Welcome to TIVERTON 1st!

Tiverton 1st is a grassroots community organization open to all who support preserving our quality of life in Tiverton by maintaining both our community and school services in a fiscally-responsible way, and promoting cooperation, compromise and community pride.
Membership is open to all Tiverton residents who are at least 18 years old & support Tiverton 1st's principles & goals (non-residents or those under 18 years old are welcome to join as non-voting members). There's no membership fee.Just email your name, address, phone # and email address to: Tiverton1st@cox.net.
You can also request to become a "Tiverton 1st Friend"& join our confidential email list.

Friday, December 20, 2013

TOLL SUPPORTERS VIEW SAKONNET BRIDGE USERS AS "REVENUE STREAM" TO BAIL OUT RITBA & RIDOT

Those with a self-interest in Sakonnet tolls continue to try to use the enormity of the infrastructure problem to disguise what's really going on (see link below). If the State faces a $100 million need, how will failing to create a Statewide maintenance process help? Will users of the Sakonnet Bridge be forced to pay for the rest of the State, as well as to keep the quasi-public RI Turnpike & Bridge Authority afloat? How will crushing the East Bay's economy help the State's finances? 

The only responsible course is to create a non-toll, Statewide maintenance process, and we the voters need to make clear it's also the only politically viable course.

http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x140442603/East-Bay-Bridge-Commission-maintains-that-toll-on-Sakonnet-River-Bridge-is-still-unfair

Brian Medeiros
Tiverton, RI

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

BRIDGE-MAINTENANCE COMMISSION MEETS TO CONSIDER TOLL ALTERNATIVES

The Commission examining bridge-maintenance funding will soon put out its recommendation, hopefully one that would create a non-toll, Statewide bridge-maintenance program. Those interested in being heard on this issue can attend their Thursday, Dec. 19 meeting, and/or send a written statement to the Commission. 

As decision time nears, every voice in support of our local Senators & Representatives efforts to eliminate Sakonnet tolls and put in place a fair, non-destructive maintenance system is important.

http://www.eastbayri.com/news/bridge-panel-meets-thursday/

Brian Medeiros
Tiverton, RI

Friday, December 13, 2013

EAST BAY LEGISLATORS CONFIDENT SAKONNET TOLLS WILL BE ELIMINATED

It's great to see our East Bay legislators united in working all-out to both eliminate Sakonnet tolls and put in place a fair, responsible, non-toll Statewide process to maintain our bridges. And while it's also great to see increasing confidence that the RI Legislature will do the right thing, it's crucial to not let up the effort until the toll-equipment is actually removed from the Sakonnet Bridge once and for all.

All who oppose these tolls should do their part to stay informed and support our local officials' efforts. Every voter can add his/her voice to the effort to make clear to all elected officials outside the East Bay that there is no benefit to supporting the destructive, unfair Sakonnet Bridge tolls, or failing to create a responsible Statewide bridge-maintenance program.

http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x2132763744/East-Bay-R-I-legislators-confident-that-Sakonnet-River-Bridge-tolls-will-soon-be-gone

Brian Medeiros
Tiverton, RI

Monday, December 9, 2013

REP. EDWARDS HOLDS OPEN HOUSE ON TOLLS, LOCAL ISSUES ON WED DEC 11 @ 6:30p AT COMMON FENCE HALL

State Representative Jay Edwards (District 70 / Portsmouth/Tiverton) is holding an Open House for constituents this Weds (Dec 11) @ 6:30p at Common Fence Point Community Hall in Portsmouth (933 Anthony Rd). 

He will give discuss the status of the Sakonnet Tolls issue, give an update on the Legislative Commission on tolls/bridge maintenance funding he is part of, and discuss other local issues of interest. All are encouraged to attend.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

THE REAL REASON FOR SAKONNET TOLLS

Even the most ardent proponents of Sakonnet tolls can no longer hide the true reason for imposing them: RI Turnpike and Bridge Authority is in dire financial straits, and is looking at users of the Sakonnet River Bridge as a "revenue stream" (in the words of RITBA Executive Director Buddy Croft in the article linked below) to bail this quasi-public agency out of a financial crisis having nothing to do with the Sakonnet River Bridge. It's as simple, and unfair, as that.

It's crucial that all Rhode Islanders understand the facts. The tolls won't pay for the bridge construction; that was done by a bond RI taxpayers are paying off. More than 90% of the funds raised by Sakonnet tolls will not go to maintaining this new bridge. The funds will go to fill a $200 million gap in RITBA's finances over the next decade, a crisis not due to Sakonnet River Bridge maintenance, which will be minimal for this new structure.

The fact that RITBA is facing a $200 million shortfall should be all the information legislators need to see the irresponsibility of funnelling more taxpayer funds into this unsustainable system, especially with all the economic damage a Sakonnet toll will cause. The issue facing each legislator (and candidate for State office) is whether he/she will support the residents and businesses of the East Bay, or come down in support of a destructive toll that amounts to a $200 million taxpayer bailout of a quasi-public agency.

Anyone supporting Sakonnet tolls needs to explain why East Bay residents and businesses will be the only ones in the State forced to be a "revenue stream" to subsidize bridge maintenance and the operations of a quasi-public agency. The only responsible course is to create a statewide, non-toll system to fund bridge maintenance, and hopefully that will be the outcome of this Legislative Commission.

http://www.eastbayri.com/news/east-bay-pols-residents-once-again-question-need-for-tolls-on-sakonnet-river-bridge/

Brian Medeiros
Tiverton, RI

STUDENTS, TEACHERS & PARENTS WORK TOGETHER TO HELP THE COMMUNITY

There is so much great community spirit and involvement in Tiverton that often goes unheralded in favor of the negative. Thanks to the Herald News for recognizing this terrific effort of students, teachers and parents to help those in need.

http://www.heraldnews.com/newsnow/x2132761794/Tiverton-Middle-School-faculty-finds-ways-to-host-activities-on-a-zero-budget

Brian Medeiros
Tiverton, RI