Are you better off in Charlestown now than you were four years ago?

If you're a rich nonresident, then sure. If you're the average Charlestown resident, nope.

Connie Baker, CCA candidate for Planning Commission, says that the 
solution to affordable housing is for people to save up enough money 
to buy a market-rate house. Otherwise, get out and stay out.

By Will Collette

The Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA), which has controlled Charlestown’s town government for the past four years, is a political action committee (PAC), but it functions like a political party.

The CCA is more like today’s Republican Party than the actual Charlestown Republican Town Committee. In many ways, the CCA resembles the Tea Party, but with the twist that they are more concerned about the rights of people who are not Charlestown citizens than the rights of those who make their homes here.

In the past two years, the CCA has dropped all pretenses to being the populist uprising it was in 2007 against the abuse of power. After undergoing several traumatic changes, the CCA is now out of the closet as Charlestown’s party of the rich and privileged. Now, they are the Power.

Its two Town Council members, Tom Gentz and Dan Slattery, control the Council whenever Lisa DiBello shows up since they can usually count on her vote. The town Planning Commission is comprised entirely of hand-picked CCA Commissioners and is led by one of CCA’s founders, Ruth Platner, who has served on the Planning Commission for the past 16 years and wants to be re-elected to serve 22 years.

More on “Who is Rich? Who is Poor?"

A follow-up to my December 23^rd article

By Will Collette

One thing the “Occupy” movement did was to make the issue of income inequality a topic for debate in the national arena. At the national level, the amount of debate over the relationship between the “1%” (the rich) and the 99% (everyone else) is growing. A new poll shows it out-polling over-regulation as a major issue.

Deputy Dan Rides Again!

Watch out for Dan Slattery’s new posse

By Will Collette

Based on his conduct throughout 2011, I am betting that CCA-sponsored Town Council Vice-President “Deputy Dan” Slattery has launched – or will do so shortly – an investigation into Charlestown residents who receive tax breaks under current town tax exemptions and who may be delinquent on their taxes. This, despite his failure to gain Town Council approval for the probe.

I don’t think he can help himself.

At the January 9 Town Council meeting, Deputy Dan argued strenuously that the town set up a select task force that he would head to look into who gets town tax breaks – and whether they deserve them. They would also investigate who has fallen behind on their taxes, and why. Of course, Deputy Dan would lead that posse.

The CCA’s quiet rooms

Oh dear, has she been discussing tax policy?

Merely discussing the possible formation of a committee to consider issues of tax justice was too “emotional” for CCA leaders, and the whole idea had to be scrapped.

By Linda Felaco

The discussion at the January 9 Town Council meeting of the possible formation of some sort of ad hoc committee to review the town’s tax exemption list and tax code pitted the town councilors who belong to the elitist Charlestown Citizens Alliance against the more populist councilors Marge Frank and Greg Avedisian. (Lisa DiBello was not in attendance to provide the requisite third vote.)

Council President Tom Gentz and Vice-President Dan Slattery made it quite clear that whatever limited discussion they might permit regarding any potential revisions to the town’s tax structure or tax exemptions would be conducted only in the proverbial smoke-filled room and that members of the general public were not welcome to participate, as that would be “divisive.” Their reasons included fear of the issue becoming “emotional” and fear that if any members of the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee were permitted to participate, it would end up being a backdoor way to somehow sneak the reviled homestead proposal back onto the table. Not that they ever breathed the word “Democrat” at any point in the discussion.

Tom Gentz’s bully pulpit

Tom Gentz being constructive.

By Linda Felaco

At the beginning of every Town Council meeting, there’s a slot on the agenda for Council Comments where each councilor can speak on any subject they wish. They don’t each speak at every meeting, though. Councilor Dan Slattery’s comments, when he has them, tend to be self-serving. He’ll announce his citizens’ forums or the results of one of his investigations. Councilor Marge Frank, when she chooses to speak, generally will call attention to someone who has performed exemplary service to the town or something she wants to inform the audience about, either an upcoming lecture at URI or something civic-minded like the Shovel Brigade. Personally, I find it very inspiring, the interest she shows in the town and in promoting town activities.

Council President Tom Gentz is the only one who’s always got something to say at every single meeting. It’s become something of a schtick of his. When it’s his turn to speak, and he announces that he’s got something to say, he’ll say, “I know you’re surprised, aren’t you.” Unlike his fellow councilors, his tendency is to pontificate. Either he lectures about some book he’s read or tries to show off some new economic theory he’s just learned about. Though he did preface his April 11 remarks on Net Present Value of Money by saying how “tickled” he was to drive the Easter Bunny into Ninigret Park for the Easter Egg Hunt.

Or he directly lectures the audience, like he did Monday night.

First Review: Town Council meeting tonight – very short, mostly boring

But another moment of clarity about who the CCA Council members really represent

"Please Mr. Slattery, please Mr. Gentz,
I really am truly needy"

By Will Collette

The two lead Town Council members who ran as the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) slate, President Tom Gentz and Vice-President Dan Slattery, made it absolutely clear that they represent the interests of Charlestown’s economic elite, the high-value shoreline property owners and non-residents. They made it clear they feel it is too divisive and unwieldy to try to give struggling middle class property owners any tax relief.

Gentz and Slattery were only interested in considering help for the “truly needy” – provided they could prove they were truly needy, and not in need because of some mistake they made – and also provided it doesn’t raise taxes for the high-end property owners.

In an otherwise short (90 minutes) and generally sedate, if not boring, Council meeting, the debate over tax policy was the most interesting part of the meeting.

Before I go into detail, here’s a recap on the rest of the meeting:

Amended: Monday Night Town Council preview

This one could be a dud - but ya never know

By Will Collette

ADDENDUM: Speaking of "ya never know" items, I was reminded that sometimes items NOT up for discussing can be interesting.

For example, under tonight's "Consent Agenda" ("non-controversial" items approved as one big batch) is the appointment of 2010 Council candidate Joe Dolock to the Economic Improvement Commission. My sources tell me he simply walked into the Council agenda meeting and submitted his application there. That doesn't conform to Council rules about getting on an agenda and getting Commission appointments.

Dolock is the second half of the "Frick and Frack" team and, according to my sources, is more interested in infiltrating the "Glista Gang" at EIC than in the EIC's mission.

* * * * * 

The upcoming Monday, January 9 regular Charlestown Town Council meeting has a less loaded than usual agenda, although, this being Charlestown, there always seems to be plenty of things to fight about.

There is no one listed under “persons wishing to be heard,” no public discussion of legal matters and no public hearings. You may also note that some agenda items lack attached documents.

Some of the more interesting items