Tea Party protesters get results in Rhode Island
It’s not just about protesting in the streets. It’s about demanding accountability from your government at all levels — and getting it. In Woonsocket, RI, Tea Party activists swarmed the City Council and stopped massive new supplemental tax hikes to bail out the public school district. The tax measure, which had been expected to pass 6-1, went down by a 4-3 vote (hat tip – Granite Grok):
Faced with a heavy outpouring of opposition from property owners, the City Council last night narrowly defeated a supplemental tax bill to wipe out a School Department deficit of $3.7 million.
The vote paves the way for the School Committee to file a lawsuit against the city under the Caruolo Act, a move advocates of the supplemental tax bill contend will only deepen the School Department’s — and the city’s — financial problems. Caruolo gives school departments the power to file suit in Superior Court to compel their municipal counterparts to provide revenue to wipe out operating deficits, and the School Committee had vowed to vote in favor of such an action no later than tomorrow if the council balked at supplemental taxes.
After some five hours of discussion, at just about midnight, the council did just that, voting 4-3 against the measure…
…The measure would have given the city authority to hike all classes of taxes — residential, business and business equipment — about 10 percent. The average homeowner would have paid roughly an extra $231 this fiscal year.
Though the hike would have been about the same on small businesses percentage-wise, they would have paid significantly more since they are already taxed at a higher rate.
Before the vote, dozens of residents and business owners weighed in on the supplemental tax hike, many of them expressing anger and frustration at the fast-growing cost of local government. Some urged members of the City Council to find more spending cuts in order to avoid worsening the burden on property owners, while others challenged the council let the School Committee sue the city and fight the Caruolo Act in court – advice the council apparently took to heart.
“I challenge you to vote no to the supplemental tax,” said city resident Jim Hoyle. “We can’t afford it. Challenge the Caruolo Act. We feel like we’re being held hostage by the School Committee with this act.”
A local government official smugly dismissed the protests last week as “just noise,” according to Granite Grok.
The New Hampshire Democrat Party chief derided the protesters as an “unhinged mob.”
Politicians in both parties underestimate the Tea Party movement at their own peril.
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Categories: Tea Party
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Make it so…
So, you spend more than you have, then make someone else raise taxes to pay for it…
Brilliant !
sarc
At least some of the pols are getting the message. Now we just need to keep at it till ALL the pols get the message.
Finally a positive story today Michelle, thanks. I was feeling overwhelmed with bad news. And this is good news indeed, and speaks volumes about the importance of keeping tabs on gov. at all levels, not just national.
Hey this is off topic, but Huge:
Sen. Feinstein’s Husband Cashes In on CrisisCalifornia senator sought $25 billion for a government agency that had awarded her husband’s real estate firm a lucrative contract to sell foreclosed properties.
GREAT JOB gang!!
may others get inspiration from you.
THIS is what the tea parties are about not the must bash some GOP pol to have some quasi credential.
OT:
Pro gun/2nd amend rally in Harrisburg PA
had huge turnout today, I wont bother to quote a # as yet but the capitol police tried to bar entrance at one point claimed max cap ( event was in the rotunda ) at anyrate I shouted out to others go to the other doors we cannot be blocked and hundreds more got in
show up everywhere you can WE can do this.
AS far as school taxes brace yourself gang as it is coming. The pensions have been hit hard by market collapse combined with various scams and fraud within them. ALl these public funded unions expect the rest of us taxpayers to pony up OUR money to restore their pensions with ZERO regard if we have pensions or not.
SHOW UP AND FIGHT
Only 74 more days until Independence day!
Let’s “noise” these corrupt weasels out of office.
In more ways than one, dude; in more ways than one.
When do we have tea boarding? I would like to see more lives save!
Gosh, my second good news of the day. First Mr. Simcox, a minuteman, is going to go for dear john’s seat in AZ and now this. It seems the people are finally getting their voice heard!
L
yet here in NH the chair of the state democratic party said us tea party people, were “unhinged” and “didn’t even know what we were protesting about” Seriously, can Nov of 2010 come too soon???
Live Free or Die.
Dominos… dominos. The first one just fell in RI!! KEEP THE BALL (and the NOISE) ROLLING!!! Thanks Ms.M, for some good news!
But….
Don’t they have to raise the property taxes to make up for the falling property values?
It works here in Hawaii!!!!
DON’T TREAD ON ME
First notch in our pistol grips.
Now, get ready for the next one.
Kudos to our Rhode Island friends!
Excellent argument for not buying into this real estate market. My rent is going down and I don’t have my feet nailed to the floor while the corrupt politicians wage their war against taxpayers, especially people trapped in homes they can afford but can’t sell.
We’re on a roll! We’re wide awake and paying attention, and we’re ready for action. I hope other groups around the nation did as we did, compiled a database to enable us to stay in touch and informed! It always starts close to home, then spreads like wildfire!
Amen, Michelle!
Amen.
Let,
start sending JM pink slips! CT voters
started that to Dodd they passed them out to tea party folk. Get it going your way
That’s not a bad idea for a follow up to the tea parties…pink slip parties!!!
I read the linked article and there was no evidence that it was tea baggers who turned the tide on the supplemental budget. Unfortunately, the reporter did not ask anyone who expressed an opinion about the tax increase whether they participated as tea baggers on April 15.
It is a reach to suggest that any opposition to a tax increase is the sole result of tea baggers.
Far more caustic is the system that allows the Schools to spend money they do not have (go over budget) and expect the Municipality to pay for it. And, then adding insult to injury is the Caruolo Act that allows the Schools to then sue the municipality for more money.
It is, as if, in a family unit the child spends in excess of their allowance, obligating the parents, and then appealing the deicision of the parents saying ‘no’ to the grandparents.
Part of it might be taxes, but it is the system that requires fixing. Just like with earmarks, they will continue to be made, but the real problem is that they are allowed.
To stop earmarks, change the system.
One skirmish does not win wars, but it is the start of a journey to it. GREAT!
All you NJ residents - don’t forget to go out and VOTE today in the school board elections. It’s the only budget we citizens can vote on – let’s get more than 10% out to the polls!
NJ ,
can I register at voting booth?
I can be there b4 polls close
Fly,
They dont know from skirmish we are in tea party mode so far.
Sure call ACORN tell them that you are an ultra liberal and you need to ensure the vote goes the right way.
Thought question—
How is the Federal hegemony different from local government?
Federal – The Majors
Local – The Minors
The liberals are scared….you can tell by the screaming, degrading rhetoric they spew every chance they get. They are terrified that AMERICANS are seeing through their made-up crises and are getting noisy about corrupt politicians. We must press on – Tea Party on Independence Day!!!
zyzzyg–that’s because the ‘teabaggers’ weren’t there. But the Tea Party folks were.
NH hasn’t been the same since Homer Simpson destroyed the “Old Man of the Mountain”.
Yup. This is the only way to provide enough pressure to the pols to stop them. ‘Tea parties’ are not a one time deal, folks.
I’m hearing scuttlebutt that the founder of the Minute Men plans to run against John McCain in AZ..is this true?
John Adams said it best:
It might behoove ALL politicians to read AND UNDERSTAND this document.
Right, to an extent.
What else is different?
Wight,
^20 at childish teabagger comment!!
what a putz DOINK.
and they wonder why we say ya can’t fix stupid
Here’s a novel idea: How about school districts look toward making some level of sacrifice instead of demanding that more taxpayer money be the answer to all their problems? Cut corners. Make sacrifices. Even one or two less sheets of paper a day per student makes a difference.
How can parents and taxpayers have enough confidence in their school systems to teach their students to use their heads when the systems teaching children can’t think of solutions to become more efficient and less wasteful? Instead of going back to the drawing board (pun somewhat intended), their solution is to sue. Their idea of challenging themselves is to fight back, not rethink the way they currently do things. The former is easy compared to the latter, and like Homer Simpson says, “If something’s hard to do, then it’s not worth doing.” Just like me using a quote from a cartoon character, too many of our nation’s public schools are totally uncreative in thinking of new ways to find solutions. Keep it up, taxpayers.
CP,
how about any pol who doesn’t know that already finds another line of work?
I feel no compulsion to educate any of them in order for them to retain the very Blessed position they hold which is to REPRESENT THE PEOPLE.
We elect people to be our Hessians!
remind them of that reality ie: it does not matter what they think WILL they do what we ask them to?
Personally I’ll vote for someone who is for abortion if they are willing to vote against it if that is what those who voted ( not anyone who is in their district says ) for them wants.
C02,
I take it your query was rhetorical
bansharia–exactly
CO2Producer; because the schools are in it for biz-nass! Don’t listen when some member of a teacher’s union tells you that they teach because of the chirren!
If an unhinged mob craps in the woods, does it make a noise?
You betcha!
(munching popcorn) More cheese Gromit!
This is sweet! Tax protestors an unhinged mob! For years, conservatives have been beset by unhinged liberal mobs, and now the situation is reversed! Can you say momentum? Can you say revolution?
Sometimes we win.
This b^$turd was 30 Years in politics and 20 years crooked.
He also would refuse to speak English in personal business with constituents. If your Spanish wasn’t good neither were you.
MT,
yoko would sue us if we used that revolution song it’s only a revolution if its some commielib slack thing doncha know
On April 21st, 2009 at 3:44 pm, bansharia said:
Well, sh’yah. I’m not holding my breath that anyone who can make a difference actually listens to my advice or criticism.
The old Chinese proverb” A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step”. Well we took the first step lets keep going !
CO2,
love ya
and psst oh yes everyone but the libslacks who post here can make a diff!
Strange but, The Beatles (Lennon/McCartney) took us from ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ down ‘A Long and Winding Road’ to ‘Why Don’t We Do It In The Road’ .
We seem to be ravaged daily now on the ‘Road to Serfdom’.
YES!
GOVERNMENT sacrificing so the people can prosper
Here in Washington State there is an iniative movement to tax pols campaign contributions to have them help pay for the mess they have created.
Benito Mussolini said, “The citizen in the Fascist State is no longer a selfish individual who has the anti-social right of rebelling against any law of the Collectivity. The Fascist State with its corporative conception puts men and their possibilities into productive work and interprets for them the duties they have to fulfill”.
A local school board is one of the MOST likely places for individual citizens to have their voices be given effect.
It is also at the level of government exercising the least power. It can tax you, but it cannot assume ownership of your business, or compel you to serve it.
You can avoid its edicts by moving out of the school district.
It is NOT a microcosm of the Federal government.
I understand the desire to take a victory…no matter how small…as an indicator we are winning the larger war.
I also see extrapolating a school board action as an indicator of where the nation is heading as delusional.
bansharia: Thank you and back at’cha. I’ll keep trying in my own small, irrelevant way.
Indeed, I have a very long memory. It’s the Obama sheeple we have to worry about.
We the people will drive these imperious despots from power in the coming years. We will take back our schools, courts, and public institutions once and for all. Despite their sense of entitlement, they are not euro-style rulers and commissars, and they will be made to understand that.
“The New Hampshire Democrat Party chief derided the protesters as an “unhinged mob.””
They better get used to it. They haven’t seen unhinged yet. The idiot who said that might want to work on his resume’.
Isn’t there an age limit to post on blogs? I imagine you even giggle when you say it like an eight-year-old. Pathetic.
If fat boy wants to see an “unhinged mob” let him say that to the illegal aliens who’ll take to the streets in a couple of weeks for their amnesty marches.
See if he gets treated better on the left or the right. At least we on the right don’t start riots.
Janet Napolitano is the unholy byproduct of a union between Hilary Clinton and Janet Reno.
I am proud to be considered “unhinged”!!
I have always wanted to be an “unhinged mob.” This is great!
BTW, is there such a thing as a “hinged mob?” Is it less fun to be a “hinged mob?”
I have GOT to know…
The last hinged mob I encountered was on the rifle range in basic training…
Those suckers just kept popping up…
I wonder if anyone could name any aspect of the Federal govt. that has NOT been politicized by THE ONE.
I can’t think of one…
Good for Woonsocket!!
We have had some moments like this in Taxachusetts, pre-tea party. A supplemental here is called a ‘Proposition 2 & 1/2 Override’. Prop 2.5 overrides have gotten increasingly difficult in the past couple years. I doubt a Selectman would dare propose one this year.
Ballot box revolution is brewing here!
libs know who pays the taxes. that’s why they are desperately seeking to portray the tea parties as “small” “unhinged mobs” “teabaggers” etc. but grown ups know, no money, no fun. so if the socialists in the school systems expect to keep their cushy jobs, they better quit hacking at the golden goose.
zzyzzg,
If we’re teabaggers, it’s idiots like you that are getting teabagged.
Tea parties are about fiscal responsibility regardless of level of government, time in office, past good deeds, or party affiliation. Here in CA parties are brewing leading up to the May 19 special election to extend recent tax increases.
Tax increases signed into law, by the way, by a white Republican governator. So if anyone thinks this is about party or race, show me your evidence.
We’re also kicking off recall petitions for him and a number of other glittering gems that need to take some time off and write their memoirs.
Find a tea party in your area. If you can’t find one, start one even if no one else joins you. It is a positive experience and you’ll have a good answer years from now when someone important to you asks what you were doing in these interesting times.
At the very least be heard at the polls. Don’t quit, hats off to the patriots in Rhode Island, but we haven’t won yet.
I fled to NH from MA in November. Even with a terrible Governor and out of control legislature. I have strong doubts the MA GOP can mount a challenge to many of the Dhims. Christy Mihos is the only person with name recognition who has announced he will run against Tax’em All Deval.
I pray my assessment is wrong, but I have been disappointed too many times by the MA GOP.
Mooseman
Well…duh! No, no. Let’s just remain cool, calm, speak eloquently, and relate our unhappiness with decisions that directly impact our pocketbooks. R-i-i-ght.
As the old saying goes, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” not indignant silence.
Good grief! One word and you manage to miss everything else in the post. Goes to show you that no matter how good an idea or thought might be, it is ignored.
Don’t get your shorts in a bunch because this BLOG is repleat with words that seize and solicit emotions.
Read the post and comment on the entire message.
The whole post is summed up in the childish use of an inflammatory word simply to insult and outrage people that are genuinely attempting to save this nation.
The well rehearsed faux self righteous reply was the dead giveaway. If your idea was any good to start with you would have avoided using such a pathetic ploy
So who does this “School Committee” answer to?
If they’re elected officials it needs to made clear to them that they don’t need to run for elected office ever again because they won’t win. If they’re appointed then they need fired and any elected politician that appointed them needs to also understand that they needn’t bother to stand for reelection because the people aren’t going to repeat that mistake!
Until “we the people” start holding our “employees” to task on their actions we will never get government under control and we work for them instead of them working for us!
LOL
Since when is inflammatory language on this board not used. It is practicaly a requirement.
Though I am glad you agree with me that presentation matters and words matter. And, can lead to you being subject to being taken off track – off message – when you use perjoritives, or make fun of someone’s name.
I look forward to reading your next post taking the next person to task for using inflammatory words, perjoratives, or makes fun of someone’s name.
That is, if you are the least bit consistent.
TEA Parties are a good and hopeful sign.
Here is a bad and bleak one…
http://townhall.com/columnists/JonahGoldberg/2009/04/22/the_epa_is_choking_democracy
A TEA Party won’t correct the problem, but the next step or two might…
Any member of the ‘tea party’ community & thought would never refer to themselves as ‘teabaggers’. That was your first misstep. Who would read anything past that?
“unhinged mob”? May it grow! We can be ‘teabaggers’, unhinged mob, Right Wing Extremist who cares what the weenies say and long as WE notice?
Do it again, keep the people involved-sometimes honest people get smeared-just consider the source. So do it again. David Axlerod might get upset but I do not remember getting a Christmas card from him.
The level of leftist venom is an indicator of the threat they perceive.
This must really bother them…
“Good grief! One word and you manage to miss everything else in the post. Goes to show you that no matter how good an idea or thought might be, it is ignored.
Don’t get your shorts in a bunch because this BLOG is repleat with words that seize and solicit emotions.”
If you want to be listened to don’t start with an insult a$$hole.
ROFLMAO
“Sticks and stones . . . ”
I suppose the secret is to save the insults for the last sentence.
I’ve made my point, those on the left who hurl perjoratives will be dismissed by those on the right, and those on the right who hurl perjoratives will be dismissed by those on the left.
No wonder we are where we are because the focus is on the heat (style) and not the light (substance) of each others opinions, arguements and discussions.
I accept the reality of how things are discussed, and I read what is said, whether the insult is at the beginning, or end. Sometimes important things are said, learned and better understood. My hope is that there are a few people that agree, for the others, put your insult here, _________ .
Did you read all the way through? Do you agree, or disagree? Actually, don’t bother, been there and done that. Honest questions are rarely answered.
Have a lovely day.
So, you admit that you used the term ‘tea baggers’ as an insult, really-on purpose, yet you still question whether or not I read the rest of your post?
I’ll give you an answer: No. I won’t read the post if it insults me.
Correct.
It’s right there in Miss Emily’s Style Book For Bloggers…!!!!
Actually, I’m impressed at how infrequently most posters here revert to name-calling.
I attended the Manchester NH tea party and it was neither a ‘mob’ or’unhinged’. Don’t know where Buckley is coming from. Frankly, I wonder if he attended anything at all since he’s lying through his teeth.
No, though it appears that others do find that the term tea baggers is an insult. And, I will not practice any form of political correctness to avoid ‘insulting’ you, because I am unfamiliar with the entirety of your sensitivities. Therefore, I am always at risk of ‘insulting’ you.
Finally, had you followed the flow of this conversation (meaning read the posts) you would know that it was ‘single stack’ #80 who used the term ‘insult’ among other words to reference me. Well, actually it was PKammoTroop who used it first. I was merely continueing the use of that poster’s language.
Ragspierre, I appreciate your humor, though as I said early on in my post #72, ‘words that seize and solicit emotions’, so it is not only name calling. As for name calling, in this thread alone, I was referenced by perjoritives quite a few times. Not complaining, just saying some people can sling it, but they can’t catch it.
And, where can I get a copy of that tome so that my posts will be read. LOL.
OH, and has anyone confirmed that it was tea baggers who turned the tide on the supplemental budget? Or, was it just concerned citizens?
Giving new (and improved) meaning to the term “Chattering Class.”
Thank you!
Oh, golly…you can find it all over the net…;-)
I appreciate that you have been called names here, and I think we should all avoid that.
I think it is especially important for one who takes what they consider a deliberate and rational, or a moral, position.
I’ve been on blogs that were WAY, WAY worse, and I generally find posters to our hostess’s threads to be more civil than the norm.
It’s something for us all to watch and improve.
The Philadelphia Tea Party has a great mix of people attend.
One or two were kind enough to let me interview them:
Retired Air Force veteran:
http://blip.tv/file/2012296
Hello fellow extremists!! As a follow up to the small but significant success in R.I., I would like to address any Boston area small government advocates.
As you may know, next week debate begins on Beacon Hill regarding possible tax/toll increases. Since the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority was denied stimulus funds, pressure to increase the burden on us (not them) will be tremendous. Perhaps we could use our network to gather opposition and apply pressure to lawmakers. Those who cannot attend the public debates, can call their state reps.
Here is the link to the Mass. Tea Party page. Contact the coordinator, or start up a discussion. Here is the Boston area Facebook page. Let’s keep it going New England! We lead the last revolution in this country. There’s no reason we can’t do it again.