A call to action for all Newport voters

PROTECT YOUR RIGHT TO DECIDE

This past May, the Newport City Council received the reports it commissioned from two groups of volunteer residents. One group is the Finance Review Committee (FRC), tasked with coming up with ideas to reduce the City’s expenses and increase its revenues. The last such committee was commissioned over twenty years ago.

The other group is the Charter Review Commission (CRC), tasked with performing a thorough review of the City’s Charter and suggesting opportunities for
improvements. This review is required by law to be performed at least once every ten years. The last such review was conducted eight years ago.

Both groups expanded upon their reports at a workshop with the Council earlier this month. Also, both groups discussed their proposals at a public forum sponsored by The Alliance for a Livable Newport (ALN) on June 24. The video of these presentations is available for viewing on

• Ø  Alliance for a Livable Newport’s website at http://newportalliance.org/ 
• Ø  Newport Daily News website at
  http://www.newportri.com/newportdailynews/videos/news/aln-forum---finance-
  charter/html_53f56a62-fc62-11e3-b93f-001a4bcf887a.html 
• Ø  Cox TV, Channel 18 at 7pm this Thursday, July 3.
  The City Council must first turn its attention to the CRC’s report. The proposals contained in this report must be approved by the Council to appear on the November ballot, since voter approval is required to enact any changes to the City’s Charter. This is expected to happen at the Council’s regularly scheduled meeting on July
  9. Early indications are that not all of the CRC proposals may be endorsed by the Council.
  ALN urges all concerned Newport residents to familiarize themselves with the CRC’s proposals and to make their feelings known about proposals they support (or oppose) by calling, writing or emailing Newport City Council members and appearing and speaking out at the July 9 Council meeting.
  A full copy of the CRC Report can be found online at
  http://clerkshq.com/content/Attachments/newport-ri/140528_22.pdf?clientSite=newport-ri
  ALN will also be monitoring actions, or lack thereof, of the Council regarding the Financial Review Commission’s proposals and will keep you informed and enlist your support if progress appears lacking.
  A copy of the FRC Report can be found online
  at http://clerkshq.com/content/Attachments/newport-ri/140528_23.pdf?clientSite=newport-ri 
  
• 
  Thank you,
  
• 
  Isabel Griffith, Ron Becker, John Hirschboeck
  Office of the President
  Alliance for a Livable Newport