Wakefield

Service grant cutbacks would devastate program

I am writing to express concerns regarding proposed budget cuts to the Community Service grants for Fiscal Year 2009, specifically cuts to the Children who Witness Domestic Violence Program and the Court Advocacy Program.

These cuts would have a devastating impact on the nine communities in Washington County, specifically on the domestic-violence victims and their children who live in North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Narragansett, Westerly, Charlestown, Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton, and on Block Island.

The Children Who Witness Domestic Violence Program and the Court Advocacy Program are two critical components of the work of the Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County. The Children’s Advocates and Court Advocates work tirelessly to assist victims of domestic violence, keep children safe, and stop the cycle of violence in order for the community to be safe and healthy.

Our court advocates provide services to more clients than any other program. Last year, they handled 1,048 calls and met with 895 drop-in clients at the McGrath Judicial Complex. They assisted with 121 temporary restraining orders and guided clients through the legal process in 639 court cases. These clients are facing an often-overwhelming court system during a time of extreme duress. It is essential that they understand the process and their options.

Our Child Advocacy Program provided services for 162 children. Often, our Safe Home houses more children than adults, for up to six months. Our Transitional Housing Program may house them for up to 18 months.

We must provide more than shelter for these children who may have witnessed traumatic violence and then been uprooted from the only home they know, and moved to an unfamiliar place. They must feel safe and secure enough to go to school, play, and live a normal life while their mothers work hard to achieve a responsible, independent life.

If funding for these programs is cut by 50 percent, the result would be a 50-percent cut in staff and the services that they offer. Hundreds of clients will not be helped at court. At least 50 children in South County will not receive a safe, secure environment and support to help them grow into responsible, productive human beings.

Mary Roda

Wakefield

The writer is executive director of the Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County.

West Greenwich

Tax law penalizes regional districts

With the restriction on tax levy increases imposed by the state 3050 law, West Greenwich is seeing the municipal side of its town budget seriously diminished to support the Exeter-West Greenwich regional school budget. The Town Council is forced to dip into the rainy day fund, lay off police officers, reduce highway maintenance and Town Hall services, and may have to curtail the youth summer recreation program.

The 3050 law imposes a descending cap on the amount of annual tax that cities and towns may levy and on the amount of increase that may be contained in school district budgets. The cap began in fiscal year 2007 at 5.5 percent and descends in .25 percent increments, to 4 percent in fiscal year 2013.

The law, as intended, effectively slows the rise in property taxes. However, an unintended consequence has appeared unique to the regional school districts, wherein the funding of school budgets is apportioned to member towns according to the number of students enrolled. The apportionment may commit the town with more students to an increased amount that, when added to the town’s municipal spending, exceeds the cap for the allowed tax levy.

Such is the case for West Greenwich, which was apportioned two-thirds of the Exeter-West Greenwich budget increase due to having more students enrolled.

Through no fault of the Exeter-West Greenwich School Committee, which had diligently developed a budget with a moderate increase of 3.5 percent, well below the 5 percent allowed by 3050, the West Greenwich Town Council, rightfully concerned with operating the town, could not support the proposed school budget. At the district financial meeting, Council President Thaylen Waltonen spoke poignantly of his and the council’s enduring support of the school district and of the adverse impact that the proposed budget would have on the town.

Nevertheless, the attending residents approved the budget.

Councilman Robert Butler sent an e-mail, expressing the council’s concerns, to town residents on the day of the financial meeting. A more timely appeal to town residents, who have the highest respect for the council, may have brought more West Greenwich residents sympathetic to the council’s view point to the financial meeting.

These are not new circumstances. In the past, before 3050, Exeter experienced the same harmful imbalance between town and school spending when Exeter had the larger student enrollment. Under current circumstances, even if the School Committee contains school budget increases within 3050 restrictions, the West Greenwich budget imbalance will worsen due to: the town budget, with the larger portion (75 percent) going to education; having more exposure to school spending increases; the state shifting its education costs onto the towns; and 3050 tightening the restriction on tax levies.

At the local level, little can be done to relieve this problem. The School Committee and town councils could seek an amendment to the 3050 law that would provide specific relief to regional school district towns.

William H. Clay

West Greenwich

Wakefield

Gilbane’s pitch is wide of the mark

Regarding “Gilbane throws a curveball” (May 6): Reading Mr. Edgar’s article on the Gilbane Company’s projects in the Pier area got me thinking about alternative baseball analogies.

The Red Sox say, “Well, it’s just Manny being Manny.” Pier citizens say, “Well, it’s just Gilbane being Gilbane.”

Gilbane balks at affordable housing!

The score was 5 to 4, it was the bottom of the ninth inning, with two outs, and the team’s heavy hitter was at bat with three balls and two strikes. Gilbane struck out, game over. Folks, will the Pier development go into extra innings?

Gilbane hit the ball with such force that it looked like it would land in the Monster seats. Alas, it was only a Texas Leaguer.

There is no joy in Narragansett tonight. Mighty Gilbane has struck out!

Bob Morrison

Narragansett