Two weeks ago, the Town Council approved $27,000 in donations to various organizations and nonprofits. Before that vote, I raised a serious concern: the town exceeded last year’s appropriated budget by more than $1 million — in reality, closer to $1.2 million. Despite this, the Council approved $12,500 for WellOne, $2,500 for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, and $2,500 for Sojourner House on a 3–2 party‑line vote. The $10,000 donation to the Smithfield Historical Society passed unanimously.

This week, the Council is considering another $43,000 in donations:

* $1,000 to Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island

* $2,000 to Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island

* $20,000 to the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council

* $20,000 to Tri‑County Community Action Agency

My position has not changed. We overspent our budget last year, and that shortfall must be taken from our Fund Balance — the town’s savings account. That account is already at historically low levels. This directly affects our ability to operate responsibly as we prepare to issue a bond for the new fire station or address other major needs, such as renovations at Overbrook. How do we plan to pay for those if we continue draining reserves?

This is not an argument about whether these agencies do good work. Many do. But if taxpayer funds are being donated, they should be reserved exclusively for Smithfield residents. More importantly, the long‑term financial stability of the town must come first. We cannot serve residents or businesses effectively if we continue spending beyond our means.

At minimum, the responsible action would be for the Town Council to defer these votes until January, when the final report for last fiscal year is available and we can see how the first half of this year has actually gone. Instead, the Council is prioritizing the requests of organizations with budgets in the tens of millions over the financial security of Smithfield taxpayers.

This same Town Council does not properly fund our schools and is exploring changes to the Senior Tax Freeze — all while donating $70,000 of taxpayer money. It’s also important to recognize that these actions represent a willful decision to overspend. The Council approved only $63,800 for Town‑Aided Programs, yet they are now moving beyond that limit. This is not responsible budgeting; it is a pattern of operating outside the boundaries of what they themselves appropriated.

This is representative of how they manage your tax dollars.

I’m not often this direct, but the pattern is clear. It’s time for a change.

Vote for me on November 3rd to introduce better financial responsibility to safeguard our town for our current and future generations.

Link to the agenda: https://opengov.sos.ri.gov/Common/DownloadMeetingFiles?FilePath=\Notices\4028\2026\567670.pdf