By JOHN HOWELL -- While not a survey specific to Warwick schools, Superintendent Phil Thornton is encouraged by the recently released poll by the Hassenfeld Institute for Public Leadership at Bryant University...
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While not a survey specific to Warwick schools, Superintendent Phil Thornton is encouraged by the recently released poll by the Hassenfeld Institute for Public Leadership at Bryant University showing Rhode Islanders support the governor’s proposed $250 million state bond issue for public school repair and construction.
Conducted by Fleming & Associates of Cumberland at a cost of more than $9,000 between Feb. 12 and Feb. 15, 2018, the telephone poll surveyed 422 registered voters, including 122 respondents with children in local schools. It found that, in addition to 65 percent support for the statewide bond, voters give public schools a passing grade.
“The public opinion poll conducted by the Hassenfeld Institute reinforces the real need to make repairs and upgrades to our schools,” Thornton said in an email. “Two-thirds of the people surveyed favor the governor’s bond proposal and respondents also identified school facility conditions as the highest priority among a ranking of issues facing School Committees.”
Last year, the Warwick School Committee advanced a proposal for an $85 million Warwick bond to upgrade school buildings over the next five years. The bond would have addressed a plethora of issues, from the replacement of boilers and new roofs to improved security systems, lighting, doors and fire alarm systems.
After visits to all school buildings and numerous meetings, the City Council approved a reduced $40 million bond on the eve of the Feb. 1 deadline for schools to submit its request to the Rhode Island Department of Education. Depending on voter approval of the statewide bond and projects the city would complete, Warwick could be eligible for a 50 percent reimbursement from the state.
Warwick’s application is now under review by RIDE.
In order for the Warwick bond to appear on the ballot it will require General Assembly approval.
House Majority Leader and Warwick Rep. K. Joseph Shekarchi said Tuesday he sees no reason, since it received unanimous council support, that the bond would not gain legislative approval. He said that once the council resolution has been transmitted to the General Assembly it would be given a hearing before the House Municipal Government Committee.
The survey addressed a variety of issues relating to Rhode Island’s K-12 school system and has a margin of error of 4.77 percent. The principle findings of the survey include:
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CrickeeRaven
As this article states, the local support for Warwick's proposed school bonds is represented in the city council's approval of $40 million for repairs and upgrades.
Before the failed 2016 Democratic candidate uses this forum to make baseless attacks on the school committee, as he did in a recent article [warwickonline.com/stories/council-cuts-school-bond-request-to-40m,131390?#comments], readers should remember that his own party's city council majority voted 8-1 in favor of putting this bond issue before voters this November, further proving that the fake "mayor" has nothing of substance to offer on this or any other issue.
Thursday, March 1, 2018 Report this
SCOT63
hey mr mystery crickeeraven get a life you liberal all you do is complain blah blah blah
The real mayor has my vote.. if you so smart lets see your name running for office...
Thursday, March 1, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
SCOT63:
The fake "mayor" is running as a Democrat, so explain how debunking everything he writes makes me a liberal. And as far as "mystery," you're posting under a screen name too.
That's a pretty weak attempt on your part. Actually, forget explaining yourself -- don't bother, I'm not reading anything else you post.
Thursday, March 1, 2018 Report this
wwkvoter
We really do need to keep up with school maintenance. They are buildings, and you can only put updating them off for so long. I support this.
Friday, March 2, 2018 Report this
Kammy
SCOT63
Must one run for office to be concerned about issues in their city? What you call complaining I call providing the other side of the story. If Mr. Corrente chooses to use the comment section of the Beacon to run a free campign then it opens up the door for opposing opinion to be voiced as well. There would be no need to make the same statement over and over if Mr. Corrente would stop making the same false claims...OVER and OVER. He continually makes statements that contain misinformation and incorrect facts. Instead of being annoyed by CrickeeRaven's comments, why not try to get Mr. Corrente to campaign somewhere other than the Beacon comment section? Remind him that he has to report it this time!
Saturday, March 3, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Hello again Kammy:
Thanks for replying to SCOT63 here, who clearly does not expect well-considered and informed responses to his error-filled and juvenile comment.
As you rightly point out, the blame for the fake "mayor's" repeated false statements lies with him, not those of us who present the objective truth and thus thoroughly disprove his comments.
You also raise the important issue of properly reporting campaign contributions; his continued use of this website for free advertising may, in effect, be considered a contribution from the Beacon, since the fake "mayor" has repeatedly and clearly noted his campaign in his comments.
In addition, going by his campaign finance reports, he has stopped actually paying for ads; this link shows that the last paid ad he placed with the Beacon was on Oct. 27, 2016: http://bit.ly/2FW0dPc
The link also shows that he spent nearly $15,000 in advertising with the Beacon over a two-year span -- and yet you may recall from a prior comment that he complained about the Warwick Post asking $2,000 for a year-long ad. It is clear that he would rather pay a media outlet that does not investigate his false claims and use its platform to continue pushing them; he as much as admitted that he did not pay for ads on the Post because they have routinely investigated his claims and disproven them.
So, over the course of the last 16 months, he has continued to make clearly political statements on this website without paying for them.
Perhaps a concerned citizen will ask the Board of Election's opinion on this matter.
In the meantime, it is a great consolation that you and tens of thousands of honest, taxpaying voters in Warwick see the fake "mayor" for what he is: A failure and political nobody who will lose decisively again this November.
Monday, March 5, 2018 Report this
SCOT63
CrickeeRaven again if you are so bright and informative you should be running for office...
Put your self to work..
Tuesday, March 6, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
SCOT must be auditioning to be Corrente's Future Deputy Mayor or something. Or maybe its his tax attorney. SCOT when questioning how bright someone else is...I would assume you'd know that they made yourself 1 word now instead of 2 as you so "brightly" put it. Add something to the conversation. We call out Corrente because he throws out baseless claims and numbers as if they're fact. It's simply an opposing opinion.
You haven't offered an opinion on anything other than to complain about peoples comments. All of us have at one time or another have put facts of there to support our claims, not Rick Corrente. Crickee who you "call out" often links articles to most of his comments. Until you offer an opinion you should lay off the people who do.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Hello again Scal1024:
Thanks for your reply; I expected SCOT to make some type of uninformed and juvenile reply, and he predictably obliged.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018 Report this
Norm88
Scot63-
Don’t worry is appears that the powers that be here at the Warwick Beacon comment area are also tired of the same rhetoric from the self-appointed anti Corrente folks and are deleting the comments IE the Olivia King article. Seems that the bullies do not have the power here that they thought they do…
Thursday, March 8, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
The word bully is by far the most overused word currently existing in the English language.
1. We are adults Norm. Although its hard to take you as an adult the way you talk about "power" on a local newspapers comment section.
2. Richard Corrente decided to run for office. I didn't decide that for him. When he comes on this site and launches false propaganda to prop himself up as a serious candidate, he opens himself up to criticism.
3. Anytime he is called out there are always facts to point to just how wrong he is. These are indisputable, nobody is claiming anything thats not available in public record.
You call us bullies? What a joke. People who comment here care about this city. Many just want a candidate for mayor (when he comments here) to be kept honest. I'm sorry that you want to take Corrente at his word, but as the record shows his word is worthless, much like his never-ending campaign for mayor. You cited 1 article where comments were deleted, there have been hundreds commented on. I'm not going to let Corrente spew nonsense unchecked. Also Norm, you ever notice how theres not really much support on here for Corrente? Thats not because of the "bullies" thats because the support isn't there.
Spare me your soap box lectures. Spare me your "bully" labels, and leave the serious discussion for the adults. I'll continue to comment as I always have and I'll continue to call out Richard Corrente for the lying panderer he is.
Thursday, March 8, 2018 Report this
Norm88
Ever notice it is only the same 3 people spewing and copy pasting things over and over again. You know you’re a bully and internet tough person who is so delusional to think that your comments actually make a difference. I will call you a bully anytime I please because you are a bully that is why you took exception to the comment. There is nothing you can do about it just like the in the city of Warwick your opinion is just that yours… PS my comment was not directed to you if you don't like it don't read it! We all know what Corrente is about your not revealing anything!
Thursday, March 8, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
Norm, you can call me any name you'd like because unlike you, I am not a child and words don't offend me. I was annoyed with your comment because everything and every one is a "bully" today.
This is literally the equivalent of a participation trophy. "Everyone is oppressed, everyone has it tough". The same tired rhetoric from the same bored, tired people. I didn't need your comment to be directed at me, it was nonsense and I treated it as such. All you've done is complain like a petulant child under other articles. A grown man calling others "bully" while asking the Beacon to ban peoples perfectly reasonable comment. "I disagree with you, so I will silence you" if that's not our country in 2018 I don't know what is.
Thursday, March 8, 2018 Report this
SCOT63
Hi Norm, You are correct there is nothing but the same bullies commenting!!!
If you don't agree with them then you don't matter. nobody can have an opinion but the bullies.
I'm not a big fan of Mr Corrente but he is entitled to congratulate students on their honor roll accomplishments or any other articles without getting bullied!!!!!
Thursday, March 8, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
It's OK, Scal, let these other commenters have their fits. We're proving the fake "mayor" to be a liar and a fraud, and all their complaints won't change that.
Plus they'll go away eventually. Best to ignore them.
Thursday, March 8, 2018 Report this
Scal1024
You're right Crickee, I should know better. It frustrates me when the word "bully" or "bullying" is thrown around so easily. Especially when it is such a big problem for many kids growing up these days. SCOT and Norm (much like their feckless leader) use it as a political narrative, which minimizes people who legitimately deal with REAL bullying problems everyday.
Just like Corrente I'd be happy to debate ANY issue with either one of them. My gut tells me just like Corrente they'll sling mud, spout off falsehoods and avoid talking about real problems at ALL costs. This is because just like Mr. Corrente I'm sure neither one has a clue about how to fix this cities problems.
Friday, March 9, 2018 Report this
CrickeeRaven
Totally understood, Scal. I agree that misusing the term "bully" is just one of the many defects that these recent commenters are exhibiting in their behavior -- in addition to acting as if they're being victimized after they decide to criticize others' comments on this site.
As you rightly point out, they share these same behaviors with the fake "mayor," who has been using this site as essentially a pathetic cry for attention, then whining and complaining when other commenters actually DO pay attention to his claims and inevitably show them to be objectively false.
You and I and the many others who have provided factual, objective information to disprove the fake "mayor" are not the problem -- people who argue that we shouldn't continue proving the fake "mayor" a liar are.
Oh, and I did see the note about one of my prior comments being deleted; obviously the writer does not know that on at least two other occasions, the fake "mayor" has had his comments removed from this site. So, the staff of the Beacon are not the arbiters of commentary that this writer thinks they are.
As I have stated on multiple occasions, the Beacon is a private company that sets its own standards for acceptable comments; while I disagree that they continue to allow the fake "mayor" to use their site as a free political advertising platform, it is their prerogative -- just as it's their right to allow you and me and other truth-telling commenters to challenge the fake "mayor" at every opportunity.
In the end, the fake "mayor" will lose another misguided and lie-filled campaign for office; readers of this site will see that their fellow voters have provided facts and information to disprove his statements; and those who complain about how we've exposed the fake "mayor" will be silenced.
Friday, March 9, 2018 Report this