Flyers continue to target mayor, council

Posted 11/15/12

More political flyers have been distributed in Wards 1 and 6, but this time they involve sewer taxes, as opposed to previous flyers that solely targeted Ward 1 Councilman Steve Colantuono.

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Flyers continue to target mayor, council

Posted

More political flyers have been distributed in Wards 1 and 6, but this time they involve sewer taxes, as opposed to previous flyers that solely targeted Ward 1 Councilman Steve Colantuono.

The first of the two flyers reads: “Are you pleased that your sewer bill increased 100 percent since 2006? Did you enjoy paying a 14 percent increase this year alone?”

It continued, “What caused this problem? The same thing that causes our yearly property tax hikes – career politicians like Donna Travis and Scott Avedisian.”

A second flyer supplements Travis’ name with Colantuono’s. Other than that, the two flyers mirror one another.

“The mayor appoints and the council approves all Sewer Board members,” the flyers read. “Now, they’re poised to appoint former Councilman Donald Torres, another politically connected insider who constantly raised taxes and never corrected sewer authority problems when he had the chance. We need qualified people, not political insiders, on the Sewer Board.”

The flyers go on to read that Colantuono and Travis don’t care about taxpayer money. They asked taxpayers to tell the council members to “stop throwing our money down the sewer.”

Colantuono said that once again the people distributing the flyer have their facts wrong. He said Avedisian receives emails from the Democratic City Committee with appointments to the Sewer Board.

“Mayor Avedisian always honors their lists,” Colantuono said, noting that Avedisian simply forwards the lists to the council. “It’s not his list; it’s not our appointment. He honors the City Committee. This is not a Mayor Avedisian appointment.”

Avedisian agrees. He said the flyer is inaccurate and that he does not appoint anyone.

“The Chairman of the Democrat City Committee nominates to me and I forward to the Council,” Avedisian said via email. “In fact, the first person nominated by the Chair of the Democrat City Committee was former Councilman Carlo Pisaturo [and] his nomination was rejected by the Council. That meant moving to the next nominee, former Councilman Donald Torres. His nomination is now pending before the Council.”

Ward 1 resident John Kennedy, who said he created and distributed the flyers, said he and about a dozen people are going to continue printing and distributing flyers.

“We’re not going to sit around and wait for every election to notify the public,” he said during a phone interview late yesterday afternoon. “We’re going to do it throughout the year and throughout next year so people know what’s going on. We’re tired of these career politicians just electing their politically connected insiders and not people that are qualified for these positions. It’s at the point where it impacts everyone that lives in the city.”

Kennedy said that just because Torres once served on the council and also ran for mayor doesn’t make him qualified to sit on the sewer authority.

“There are millions of dollars involved and he doesn’t know anything about construction, project management or anything to do with the water or the sewer board,” said Kennedy. “It impacts the user, which is the taxpayer. We’re tired of getting increases every year. And a majority of the projects are under accessed. The next project has to pay for the last project. It’s mismanaged and has been like that for years. We just want people on these committees and boards to know what they are doing.”

He is also “tired of” continued tax increases.

“When are we going to get a decrease?” Kennedy said. “When are my taxes going to go down? They always go up, but they never go down.”

Kennedy said people could anticipate more flyers in the future. The group plans to target politicians throughout the city who it feels aren’t living up to expectations of the taxpayer. It depends, he said, on legislation that they push.

“If you’re not taxpayer friendly, we’re going to be coming after you,” Kennedy said.

He anticipates the group of people involved in creating and passing out the flyers will grow as more individuals become aware of the issues.

“We want to keep the residents of each ward engaged in the process,” Kennedy said. “No one goes to [council meetings at] City Hall. Ten people show up and they think it’s a riot. Not everybody can go to these meetings, so how can we educate them about what’s going on? This is how we’re going to educate them.”

Former Ward 1 Councilman Bob Cushman, who also formerly served on the School Committee, said while he was involved with previous flyers distributed before the election, he wasn’t involved this time.

“I had no part in it,” Cusman said.

Comments

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  • FedUp1

    The taxpayers of Warwick have had it. We are tired of paying these ridiculous sewer fees.

    Thank you, Mr.Kennedy for so eloquently describing the taxpayers disgust with the constant tax increases.

    The WSA is out of control. Torres is nothing but a political hack. No experience and showed a testy attitude when questioned by taxpayers at his nomination hearings. An insult.

    Glad the flyer drops have begun. Good to see Coluntuano and Travis were targeted. Hope to see Vella-Wilkinson's ward added quickly to distribution list..

    The taxpayers will take the city back.

    Thursday, November 15, 2012 Report this

  • Pmaloneyjr

    http://www.warwickonline.com/stories/Worker-fired-for-theft-back-on-job-city-ordered-to-give-back-pay,74011?search_filter=Kenneth+Naylor&town_id=1&sub_type=stories

    Friday, November 16, 2012 Report this

  • erzmys

    Mr Maloney. You post an article about a DPW worker. How about posting how much taxpayers are paying the Superintendent who is on paid administrative leave and the Acting Superintenden t. I'm sure it's a heck of a lot more than the back pay and I'm not counting the cost of litigation and what the School Committee will pay out for thier action.

    The Superintendent's contract was expiring this summer. Unless there was something criminal or something very serious going on why take the action?. If things were that bad then why suspend with pay? This will cost the taxpayers low to mid six figurers before it.s over.There're be a confidential settlement so you'll try to hide the cost. Nice job watching the taxpayers funds. A suggestion, insist on a no confidentially waiver for the dollar amount of the settlement.

    Friday, November 16, 2012 Report this

  • FedUp1

    Hey Landslide Steve....

    The Mayor nominates 1 person to the Sewer Board and the republican and democrat party chairs 2 each. Scottie controls the 3 republican choices just like he controls you he controls the democrats in Warwick also.

    Love the way you, Landslide Steve, and Scottie try to deflect from the real issue...the total mismanagement at WSA. Tell us Landslide why the rates continue to esculate out of control. Landslide you voted to approve the majority of sitting board members. Landslide Stevie I guarantee you the spotlight is still on because we are embolden by the election results. If there is any comfort for you, your anti taxpayer colleagues of Travis and Wilkinson will also see flyers distributed in their neighborhood. That empty suit Place would also be on that list but thankfully for the taxpayers he is going.

    Friday, November 16, 2012 Report this

  • Pmaloneyjr

    GordianKnot (Mayor/ Howell), stop spending and pointing in a different direction. People will eventually figure it out. I posted because I am being jumped because of this decision when bad decision after bad decision is being made on the city side with no Screaming for an explanation from them. Schools, doing great since 2008.

    Friday, November 16, 2012 Report this

  • FASTFREDWARD4

    ward 2 had the most looks who lives there. thank-you

    Friday, November 16, 2012 Report this

  • davebarry109

    There's going to be a push to get more bond money to add sewers. This, when they haven't connected 50 percent of the city. Say no to more bond money for sewers.

    Friday, November 16, 2012 Report this

  • patientman

    While we are talking about public employees stealing from the city, did anybody see the Hummel Report on the guy stealing from the compost. Hopefully Picozzi and Avedisian won't screw this one up.

    Saturday, November 17, 2012 Report this

  • FedUp1

    Hope Landslide Steve votes to confirm Torres, another political hack, to the sewer board.

    The flyer printing presses are still on. What a great flyer bullet point for the next election. Good to see we stopped Landslide Steve's political ambitions i.e. council presidency and run for Mayor.

    People final realize Landslide Steve is an empty suit.

    Sunday, November 18, 2012 Report this