Second Time's The Charm: Coventry Voters Approve Amended Budget

COVENTRY, RI — Coventry voters approved the amended town budget during Thursday's all-day referendum by a vote of 3,660 to 2,771. In the month since the first budget was defeated in the first referendum, the town has been in chaos, with residents calling for less of a tax increase while both town and school officials said extreme cuts to personnel and programs would be necessary if enough funding was not approved.

Here's a look at how residents voted, broken down by polling place.

• Town Hall
  • Yes: 941
  • No: 574
• St. Francis Church
  • Yes: 627
  • No: 602
• Club Jacques
  • Yes: 752
  • No: 560
• Oak Haven School
  • Yes: 551
  • No: 438
• Westwood Estates Clubhouse
  • Yes: 789
  • No: 597
• Total
  • Yes: 3,660
  • No: 2,771

After the first budget failed, Coventry Superintendent Craig Levis said there would have to be massive cuts if the school department was level-funded. Until a definite budget was approved, Levis said the department would be "preparing for the worst," tentatively laying off close to 400 teachers and preparing to majorly cut high school programs and begin operating on double sessions. Had the budget again failed on Thursday, the town would automatically begin operating on a level-funded budget until a new budget could be approved.

Residents have turned up en masse to a series of public meetings, angrily demanding answers from the town council and school department or passionately speaking in defense of school programs and teachers.

Patch's full coverage of the Coventry budget crisis:

• Emotions Run High Ahead Of Second Coventry Budget Vote
• Coventry Town Manager: 'Very Real Impacts' If New Budget Fails
• Coventry Residents To Vote On New Budget June 13
• Coventry Town Council Adopts New Budget, Residents To Vote
• Breaking Down The Numbers: Coventry's Four Budget Options
• 385 Coventry Teachers Receive Precautionary Pink Slips
• Coventry Community Irate As 500 Teacher Layoffs Loom
• Double Sessions, Teacher Layoffs Planned For Coventry Schools