Time for a Change

Last week the Woonsocket Teachers' Guild, through President Jeff Partington, issued a stinging rebuke of Rep. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt and her playing politics with the state of Woonsocket's finances. Entitling the press release, "Woonsocket Representative Fiddles as Woonsocket’s Schools Crumble.” The full release can be seen here.

While analysis can be seen in a story published at RIFuture.org.

The sad thing is, several of Woonsocket's elected officials at the State House have seen fit to sit idly by as the city has descended into a fiscal morass. Baldelli-Hunt is blatantly angling for a run at the mayor's office and needs to position herself now as the person who wants to get to the center of the problem.

As Woonsocket began its financial death-spiral during the adminstration of Mayor Menard, so-called leaders like Rep. Jon Brien watched and did nothing; except of course stay silent while trying to ingratiate himself at the State House while angling for a position in leadership.

Is this what Woonsocket voters bargained for when they elected these individuals? Both Baldelli-Hunt and Brien have spent more time with their eye towards advancing their own careers as the constituents that elected them became nothing more than a means to that end.

Electing politicians just beacuse they are members of a political dynasty and have wide-ranging name recognition doesn't work any more. The average citizen sometimes has to step up, to make a change; and if now isn't the time, I don't know when will be.

The level of special interest looking after special interest at the State House has a reached a level that should cause even the casual political observer to get angry. Watching wealthy lawyers and bankers give tax breaks to their wealthy friends while insisting everyone else pay for the sins of the past should make every working class family angry.

If it makes you angry, do something about it; get involved and make a change.