwick?

    The answer to all of those questions is, of course, NO.

    But by all means, please continue disparaging the city. I'm sure that's going to be a winning strategy. That, and "loaning" your campaign $35,000, leaving it $25,000 in the hole -- all the while insisting that you're going to straighten out the city's financial house.

    Then again, you haven't let a little thing like evidence get in your way yet; why start now?

    Wednesday, June 1, 2016 Report this