As I've been listening to the concerns of 4th Ward residents, inevitably they voice their concerns about changes in their
neighborhoods and how it affects the safety of their property and persons. While police foot patrols give confort to
the residents and provide an opportunity for the officers to really get to know their "beats" and the people who live their,
their are other activities that people can engage in which cost no money and have added, immediate benefits for all who
get involved. I'm speaking of the old-fashioned way of neighbor looking after neighbor. This can be formalized into Neighborhood
Crime Watches, wherby a liason from the Police Department works with the members of the Watch. Sometimes grant money is available
to help support and expand their effectiveness.
Even without a formal organization, being on good terms with ones neighbors is the lest expensive and most effective
method of crime prevention ever devised. For years, my immediate neighbors and I have mutually watched out for each other.
While I cannot prove that crime was lowered because of this, I think we all became closer-knit as a community, we
certainly were more relaxed knowing the we "had each other's backs", and I can site several instances where vandals were apprehended
because of this informal relationship we organized.
Before the days air-conditioning, television and now computers drew people indoors, there were many eyes on the
streets. It was difficult to think thaty one couold get away with something without being noticed. Today, we have to make
an effort to pay attention to our surroundings, who is in our neighborhoods, and reprt unusual activity.
The Police are our champions, but it is unfair of us to depend upon the police department to be everywhere at all
times. We must take some of the responsibility upon ourselves to look out for our corners of the world.
One of the things that I would like to accomplish is to establish neighborhood organizations which would bring together
residents with community and state officials on a regular, ongoing basis to discuss all of their concerns, from roads and
sidewalks, to crime, to beautification projects and economic developments, to building codes, etc. These have been very effective
tools to build a sence of community, and to keep the attention of elected and appointed officials on the issues that are most important
to the people who support them. We'll talk more about this as the days draw on.
In addition to the letter already submitted as a part of the public record, I attended tonight's hearing and offered
an additional testimony requesting the Commission to gather additional information before making any decision on the rate
hike. Others who testified echoed the same comments in various ways and there was a visible sense of frustration over the
managemnt practices of this agency. The most noticable thing about this hearing was the fact that not a single member of
the of the West Warwick Town Council attended to defend the interests of the public or the town government.
(The rate hike also applies to the hydrant rent which gets passed along to the taxpayers on top of the individual water
bills we pay).
The last few days, I have been walking the streets, knocking on doors to gather signatures on my nomination papers and
to find out the concerns of the voting public. Along the way, I am proud to say that many new voters are being registered!
There are so many wonderful people in our community! As I meet and talk with people, new issues are brought to my attention.
One that I had never considered was that Vetrens of the National Guard do not qualify for the small property tax break that
is given to other vets. I had the honor of speaking with a gentleman this week who enlisted right after WWII and served for
twenty years. With an honorable discharge in hand, he applied and was refused the tax exemption! As our National Guard
is now frequently called to serve overseas, this distiction between our service-men/women seems even more unfair. I call upon
our elected Town and State Officials to immediately work to correct this inequity.
