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Unfortunately, as she usually does , Mrs. Wilkinson, (local council embarrasment) points out the obvious but fails to identify or extrapolate on the reasons why we are in this particular predicament. So let me fill in the blanks.

For 30 years, the monies absconded from the taxpayers in the form of gasoline taxes, increased sales taxes, and registration fees that were earmarked for the "MAINTENANCE" of roads and bridges, has been put into the general fund and used to pay for massive unfunded liabilities. These unfunded liabilities are the result of 60 years of democratic leadership that has given away the store to special interests by exchanging lucrative labor contracts with unrealisteic pension and healthcare programs, for democratic votes. Very simple. Much like Mrs. Wilkinson has done during her stint on the Warwick City Council. Now, maybe its a mathematics deficincy that these democrat opperatives suffer from, but mathematics is neither democrat or republican. When year after year your pension program returns 2.28% or less over a 15 year period, you cannot continue to calculate benefits based upon 8.5%, or 8%, or the current 7.5%. Hence, the money has to come from somewhere, so these "earmarked monies" are raided from the general fund to pay the UNFUNDED LIABILITIES, leaving little to no money left for maintenance. Problem 1.

To add insult to injury, the agency that is tasked with the managment of these structures (RIDOT) is, and has been a dumping ground for unqualified, unskilled people for 30 years or more. Any individual that possessed no more of a skill set other than knowing how to hold a shovel was promised a job by a politiicial hack such as Camille Wilkinson, as a trade off for a vote, and dumped into the agency. Its a fact and everyone knows it. In particular, current DOT director Peter Alviti was the chaiman of the board of the International Laborers Health and Safety Fund along with Treasurer Steven Cardi, and union leader Armand Sabatoni. Problem #2.

During this 30 year period of dysfunction, too many administrators and field personnel became too close with the major construction companies here in Rhode Island and gross deviations of code compliance were allowed to go unanswered. Contractors were allowed to cut corners, overcharge for services not rendered, and we continued to pay the bill. Shotty construction was everywhere due to lack of proper qualified oversight personnel, (which continues today), and fast forward 30 years, our infrastructure is in shambles. The Question is - What has changed? Answer - Absolutuely nothing.

As evidence to my claim let me point to DOT & Cardi's current abortion, the Apponaug Circulator Project. Since last February I have written letters to all parties, including Wilkinson and this new paper, pertainig to the enormous code violations. Wilkinson never even resonded, much like the rest of the council. God forbid we hold anyone in our community accountable. When the Hummel Report finally broke the piece about my alleged code compliance issues, Peter Alviti admitted on camera that there were serious concerns to code compliance. What did our local officials due? They issued a proclamation that they would meet with all concerned residents to address any citizens concerns. As we all know, the meeting never took place. That was November 18th 2015.

Last week, more code violations were brought to the attention of the media by me, and again, DOT director Peter Alviti went on comaera admitting yet again, that there were more code violations in the Apponaug Circulator. What has changed? Nothing. Here's why. If you read the project specification you will note that each contractor and sub contractor MUST have a certified quality assurance program in place. The current contractor Cardi, has no certified QA program so they hire and pay an outside agency, in this case Theilsch Engineering, to provide quality assurance inspection. On any construction project anywhere in the country, the third party independant testing agency works on behalf of the owner or engineer of record, which in this case would be RI DOT. But not in Rhode Island. RI DOT has no qualified personnel so the testing and inspection of these projects is paid for by the contractor, in this case CARDI. Do we understand the conflict of interest yet? Nothing has changed, but Ms. Wilkinson doesnt address the broken agency that will be left to manage the tax dollars. Much like the broken finance committee of the Warwick City Council that Ms. Wilkinson is the current chairperson of.

I find it offensive that an individual such as Wilinson can write a peice such as this when clearly she has become the local poster child for how problems such as the issue at hand proliferate. Sher herself has been at the helm of hiring of unqualified people and circumventing the system. Case and point 1, the hiring of City Auditior, Kathleeen Avila. Unqualified, no accounting background, never worked in an accounting environment. Case and point 2, the hiring of a consultant to identify best practices in the helath care system of Warwick Employees. $15,000 expenditure, and ignored all 6 recommendations.

I could go on for days, but it is trully laughable that Wilkinson or any other Democrat, can expound about the obvious, but wear blinders to the reasons why. And she seeks higher office? Why is R.I. in last place on every list? Keep electing the same people, keep giving away the store.

Having inspected numerous bridges throughout New England, I can assure you, that its not the trucks that have caused the decaying conditions. It is however, the complete lack of mainenance due to the theft of your tax dollars. By the way, nothing has changed.