A referendum asking voters to restore $765,301 to the school department's budget will go before voters at a special election to be held this Tuesday, Oct. 5.
If approved, the referendum would authorize a total school budget of about $36.3 million. The referendum would also increase taxes about 20 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value, or an additional tax hike of $71.44 annually for a $350,000 home.
As school officials prepare for the outcome, both the Save Our Schools organization and the Portsmouth Concerned Citizens are taking steps to remind people to get out and vote.
SOS, led by Dave Croston, has taken out ads in local newspapers and will hold small "visibility campaigns" this weekend before Tuesday's election.
"We have a deficit," Croston said. "Not addressing that deficit with new revenue will cause a crisis for the schools."
The Portsmouth Concerned Citizens, which opposes the referendum, have also placed inserts in local newspapers. A number of signs have also been posted around town asking residents to vote "no" on the referendum.
"We're advocating for its defeat," said Larry Fitzmorris, president and founder of the Portsmouth Concerned Citizens. "We are sending letters to our members to get out and vote. We put up signs around town. Those are a couple of things we are doing."
The PCC founder also criticized the school department's use of its e-mail system to discuss the referendum with residents.
"We lack the resources that Dr. Lusi has access to," Fitzmorris said. "She is using the school establishment and school's e-mail system. We object to having our own assets used against us."
Croston said the signs voicing "no" are still good publicity for this special election.
"I think this is a statement of democracy," he said. "Even the negative signs are a positive step toward drawing people to the polls. The negativity that we are seeing is positive.
"What we are seeing is a lot of disinformation or massaged information. What we are doing on the Web site in real time is correct information."
Croston is referring to his blog, Save Our Schools, which he is using to address questions and advocate for approval of the referendum.
Croston, who is running for office, said he would like to see political candidates avoid campaiging until after Tuesday's election.
"I don't believe October is a time for politics," he said. "I belive October is about what's in the best interest for the town. Let's leave the politics for November."
Polls for the special referendum election will open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Residents are being asked to note the time of the polls. Unlike a statewide election, the polls will close early at 8 p.m.
The polling locations are as follows:
Precinct 2701—Prudence Island Fire Station
Precincts 2702 and 2703—Portsmouth Multi Purpose Senior Center, 110 Bristol Ferry Road
Precincts 2704 and 2705—Common Fence Point Community Hall, 933 Anthony Road
Precincts 2706, 2707 and 2708—Portsmouth Town Hall, 2200 East Main Road.
Precincts 2709, 2710 and 2712—Aquidneck Island Christian Academy, 321 East Main Road
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Portsmouth Multi Purpose Senior Center
110 Bristol Ferry Rd, Portsmouth, RI -
Portsmouth Town Hall
2200 E Main Rd, Portsmouth, RI
John Pearl
6:12 pm on Friday, October 1, 2010
The PCC is against it? Right. They were against the wind turbine too, which is responsible for generating at least $500,000 for the budget this year. If we followed their advice on that we'd be that half million in the hole right now.
Dan Gordon
11:30 am on Saturday, October 2, 2010
Interesting that the school committee have been threatening to cut sports and arts program due to their assertion that the isn't enough money. Now I understand that there are certain consumables such as artist's paints, and mouth-guards for football players that must be replaced, and I know they don't cost $765,301. The question is, what is the money for? (Remember they originally asked for $1.2 million)
Have new teachers been hired? Perhaps, but to the tune of originally $1.2 million, now $765,301? That would be a LOT of new teachers!
The only possible thing that makes logical sense for the increase demand, is teacher salaries and benefits. Is this the union's way of getting pay increases, being that they are still without a contract?
Al Honnen
6:02 pm on Sunday, October 3, 2010
Here we go again, more teacher bashing. I wonder why anyone would want to teach here with all the respect shown by comments like these....and others like $10000 month salaries (false of course), lifetime Blue Cross (false also), et. Let's start supporting our educational system and stop bashing it!!!!!!!
Kamakazee
12:40 pm on Monday, October 4, 2010
Whats there to vote NO on? Last I checked its Option 1 or Option 2..... here goes the pcc again giving out false information........
PortsmouthDaddy
9:29 am on Tuesday, October 5, 2010
I love how Larry Fitzmorris will comment about the school sending out emails without mentioning that it's to the parents that have registered with the school systems listserv. These are parents willing to recieve these emails. However, what larry and the rest of the PCC don't mention is the littering of the town this past Sunday morning with their own propaganda. Not only they did litter the streets of Portsmouth, they also marked every home that is empty for any potential criminals - way to "Concerned Citizens".
People are entitled to their opinions and to know the facts. To force it down the throats of the people of Portsmouth is a complete turn off.
For all the signs, flyers, inserts, .... trash, litter, that the PCC created, you think they would have been able to give the facts or tell people how they wanted them to vote. "NO" is not an option.
Let's vote option 2 and give this town something to be proud of. If you take away from the schools, you slowly make the schools worse. If the schools don't meet the standards set in previous years, people will look for better school systems - meaning they will leave this great town. As that happens, the value of our homes will drop, because our school systems will be dropping. Then where will all these concern citizens be? It's simple economics (supply/demand). What do people look at when they look to move to a town? Primarily, it's the school systems.