dOgdigger

Finally… found some more information on the Kent County Daily Times website. Appears that it’s one bond, with multiple items. Here’s the interesting part:
“On Jan. 23, Coventry residents will have the opportunity to vote for or against a municipal bond request of $19.8 million. If the bond is approved, $9 million will go to the schools.

Michael Hobin, principal of the high school, says the bond would give the schools the finances to meet state-mandated fire codes, and to improve the learning environment.”

So, just to make sure you’re paying attention, that’s 9 million for the schools roofing, fire code upgrades, and “to improve the learning environment”? What specifically is “improving the learning environment”? And how much of the 9 million will that take?

More importantly the article leaves out where a mere $10.8 million will be spent.

That’s the 10.8 million reasons why I’m voting no. Read the whole article at the Kent Count Daily Times website.

“Coventry Town Council has selected Wednesday, January 23, 2008 for a voter referendum on a bond not to exceed $19.8 million designed to improve facilities, equipment and services related to school safety and operation, Town Hall and municipal services, the senior citizens’ center, the public library, police headquarters, public works, and town recreation facilities and the athletic complex at Coventry High School.”

That my friends is a mouthful. What does it mean? IDK (that’s text message speak for “I don’t know - for all you non technical readers out there - see, you’re learning something).

What it does mean is that yet another bill is being passed under the carpet with no public interaction. It is however, your taxes they’ll be raising to pay for the bonds. I’m all for my son’s elementary school to be fire safe and leak free. But finding out about ONE referendum in a flyer sent home from our local elementary school.

I’m hoping to get a big fat juicy email from my local Coventry Republican party detailing a course of action to send this one packing and get the town council to put up a volley of referendums to let me (remember me, the taxpayer?) decide on which public work I can live with or without based on how much blood I’m already being drawn for in taxes.

Coventry Town Council - shame on you for packing another one so chock full of money and items that your hapless constituents will vote for anything. Coventry Citizens - shame on us if we’re dumb enough to pass it.

Demand items we can give a thumbs up or down to, and how much is allocated for what project - of it all gets tossed.

And thanks to my very quick Father-in-law who scored me a free snowblower, the snow is much more enjoyable!

Went out today with the Ocean State Jeepsters crew. Found some ice.

And even more ice…

And finally some mud. Whew!

It’s been two weeks since my last rant about the Internet “savy” of our local republican party. I’m now Google search result number 5 for “coventry republicans”, and working my way to number one… one carefully placed word at a time.

Two weeks, and the Coventry Republicans web site is still MIA. But, hey, they’ve got a “web guy”.  I’d happily take any feeback someone would like to leave about the Coventry Republican party. You should easily be able to find these posts by now. Unfortunately there is no contact page for me from this site - you won’t find a nice email link to submit to spam lists either. You’ll have to register and leave a comment. For some of you reading that may sound like a daunting and difficult task. If so, oh well, I’ve become an Internet elitist.

This is honestly becoming an interesting study in search engine optimization. Truly content is king. The Coventry Republican committee has no content. I do. With regular updates and posts in this ludicrous series of articles I’ll soon work my way to the top of the listings. First Coventry Republicans, then Rhode Island Republicans.

The quandary is that this all takes time. Content takes time. If you’re one of my clients, please take note. One post every other week, a couple hundred words in a 15 minute commitment, and you will soon be on your way to the top of the rankings. Some think it’s just too simple. Sure, search engine optimization is more than that, but for easy niche terms like “Coventry Republicans” it’s pretty easy and not a big commitment.