State & Local Issues

Taxpayers Association of Jamestown

Jamestown, RI 02835

March 17, 2025

Jamestown Town Council

93 Narragansett Avenue

Jamestown, RI 02835

Dear Town Council Members:

Escalating property assessments and subsequent property taxes are creating a difficult financial situation for many Jamestown taxpayers. Household incomes are not increasing at the same rate as taxes, utilities, and other living expenses. Cost-cutting measures are needed in the town and school budgets including the issuance of bonds.

School Budget:

•  Year-round residents in Jamestown are now less than 50% of the total households therefore not increasing the student population.

•  Close Lawn Ave School in the next several years. It is a financial albatross. This would eliminate $201,000 bond debt costs plus interest from the proposed recreation bond requested by the town council. Closing Lawn Ave school would reduce the school’s operating budget by 33 percent ($5 million+)

•  Offer school choice vouchers. Off-island schooling for grades 6,7, and 8 would offer students more life-long experiences and opportunities than found in Jamestown.

Town Budget

•  Continue to maintain a 4% tax levy cap. A tax cap restricts the town and school from over spending.

•  Based on continuing declining school enrollment in Jamestown schools, students who wish to participate in sports are now having to go off island and join other town teams. This would eliminate the modernization of Eldred Ave field at a cost of $910,000 in bond debt costs plus interest.

•  Defer Senior Center upgrades until a decision is made on the future of Lawn Ave School. This building can be repurposed for use of a Senior Center and a Recreation/Community Center. It would save $885,000 in bond dept costs plus interest.

•  Maintain Fort Getty RV park. It is the second largest revenue source for Jamestown. Eliminating the RV park will also impact revenue for our local businesses. On the current proposed budget, no revenue is broken out for the Fort Getty pavilion and second floor of the golf course clubhouse. What is the revenue for both of these town owned properties?

•  Bike paths: based on the TC proposed recreation bonds of $1.5 million, grants could be applied for rather than use tax-payer dollars.

•  Affordable Housing Bond: defer $3 million taxable housing bond; no details have been presented to the public. The current balance in the Affordable Housing Trust is $900,000 plus $100,000 in the proposed 2025-2026 capital budget.

In addition to the current and proposed 2025-2026 bonds, future Town Administrator capital expenditures require the issuance of bonds for sewer facility upgrades (6 million+) and purchase of a new ladder truck ( 2.5 million) Eliminating the above suggested items would reduce the proposed budget and debit bonds cost by $6.5 million (plus interest).

In closing, both town and school planning needs require a wider and extended review before

approval.

Sincerely,

The Taxpayers Association of Jamestown Executive Committee

Ann Gagnon, Linda Jamison, Mary Lou Sanborn

AS READ AT THE March 17, 2025 TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

Taxpayers Association of Jamestown

Jamestown, RI 02835

March 3, 2025

Jamestown Town Council

93 Narragansett Avenue

Jamestown, RI 02835

Dear Town Council Members:

The Taxpayers Association of Jamestown would like the Town Council to make Jamestown affordable for all.  A vibrant community exists only when there is a combination of all income levels. This is beginning NOT to exist in Jamestown.  Certain segments of the population may have to leave Jamestown based on property taxes, property assessments or both. 

1)  Fort Getty RV Park

 Eliminating the RV Park at Fort Getty is an example of a vibrant seasonal area in Jamestown. 

By eliminating this area, you eliminate not only Town revenue, but also revenue to town merchants.  How does the Town Council plan to make up the over $300,000. in revenue generated from this revenue source?  What will be the impact on town businesses?

2)  Lawn Avenue School

 The Lawn Avenue School building will most likely not be needed based on the continuing declining enrollment numbers with the next several years.  The number of declining students does not justify the continuing spending associated with this building.   

 Less than 50% of Jamestown residents are year-round.  Most are now either second homes or air BNB’s.  This statistic will NOT increase the student population therefore, making it more expensive every year to keep Lawn Avenue School open. 

3)  Municipal Bonds

  Town Council meetings have been inundated with requests for approval of municipal bonds for one reason or the other.  At this point we are not even sure of the proposed totals of municipal bonds.

 Most people do NOT realize that municipal bonds are not free money……the principal needs to be repaid along with interest.

Jamestown  taxpayers should be presented with a complete Bond report that includes the current outstanding municipal bonds as well as the proposed.  The report should also include a 5 year Capital Improvement Plan since many of the line items on the Capital Improvement Plan are subject to bonding.

4)  4% Tax Levy

 The 4% Tax Cap should remain in place.  Otherwise there will be a “field day” with spending in this town.  Most households live within a budget and so should towns and cities. 

In closing, please keep Jamestown affordable for everyone especially for those who live here year round and are vested in the town.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

The Taxpayers Association of Jamestown Executive Committee

Linda Jamison,  Ann Gagnon, Mary Lou Sanborn

AS READ AT THE MARCH 3 RD TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

Taxpayers Association of Jamestown

Jamestown, RI 02835

January 30, 2025

Jamestown School Committee &

Superintendent David Raleigh

76 Melrose Avenue 

Jamestown, RI 02835 

Dear School Committee members and Superintendent Raleigh:

For the past several years, the Taxpayers Association of Jamestown has written to you regarding the increases in the annual School Budget.  We feel that the Town Administrators (Jamie Hainsworh and Ed Mello) have both done a remarkable job at reducing the Town budgets for the last four years in order to keep the tax cap at the current state required 4% cap. 

We now feel it is time for the School Committee to be responsible to not only the Jamestown students but also to the Jamestown taxpayers.

School Budget/School Building:  the student population in the Jamestown district is decreasing by a minimum of 5% annually, yet the school budget continues to increase by almost the same amount.  While every child should have a fair and decent education, there comes a point where the cost of educating a child in Jamestown becomes excessive.  Lawn Avenue School currently has approximately 200 students in 4 grades. While we know many costs are driven by contracts, the administrative costs for this school are excessive.  Current costs for Lawn Avenue School are approximately $4.5-

5 M.  It would be more cost effective for taxpayers and students to close Lawn Avenue School, increase the student capacity at Melrose School and offer school choice vouchers for either grades 7-8, or 6-8.   The student learning opportunities for each student in those grades would be more beneficial in an educational institute off-island. Based on current information, the number of year-round households will not increase the student population therefore increasing the per pupil spending. 

The Lawn Avenue School can then be repurposed as a multi-use Town building where the Park and Rec Center could be housed as well as the Senior Center.   Any further infrastructure projects to Lawn Avenue School should not be permissible. The current bond debt should not be increased with risk to losing our bond rating. 

There are approximately 4,000 households in Jamestown with less than 50% that are year round occupied.  Student population is not going to increase based on these statistics.   

School Choice would be an excellent choice for Jamestown students and beneficial to the Jamestown taxpayer.  Jamestown per pupil spending is approximately $30,000.  A School Choice voucher at $25,000. per student would greatly reduce the school budget. If the Jamestown per pupil spending was not so excessive, Jamestown would be a good choice for School Choice, but sending districts could not afford this amount.  

With any choice or decision, the taxpayer should not incur any further tax burden.

We appreciate you taking the time to read our letter and hope you will find constructive ways that will benefit students and taxpayers.

Sincerely,

The Taxpayers Association of Jamestown Executive Board and its members

Linda Jamison, Secretary and Treasurer

Ann Gagnon, Vice Chair

Mary Lou Sanborn, Chair