Letter to the Editor: Have Cranston Democrats Changed Their Ways?

To the Editor:

Recently, Democratic Chairman Michael J. Sepe spouted off about his fear of Cranston Mayor Allan Fung securing a veto-proof majority in the Cranston City Council in the upcoming general election. What we should be afraid of is when the Democrats in the Cranston have a super majority on the City Council.   

For example, from 1999 to 2002, with a Democratic super majority of 9-0 on the City Council, the Cranston Democrats passed gimmick budgets which completely emptied the Rainy Day Fund, and raided the City’s Police and Fire Pension Fund.  As a result, the City of Cranston was saddled with a junk bond credit rating and nearly went bankrupt. Mr. Sepe thinks this Democratic City Council did such a good job that two of the Democrats who are running for City Council this year were on the City Council back then and voted for these awful budgets.  Do you think the Cranston Democrats have changed their ways?  

Think again.  From 2009-2010, the Democrats had a 9-0 super majority on the City Council.  Once again, they voted for gimmick budgets which raided Cranston’s Rainy Fund, and reduced the city’s contributions to the City’s Police and Fire Pension Fund.  The Democrats were able to this because they could override the Mayor Fung’s vetoes.  Luckily, in 2010, Cranston’s voters elected some Republicans to the City Council to provide more balance and this year Cranston did not have a property tax increase. It cannot be any clearer.  

If the Democrats on the City Council have enough votes to override the Mayor Fung’s budget vetoes, Cranston’s taxpayers will suffer.  If Cranston wants reform and financial stability then voters need to elect Republicans to the City Council.  With support from the City Council, Mayor Fung can keep Cranston moving in the right direction. 

Sincerely,

Bruce Saccoccio - Chairman, Cranston Republican City Committee