Councilor Art Ward issued this statement late Sunday:
All citizens have a right to know where their elected officials stand on a multitude of issues, one of these being city spending and the residents tax dollars.
Our senior citizens, our Bristol residents who are on fixed incomes, those taxpayers whose incomes are void of any expendable income and all of us who contribute to the fiscal wellness of this community need to have the assurance that our governmental spending is prioritized, controlled and fiscally responsible.
Nary a month has gone by in this administration whereby the Mayor, the Board of Education or members of our City Council have not suggested, advocated for or speculated on the promotion of ideas such as a new, relocated city hall, new multimillion dollar school facilities, new synthetic ball fields or the creation of a new ultra-expensive sports complex on the Roberts property.
In and of themselves, most of these issues can stand on it's own merits but thrown together, creating only a web of personalized wish lists, not a one can be generated to become reality.
We, as the City of Bristol cannot afford to do them all nor can we afford all at once. I favor some spending but I do not favor all spending.
I have always favored the idea of prioritizing city projects based upon need and fiscal responsibility. Revitalizing and maintaining our existing parks, such as Rockwell park, must come before adding major additions to our park system in order to insure that we do not sacrifice our present park structure.
Undoubtedly, our school system needs to be addressed but not without the benefit of either public opinion or regard of the need for accountability of our board of Education. These recent plans of returning to a K-8 system of education have been dumped on the doorstep of the City Council in a very haphazard manner. Parents have not, in my opinion, had sufficient opportunity to express their preference for the retention of neighborhood schools or the return to the K-8 system and the effects of this proposal, such as the increased bussing of students. The dissemination of the merits or detriments of either approach has not been conveyed to the parents of our student population nor the general public. The Board of Education has not addressed the issues of prospective land costs associated with the potential proposed purchases of additional properties such as the Scalia or Crowley properties, right or wrong, needed or not.
The Bristol Board of Education needs to go back and conduct neighborhood meetings to instill a greater detailed understanding for these initiatives. City Planner Alan Weiner ran an excellent series of meetings on the impact of the proposed Route 72 for the public and the Board of education should do not less on this most important issue for our community.
As a Cochairman of the first Park Revitalization Committee, I was a proponent, along with the rest of that established committee, for the Brackett Park and E.G. Stocks projects followed by the revitalization of both Rockwell and Page Park along with the rest of our existing parks and then, and only then addressing the expansion of any proposed park property such as the Roberts property.
The revitalization of Rockwell Park was to be initiated through the availability of (4) four million dollars of state funding, which this administration did not pursue, resulting in the delay of any progress on this project and the need for the recent 5 Year Capital Improvement allocation of over (2) two million dollars of Bristol taxpayer's dollars. As a result, this administration has not delivered on promised programs such as the long awaited Skate Board Park or the proposed Dog Park. As Mayor, I will actively pursue the completion of priorities as these.
We should be responsibly looking at our long-term spending priorities and as Mayor, I will advocate that all departments, commissions and boards, including the Board of Education, envision their long-term needs with an eye on responsible fiscal planning and the establishment of long-term spending priorities.
Of the (14) fourteen budget processes which I have participated in approving, (5) five contained no tax increases, most increases were under a mil. Two years ago candidate Bill Stortz ran a campaign that professed that a huge tax increase would be necessary, only to realize after his election that a surplus existed demonstrating, despite republican rhetoric, that Democratic administrations promoted conservative, fiscally responsible budgets while delivering prioritized agendas of public service.
Working with respect, cooperation and in concert with the Comptroller's office and the Board of Finance, we will deliver sound fiscal management. In difference to the present administration, mutual respect for people will be the standard, not the exception.
Finally, fiscal stability and growth of revenue enhancement requires grant resources and economic development. We will recognize the value of our personnel, their expertise and their abilities to further the growth of the City of Bristol rather than allowing personal vendettas to tarnish the reputation and impede the progress of this great community. Prioritization will immediately center on development of both the Center Mall property and Southeast Industrial Park along with the continued revitalization of our city park system. TOGETHER WE CAN MOVE FOR-WARD.
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