For Warwick residents and businesses owners who have been interested in adopting solar power but have yet to take the plunge, the city now has a special opportunity with “Solarize …
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For Warwick residents and businesses owners who have been interested in adopting solar power but have yet to take the plunge, the city now has a special opportunity with “Solarize Warwick.”
The campaign comes out of a larger initiative, “Solarize Rhode Island,” which has helped more than 350 residents and business access solar power throughout the state since its inception in 2014.
The community-based program was established through a partnership between the Office of Energy Resources, Commerce RI, and the non-profit organization SmartPower.
The program, which has been successful in more than 100 communities across New England, reduces the cost of solar installation by using a competitive installer, a tiered pricing system, and community-based marketing focused on education.
“Over the course of recent months there has been an increased interest from both residential and commercial parties in solar energy,” Mayor Scott Avedisian said. “Warwick has worked tirelessly to become a leader that protects our natural resources. As we continue to educate residents about the solar options available to them, we also hope to increase general awareness about the benefits, both economic and environmental, of solar energy.”
The city will be partnering with SolarFlair as the primary solar installer for Solarize Warwick. SolarFlair is a Massachusetts-based solar company with a Rhode Island office in North Smithfield. The organization has participated in 17 similar community campaigns throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, including Solarize Providence.
“We’re excited to be the selected installer for the Solarize Warwick program,” said Matthew Arner, president of SolarFlair. “We look forward to working with the city of Warwick and its residents to offer high quality, affordable solar installations for both residential and commercial properties.”
Solarize Warwick has already begun and will run through Sept. 29.
“Solarize Warwick Solar 101,” an educational presentation, will be held on Aug. 16 from 6:30 p.m. to 8p.m. at the Warwick Public Library, 600 Sandy Lane. Guests will be able to meet with the installer and learn about pricing and equipment opportunities. Those interested will be able to sign up at the presentation. The presentation is free and open to the public.
For more information about Solarize Warwick, to learn about upcoming events, or to sign up, visit solarizeri.com/warwick or call 401-349-3475.
8 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
richardcorrente
In my campaign for Mayor of Warwick I have proposed energy deregulation for all 80,000 taxpayers. Solar is one of the areas I will focus on. I have already met with the people at "SolarFlair" and it seems that we can save the Warwick taxpayers more than we are proposing but that program is still being tweaked.
Additionally, our Lieutenant Governor Dan McGee has told me that he wants "over 40% of Rhode Islanders to enjoy an alternate electric company". (currently under 6%). Saving energy, through solar or an alternate electric company also save money and I am committed to do just that. I have on my team, some of the most experienced certified energy specialists in the nation. Rhode Island requires that they take a course specific to our state and each one has taken the proper classes and have received their certification. I will appoint a Director of Energy Deregulation, a position that will be at no cost to the taxpayer. We will all benefit from the knowledge we receive from these energy experts and it is my goal to have lower cost, deregulated electricity for every Warwick taxpayer that wants it. Be advised that National Grid is predicting a large increase in their rates starting in October.
Stay tuned on this one. The savings are real and the cost to the taxpayer, in my administration, will be zero.
Enjoy your Summer. Next Summer your air conditioning will cost less!
Richard Corrente
Endorsed Democrat for Mayor
Tuesday, August 16, 2016 Report this
CrickeeRaven
How should we trust anything you say, Dick, about solar or anything else, when you can't even tell the truth about the tax break you get from not owning your home? http://warwickpost.com/correntes-attacks-fail-on-the-facts/
Thursday, August 18, 2016 Report this
Bob_Cushman
Since CrickeeRaven believes everything printed in the Warwick Post is true, I checked out the article and posted this response on that article:
Talk about slanted reporting. Sorry Rob Borkowski, this yet again proves that you and the Warwick Post can’t get the facts straight and is as bad as Corrente in making claims that simply are not true.
You write, “Take a moment to re-read something that was just mentioned: The fiscal 2017 tax rate is lower than the FY2016 rate, meaning it fell, rather than increased. [Corrente is claiming 16 straight years of tax increases under Avedisian; fiscal 2017 ends that streak, which goes unmentioned by Corrente.]”
The total amount of revenue budgeted in fiscal 2016 from property taxes was $221,900,051. In the current 2017 fiscal year, property tax revenue is budgeted at $226,606,952, an increase of $4,706,901. In this case Corrente is right, Avedisian increased taxes again for the 16th straight year.
Your snake oil reporting forgets to mention to your readers that with any property revaluation the final results are total revenue neutral, meaning the overall taxes collected will stay the same at the end of the revaluation if all things remain the same in the budget.
If overall property values in the city increase, the tax rate will decrease [that is what happened in this revaluation]. If overall property values in the city decrease, the tax rate will increase.
However since the Mayor Avedisian can’t control city spending each year and has been unable to balance the budget over the past two years tapping the city rainy day fund, he created a $3 million structural deficit carried into the fiscal 2017 budget.
That forced him to decide to either cut $3 million in spending (pipe dream] or at least increase the "revised reval tax rate" higher, to collect that additional $3 million needed to balance the budget. And that’s exactly what he did.
But to make matters worse he continued new record city spending by another $1.7 million, thus increasing the new rate even more. The entire $4.7 million went to the city budget, since schools were level funded again, to pay for more active and retired employee benefits.
So even through the tax rate is below what it was last year, that doesn't mean property taxes did not increase this year.
Bottom line Rob, you as well as Corrente are “playing political games with the facts”.
Thursday, August 18, 2016 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Bob Cushman, you apparently missed the part where they corrected and clarified the article. Do try to keep up.
Thursday, August 18, 2016 Report this
Bob_Cushman
What a bunch of frauds and cowards at the Warwick Post.
What you CrickeeRaven fail to realize (or maybe you do realize) it was my comment that I posted (pending the editors approval, that never came) on the Warwick Post page that called out Rob Borkowski for his mistake. But in true cowardly fashion Borkowski or the editor or you, never posted my comment on the page that intentional posted on this paper as proof of the error.
But they did write this statement to make it appear like they caught and fixed the error:
"Take a moment to re-read something that was just mentioned: The fiscal 2017 tax rate is lower than the FY2016 rate, meaning it fell, rather than increased. [Corrente is claiming 16 straight years of tax increases under Avedisian; as reported previously, fiscal 2017’s tax rate reduction and the recent revaluation of property means that the city will generate more tax revenue, which supports Corrente’s statement.]"
Before it read: “Take a moment to re-read something that was just mentioned: The fiscal 2017 tax rate is lower than the FY2016 rate, meaning it fell, rather than increased. [Corrente is claiming 16 straight years of tax increases under Avedisian; fiscal 2017 ends that streak, which goes unmentioned by Corrente.]”
Some Great Journalistic ethics at the Warwick Post. How can you believe anything that is written in the Warwick Post. Clearly Rob and the other member of the 2 man team have a political agenda.
Thursday, August 18, 2016 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Aw, Bobby, what's the matter? Can't stand it when people actually own up to their mistakes? I did a little further reading, and it appears that the Post called you out in 2014 for providing the talking points for the defeated Republican candidate: http://warwickpost.com/stacia-petri-and-big-scary-numbers/
So, if anyone has a political agenda, it's you.
Thursday, August 18, 2016 Report this
Bob_Cushman
Have they owned up to their mistake?
It interesting that they can post a 12:30 Pm update to further slam Corrente but fail to clarify the change that supports Corrente’s claim. Is that objective?
A reputable news outlet with nothing to hide does not censor comments or write slanted one sided stories. Those that do, have a hidden agenda and cannot be trusted to be impartial and tell a fair and balanced story.
Thursday, August 18, 2016 Report this
CrickeeRaven
There, there, Bobby. Get it out of your system.
I don't recall from any of the reporting in the Beacon about you that you have any background in media or journalism.
I've also read the Post's "Comment Standards" where the very first note is: "Your words will be subject to review prior to publication on the site, and the decision on whether to post your comments [or not] rests with us, the publishers of the site," and the last one states: "Keep in mind that we are professional journalists with lots of experience — we can say with certainty that there’s nothing in the First Amendment that prevents us, as the owners of a private company, from moderating online comment boards that we provide according to standards that we set."
So, you failed at reading comprehension, Bobby, and are attacking someone else for your own failure.
Thursday, August 18, 2016 Report this