Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

 

 

Woonsocket City Councilor James Cournoyer issued the following response to Mayor Baldelli-Hunt’s August 30, 2022 press release regarding Tax bills:

Once again, we see Mayor Baldelli-Hunt in full campaign mode with a foolish press release that

attempts to blame the City Council for her inability to issue Tax bills in a timely manner.

The City Council unanimously, on a 7-0 vote, passed the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget way back on June

20th.. The timing was consistent with the passage of the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget that occurred on

June 21, 2021, yet it took the mayor more than two months to get around to issuing the tax bills.

In what has become a disturbing pattern, the Mayor tries to dishonestly mislead the City’s residents

by blaming the City Council, when in fact, the cause of the delay is the Mayor’s inability to attract

and retain staff due to what the City’s former Treasurer explicitly stated in a complaint filed with the

Rhode Island Department of Labor as being a ‘toxic work environment’.

The Mayor’s toxic work environment has resulted in the City not having a Tax Assessor, not having

a City Treasurer, not having a Water Collections Clerk, not having a Building Official, not having a

Zoning Officer, along with a host of other vacant key positions that should alarm all of our residents

and which of course results in not being able to get bills out on time.

Very simply, the Tax bills went out late for the same reason the City’s recent Water Bills went out

late – a dysfunctional administration hobbled by a toxic work environment.

The Mayor’s excuse making for the late tax bills is similar to what we witnessed at the August 15

City Council meeting wherein, trapped by her dishonesty, the Mayor became unhinged and lashed

out in a most unprofessional manner at the City Solicitor in a sad attempt to distract from her

inability to productively negotiate a contract with the Police Union after more than two years,

giving the world a first-hand look at her toxic work environment approach that only hurts the City.

2

The mayor’s press release reveals her unhealthy contempt for the City Council, which is the same

contemptuous attitude that has resulted in an exodus of critical staff from City Hall.

The mayor would better serve the public if she learned to work with people in a more constructive,

collaborative, honest and non-toxic manner, as opposed to submitting irresponsible “election year”

budgets that create structural deficits by attempting to use ARPA funds for recurring operating

expenses, despite her Public Works Director advising her on numerous occasions that he could

spend every penny of the ARPA funds on non-recurring infrastructure needs and other “one-time”

projects.

 

 

President Trump says the tariffs imposed on other countries are having the desired effect, and he's now open to negotiations. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said his initial tariff plan is over, and he's watching it settle in. He said every country has called, asking to cut a trade deal with the U.S. to avoid the tariffs.        Stocks are closing sharply lower one day after President Trump announced sweeping global tariffs. The S&P 500 had its worse day since 2020 as the White House announced a baseline tariff rate of ten-percent against most countries yesterday that will go into effect on Saturday. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 16-79 to 40-545. The S&P 500 lost 274 points to 53-96. The Nasdaq lost 10-50 points to 16-550.        A multi-day severe weather event is unfolding for more than 55-million people. It comes after at least seven people were killed in the South Central U.S. after storms that included several tornadoes hit the region yesterday. Tonight, there is still a tornado threat for the same areas, but forecasters warn there could also be potentially catastrophic flooding in the Mid-South and Midwest.        The Federal Aviation Administration is offering more support to air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport. The Critical Incident Stress Management team will be meeting with airport personnel sometime early this month. The FAA is also reviewing the arrival rate at the airport and will conduct regular wellness checks.        The Senate has confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The television personality was confirmed on a party-line vote of 53-45. Oz now assumes a role that provides health insurance to roughly 160 million Americans.        Steven Spielberg and George Lucas top the latest Forbes list of celebrity billionaires. The latest Forbes ranking of the world's wealthiest people includes 18 celebrities, with film director Steven Spielberg topping the list at five-point-three-billion dollars. Star Wars creator George Lucas is in second place with a net worth of five-point-one-billion dollars.       

Old News Archives