Letter: Forward Thinking?

Taxpayers of Coventry, 

Coventry’s decision makers still don’t get it. The Coventry School Committee . I understand we are returning to a 2007 model. So much for forward thinking! 

The Town of Coventry has $100,000,000.00 in pension liability and we begin adding insurance premiums of nearly $1,000,000.00 to the budget next year because our $12,000.000.00 insurance reserve fund was wiped out in seven years! 

RI’s Treasurer Gina Raimondo has advocated for no COLA increases, yet both our Town Council and our School committee have amended pension agreements awarding new COLA increases! 

According to Superintendent Convery, “efficiencies” achieved over the next year will pay the additional cost of the 2 assistant superintendents going forward and that this is a “budget neutral” appointment.

Are we to believe that “efficiencies” achieved by adding another highly paid administrator will overcome all future costs when the grant runs out? How many “inefficiencies” do we presently have? Where are all the “inefficiencies” hiding?   

We need to find a way to pay for our past due obligations, not hire more administrators with efficiencies! They still don’t get it.

Greg Laboissonniere

Chairman, Coventry Republican Town Committee

Candidate for Town Council District 2