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Dear WarwickFreemason,

I wish you were right. You're not.

I wish the teachers ULTIMATELY worked for us, the taxpayers. They don't.

I wish the taxpayers had "the power of the purse" as you say. They don't.

Here is the problem as I see it. We taxpayers have paid over $160,000,000 dollars a year - over 1 BILLION DOLLARS since 2009, but we didn't pay it to the teachers. We paid it to a third party middleman called the School Committee (SC). We trusted them to spend our money wisely. Do you think they have? I don't. I believe they mismanaged it horribly. In the last year their staff has grown by over 30% while the teachers have been reduced in number by about the same 30%. During that same time our schools were denied even the most basic attention and our teachers are entering their third year with no employment contract. How's that working out in your opinion WarwickFreemason? On a scale of 1 to 100 I give the School Committee a one...and that's because I rounded it UP!

This year they received another $160,000,000 or so, and they now want an ADDITIONAL $84,000,000 PLUS ANOTHER $30,000,000. I have said many times that we NEED accountability from the SC who are spending the taxpayers money faster than the taxpayers can earn it. As Mayor, I would not give them a dime until I had answers to my and the City Councils questions because our city charter does NOT ALLOW the Mayor or the City Council to advise, direct, suggest, or influence any of the spending habits of the Warwick School Committee from "the minute they receive the taxpayers money". If we had a Home Rule Charter, we taxpayers, represented by our Mayor and our City Council would have the power to demand answers to questions that we can't even ask the SC about today.

You rightly asked "Do you agree the teachers allegiance should be to the students and the taxpayers first?" Yes, WarwickFreemason, I do. The problem is that we have to contend with the School Committee as that middleman. That organization is stopping that "allegiance" from happening.

You also asked "Why do we have a teacher's union?" That answer is simple. "To protect the teachers from the greed and control of the School Committee." If we didn't have the SC, we might not need as much of a union force, but I still think they would need some kind of an organization to speak for the teachers. They could negotiate directly with the City Council and I'm sure it couldn't possibly be any worse than it is today. That's what the Police Union does. That's what the Municipal Employees Union does. That's what the Firefighters Union does. Those unions are working fairly well. The Warwick Teachers Union is NOT but I strongly believe the reason lies in the mismanagement of funds from the SC. I don't blame the teachers at all.

You also quoted me as saying "80,000 residents support the teachers". I said that "the 80,000 taxpayers who are paying the tab, overwhelmingly support the teachers". My source is from the last two-years plus of campaigning and speaking to literally thousands of Warwick taxpayers, each one of which supports the idea that the Warwick teachers deserve a SIGNED contract. I have yet to meet ONE that says they don't. Not one. If you or anyone reading this feels that the Warwick teachers do NOT deserve a signed contract, then please call me directly. I would like to hear your comments. My cell phone is 401-338-9900. Remember, I am not saying they deserve "a million dollars". What I have said repeatedly is that they deserve a "signed contract". I stand by that comment.

I respect your comments WarwickFreemason and out of respect to you I will now refer to you as "The Taxpayers Freemason" if that's OK with you.

Happy Autumn The Taxpayers Freemason.

Happy Autumn Warwick teachers.

Happy Autumn everyone.

Rick Corrente

The Taxpayers Mayor