By JOHN HOWELL -- Not since the days of the Rocky Point Palladium and former mayors Joe Walsh and Frank Flaherty has there been a turnout for a Warwick Democratic mayoral candidate like there was Thursday for Acting Mayor Joseph Solomon...
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Not since the days of the Rocky Point Palladium and former mayors Joe Walsh and Frank Flaherty has there been a turnout for a Warwick Democratic mayoral candidate like there was Thursday for Acting Mayor Joseph Solomon.
The atrium at the Crowne Plaza was elbow to elbow with Democrats, Republicans, independents, contractors, developers, union leaders, local and state officials, city employees and, yes, even former elected officials. At the entrance to the room, checks were collected – $125 a ticket – and Solomon greeted guests. The line backed up into the corridor and it took as long as 20 minutes to get into the room. Solomon said Monday about 500 people attended at the event.
“It’s fantastic,” said former Ward 5 Councilman Carlo Pisaturo, “If this is an indication, Joe is going to be our next mayor. I haven’t seen a crowd like this in years.”
Kelly Coates, president of Carpionato Properties that owns the Crowne Plaza and is looking to build additional buildings on the hotel site as well as re-develop the former Benny’s properties in the city, likened the event to a changing of the guard. “It’s out with the old and in with the new,” he said.
“The turnout is great. Local 1651 showed up in support of the new mayor,” said Scott Small, president of the Warwick Municipal Employees. Small said he is “looking forward to the change.” City Solicitor Peter Ruggiero said he was “impressed” by the crowd and Darlene Netcoh, president of the Warwick Teachers Union, called it a “good showing.”
Republican Scott Avedisian has held the mayor’s corner office for more than 18 years. Consistently he has won reelection capturing every polling district, even though the city votes Democratic and over the years the Republicans have lost all representation on the City Council and General Assembly. In a surprise move, as it came before completion of his term in office, Avedisian announced in April he would accept the post of CEO of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. He starts the job on June 1. That action set up Council President Solomon as acting mayor. He has announced he is a candidate for the job.
“This is a tremendous outpouring of support,” declared Ward 2 Councilman Jeremy Rix. Ward 8 Councilman Joseph Gallucci, who had worked to make the fundraiser a success, smiled in awe as people pushed into the room.
His brother Ray, who formerly represented the ward, was also beaming. He was excited that former Rhode Island General Treasurer Anthony Solomon, uncle of the acting mayor, was in the audience. Gallucci, weaving through the crowd, knew just where to find him, too.
The elder Solomon said of his nephew, “The people of Warwick will be really proud of him. I think they’ll be very happy that he puts his whole heart and soul into it.”
Former state Representative Robert Flaherty saw the change in administrations as a “great opportunity for Warwick.” Home developer Hugh Fisher doesn’t see much of a contest for mayor.
Democrat Richard Corrente has announced he is running again, but so far no other candidates have indicated they would run. No Republican candidate has announced.
“He could be here forever,” said Fisher.
Some of Avedisian’s and the council’s most vocal critics, Roger Durand and former councilman Robert Cushman were also in the crowd.
Cushman suggested Solomon had already displayed wisdom in holding the fundraiser prior to budget hearings that start tonight.
Realtor Donald Morash, a regular at Avedisian fundraisers, was awed by the turnout, yet was cautious how the election process might turnout.
“It’s early to tell,” he said adding that Solomon, “Has a good start and this is not $25 [fundraiser] either.”
David McKay, who once was involved in the Democratic Party and ventured he hadn’t attended a fundraiser in ten years or more, was there because he’s a friend with Solomon.
“I think Joe is going to be a good mayor,” he said, “he has heart and he cares about his people.”
Congressman Jim Langevin called the event “fabulous,” adding that the turnout was a showing of Democratic unification.
Former Mayor Walsh observed Solomon has made a lot of friends in his 18 years on the city council. “People have confidence in his abilities.”
Solomon said he was humbled by the event.
“It is great to see this much support from the city,” he said. Solomon said he is looking for input and he is turning to his department directors because they know what needs to be done. He said he listens and that they “have great ideas.”
GREETING THE MANY: Acting Mayor Joseph Solomon greets Joseph Piscopio at the fundraiser held Thursday at the Crowne Plaza. (Warwick Beacon photos)
PACKED IN: More than 200 people filled the atrium at the Crowne Plaza in support of Acting Mayor Joseph Solomon who has announced he is a candidate for mayor.
MAKING CONNECTIONS: Kelly Coates, president of Carpionato Properties; William DePasquale, City Planner and the mayor’s chief of staff and attorney John Revens at Thursday’s fundraiser.
TALKING POLITICS: Former Mayor Joseph Walsh expounds on the political scene with Seth Klaiman and Congressman Jim Langevin. Klaiman manages Langevin’s Rhode Island office.
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CrickeeRaven
Acting Mayor Solomon will easily win election over the make-believe mayor, who has never gathered the kind of crowd that attended Mr. Solomon's fundraiser. It is a testament to Mr. Solomon's leadership and true service to the city that he could pack the Crowne Plaza with supporters.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 Report this
richardcorrente
There are 2 groups of people in Warwick; those who PAY tax dollars and those who RECEIVE tax dollars. Those that PAY, want to "Cut Taxes - Cut Spending". They know that there hasn't been one piece of legislation ever written in Warwick (or anywhere else for that matter) that was worth the money it cost the taxpayers. Then there is the other group. Those who RECEIVE tax dollars. All they ever want is more tax dollars coming in to feed their ever-increasing needs. I call these people, "political-insiders". Most of the people at Joe Solomons' fundraiser were "political-insiders", and there were a LOT of them. Congratulations Joe, on a very successful fundraiser. Remember, the Mayor doesn't just represent the "political-insiders". The Mayor also represents the 80,000 taxpayers that are paying the tab!
It's now official. Cranston has passed Warwick as the second most populated city in Rhode Island. Warwick has lost 5,800 taxpayers in the last ten years and I blame that on 18 years of tax increases that you voted for Joe! (while Cranston lowered taxes and gained population). Joe, if you are a tax-and-spend kind of person and you become Mayor, Warwick will suffer just as it did under Mayor Avedisian. As Mayor, I want to "Cut Taxes - Cut Spending". That will attract more taxpayers, which will increase total tax revenue, which will lower the tax needs on each individual taxpayer. Where do you stand today on the issue of taxes Joe? Do you favor cutting them or raising them? The 80,000 taxpayers that are paying the tab truly deserve to know.
Again, congrats on the very successful turnout.
Happy Summer everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
"There are 2 groups of people in Warwick; those who PAY tax dollars and those who RECEIVE tax dollars," writes the make-believe mayor, who is in a third group: Those who do not pay their taxes.
"Most of the people at Joe Solomons' [correct spelling is "Solomon's"] fundraiser were 'political-insiders,' and there were a LOT of them."
Let's review the make-believe mayor's past campaign contributions -- for the 2016 campaign, he accepted donations from Councilors Edgar Ladouceur, Joseph Gallucci, and Donna Travis; state Reps. Camille Vella-Wilkinson, Evan Shanley, Joseph McNamara, and K. Joseph Shekarchi; and school committee member Karen Bachus -- all people he is describing as "insiders."
Now that he is clearly on the "outside," the make-believe mayor is resorting to name-calling toward the same people from whom he previously accepted campaign contributions.
He is also continuing to lie to the voters of Warwick:
"Warwick has lost 5,800 taxpayers in the last ten years and I blame that on 18 years of tax increases that you voted for Joe! (while Cranston lowered taxes and gained population)."
This statement is false in two respects:
- Another article on this website states: "Warwick’s population has dropped by 1,801 since 2010, while Cranston has increased 815 since the last official nationwide census." That is a confirmed, factual number from the U.S. Census of 1,801 -- not 5,800:
http://warwickonline.com/stories/warwick-less-populous-than-cranston-for-first-time-since-1950,134285?#comments
- Here are the changes in the tax rate since Allan Fung was elected mayor, showing that taxes went up -- not down:
FY2010: $19.11 http://www.municipalfinance.ri.gov/documents/data/taxrates/2009.pdf
FY2011: $19.56 http://www.municipalfinance.ri.gov/documents/data/taxrates/2010.pdf
FY2012: $20.26 http://www.municipalfinance.ri.gov/documents/data/taxrates/2011.pdf
FY2013: $22.84 http://www.municipalfinance.ri.gov/documents/data/taxrates/2012.pdf
FY2014: $22.84 http://www.municipalfinance.ri.gov/documents/data/taxrates/2013.pdf
FY2015: $22.84 http://www.municipalfinance.ri.gov/documents/data/taxrates/2014-Tax-Rates-12-31-13-FINAL.pdf
FY2016: $22.45 [due to revaluation] http://www.municipalfinance.ri.gov/documents/data/taxrates/2015-Tax-Rates-12-31-14-FINAL.pdf
FY2017: $22.45 hhttp://www.municipalfinance.ri.gov/documents/data/taxrates/2016-Tax-Rates-12-31-15-FINAL.pdf
FY2018: $22.94 http://www.municipalfinance.ri.gov/documents/data/taxrates/2017-Tax-Rates-12-31-16-FINAL.pdf
Honest, taxpaying voters see through the make-believe mayor's false claims and will overwhelmingly reject his candidacy again at the first opportunity.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
Rick, are you receiving tax dollars? Because you certainly don't PAY your taxes on time. I go back to Rick Correntes glowing endorsement of the City Council months ago which he referred to as "The Taxpayers City Council" and also called them the hardest working Council Warwick has ever had. Now when he thinks its politically convenient Corrente attacks Mayor Solomon. Anyone paying attention sees through this sleazy behavior that is quote honestly beneath the office of Mayor.
Rick, you haven't answered the questoon name 1 line item you will cut? You CANNOT say you will cut spending until you do. You haven't told voters how you will pay for ANYTHING or how much it will cost, that is not a "plan". New taxpayers don't arrive day 1, thats not a solution. Tell the voters the truth!!! You WILL raise taxes, just like you will raise beach fees on EVERY driving resident. You DO NOT have a plan. You have empty words, from an empty suit, who can only repeat falsehoods and talking points he's used since December 14th 2014 when this disgraceful, ill informed campaign began. Rick Corrente has shown us theres no level too low, no lie too big, or no back he wouldn't stab in order to try and score a few political points. This tax delinquent hasn't served 1 day in office, he thinks he's qualified to be Mayor. That is this mans ego...despite not knowing anything he's never let facts get in the way of one of his arguments. Until he comes up with an actual plan, with cost estimates, spending cuts how can he be taken seriously? He'll tell you it's because he hasn't seen the budget. How then does he know he'll be able to cut taxes? How can he be sure he can cut spending if he won't tell you what line item will be cut? Warwick needs a serious Mayor, not a "mortgage guy" who lost his home to foreclosure. Voters should demand specifics when this man approaches them for signatures, or bothers them in the parking lot of a Stop and Shop, or waves to people THAT ACTUALLY GO TO WORK AND PAY TAXES while you stand on the side of the road like a fool. Corrente never engages on this topic (or any others) because he knows he's wrong. He embarassed himself in his debate with the mayor 2 years ago. He proved then he is not, never was and never will be a serious candidate for Mayor.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Scal, from beginning to end, your comment is spot-on. I would also add that the make-believe mayor's continued pathetic behavior is an indication that he knows -- but just won't admit -- how much of an abject failure is candidacy has been.
For example, do you remember the fundraiser he held on June 22, 2015, that he termed 'epic?'
http://warwickonline.com/stories/epic-corrente-says-of-fundraiser-in-drive-to-be-mayor,103547?
His 2nd quarter campaign finance reports show that he received contributions of $250, $150, $105, $325, $265, and $400 from an event that he claimed [with no independent verification] drew 200 people. This 'epic' event collected $1,495, or the equivalent of 12 -- not 120, 12 -- tickets to acting Mayor Solomon's event. Here's the link to finance report: https://bit.ly/2L5PZ0c
It's also interesting to note that the make-believe mayor had to pay $85 in bounced-check fees that quarter, including one from that 'epic' fundraiser, and that, not counting advertising, he spent $1,362.25 on the event.
Along with all of the examples you cite, this is yet another snapshot of the make-believe mayor's capacity to think he can fool voters. His fundraiser was not 'epic' except in his delusional mind. No serious candidate would consider a net gain of $112.75 from a fundraiser [$1495 - 1382.25] to be anything but a complete failure.
I also agree with you that the mayor's office deserves to be treated with far more dignity than the make-believe mayor has shown it throughout his failed campaigns.
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 Report this
Justanidiot
master mayer, allmostly everyones falls into both groups. unless youse don't pay taxes and can tell us yer secrets
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 Report this
allent
Mayor = kowtow to the unions = get reelected,,...city be damned,lol.
Think a Democrat mayor will be any different?
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear Allent,
This one will.
I care about the unions. I care about those people that receive their livelihood from the City of Warwick, but I care mostly about the 80,000 taxpayers that are paying the tab. They are my first concern. According to MSN there are over 10,000 people employed by the City of Warwick. That is one out of every eight Warwick residents. The other 70,000 taxpayers are "paying the tab". Shouldn't the majority be represented? I think so. That is why I stand up to the critics and call myself The Taxpayers Mayor. I will ALWAYS put the taxpayer first.
Happy Summer Allent.
Happy Summer everyone.
Rick Corrente
The Taxpayers Mayor
Thursday, May 31, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
Here is something the fake mayor doesn't understand, city employees are part of the taxpayer base. Also, there are not 80,000 taxpayers, there are 80,000 residents but the fake mayor never acknowledges that. His lack of understanding of who actually pays taxes and who doesn't (he certainly doesn't on time) further explains his fitness for office. No wonder he wants to blow a hole in the budget, he believes he has a tax base of 80,000 people.
Thursday, May 31, 2018 Report this
wwkvoter
Did Corrente just actually say that our city employs over 10,000 people? That's even crazier than confusing "taxpayers" with "population".
Also, Raven, please never stop. Love your stuff!
Friday, June 1, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Hello again Scal and WwkVoter:
Thanks for your kind words, WwkVoter. I share your sense of disbelief in the make-believe mayor's claims, which is rightly based on how often his prior statements have been proven false once the true information is provided.
Please allow me to make an example of his latest statement that "According to MSN there are over 10,000 people employed by the City of Warwick."
First, the make-believe mayor does not provide a direct link to any website, document, or other source -- so, for starters, his claim is suspect because he provides no independent data for it.
Second, the City of Warwick publishes a personnel supplement to every annual budget. Here is the one for FY18: https://www.warwickri.gov/sites/warwickri/files/pages/fy18_personnel_supplement.pdf
On page 7 is a chart detailing all of the personnel in municipal jobs and the water and sewer departments. In the next-to-last column is the total: 838 for municipal and 904 for water/sewer -- or 1,742.
Third the school department reports the following numbers of positions for FY19, found at this link: https://bit.ly/2sy2tWG
Professional management and administration [p. 26]: 44.5
Middle Management [p. 27]: 14.7
Professional Personnel [p. 28]: 839.2
Classified [p. 30]: 371.2
Other support personnel [p. 31]: 64
School total: 1,333.6
Fourth, basic math shows the following:
School + municipal: 1742 + 1333.6 = 3075.6
Even the make-believe mayor will tell you that 3,075.6 does not equal 10,000 -- that is, if he weren't so intent on misleading people.
So, whatever source the make-believe mayor thinks he's quoting, the actual publicly-available and easily verifiable data shows that -- once again -- he is lying.
As he has so often before, the make-believe mayor found some random bit of information and twisted it into a false claim that he somehow thinks will prove him worthy of election. But five minutes of research found that his statement is completely false -- as in, there is literally no truth to what he is saying.
And as you have rightly observed, WwkVoter, this means the make-believe mayor is completely unfit for any office, and that honest, taxpaying voters will overwhelmingly reject his campaign again based on the many defects in his candidacy, including his repeated attempts to lie to them.
Friday, June 1, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
How telling that Corrente believes theres 10,000 city employees, yet he'd still have to raise fees to clean beaches...talk about inefficient government.
Friday, June 1, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
It continues to baffle me, Scal, why the make-believe mayor doesn't simply do the work to get the correct information before making so many false statements.
Alternately, with all the money he throws at losing campaigns, he could pay someone to do basic research and maybe even accurately interpret it for him so that he can build a campaign on something other than outright falsehoods.
At the very least, he could take some of the time that he spends contradicting himself on this website [like the example you cite] and use it to develop campaign talking points that are based on actual facts, instead of trying to twist information to fit his fraudulent claims.
Friday, June 1, 2018 Report this
wwkvoter
Corrente spotlighted here in the TV news. Wow!
https://youtu.be/ZgCpY73J4eg
Sunday, June 3, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
Care to share WwkVoter?
Sunday, June 3, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Scal, that's a 2016 segment from Channel 12 that shows the make-believe mayor humiliating himself with his false claims of 5,800 residents and 4,666 businesses leaving Warwick. The best part is when the TV reporter notes 55 photos of available business sites that the make-believe mayor used to support his false claim, then adds that he's 4,600 businesses short of proving his statement.
Those claims were lies then, and they are lies now -- further proving the make-believe mayor's unfitness for office, as he has not -- in spite of objective, factual proof -- corrected his false statements.
Sunday, June 3, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
Thank you for clarifying, Crickee. I remember that video from '16 at the time with Corrente making more false claims (just like when he said 5,800 taxpayers left, or over 4000 businesses or like when he said the city of Warwick employs 10,000 people possibly the MOST FOOLISH OF ALL.) I thought WwkVoter was referring to a newer video. I'm just happy EVERY LOCAL newstation has written off the fake mayor and his propaganda campaign. Voters will be doing the same in just a few more months.
Sunday, June 3, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Glad to help, Scal. It really speaks to the multitude of defects in the make-believe mayor's character that he would fabricate such claims, lose an electiion by a nearly 2-1 margin, and then run again with the exact same false statements.
Ultimately, the video shared by WwkVoter -- along with the four years' worth of thoroughly disproven claims -- proves thar the make-believe mayor completely lacks any shame; there seems to be no sense on his part that he has humiliated himself with his lies and only serves to further debase himself.
Thanks for your continued efforts to expose the tax delinquent, fraudulent, lying and soon to be back-to-back election loser.
Sunday, June 3, 2018 Report this