We are now in a new era

Posted 1/15/15

To the Editor:

We now start a new era. Or do we? We now have the pecking order for the 2015 City Council, after some very noticeable infighting.

None of the infighting was a surprise to …

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We are now in a new era

Posted

To the Editor:

We now start a new era. Or do we? We now have the pecking order for the 2015 City Council, after some very noticeable infighting.

None of the infighting was a surprise to your writer, but for too many of our citizens that do not follow the workings of Cranston’s politics, you may have been surprised.

What we just witnessed was a bunch of, mostly boys getting in the sand box together, thrashing around to see who could remove themselves with less sand! This leads me to believe that the winners may not be winners at all, because of far too much bargaining and bad feelings that will remain for a long time.

Think not; just remind yourselves that the mayor’s race is just around the corner! John Lanni is now in somewhat of a better place as president to promote Mike Sepe for mayor as the head of the Democratic Party in Cranston. Councilman Farina, along with his father, has long coveted the mayor’s office. You must also notice that Councilman Santamaria was elected as vice president. That was another stroke to promote Mike Sepe. Both Lanni and Santamaria are “brothers under the skin” of Sepe. If they had to pay for their calls all together the Democratic Party would be broke. Of course there are also lunches, etc.

I want to admit here that I am glad that John Lanni was elected president, because I think that he has too much pride to not try to keep the lid on and act with decorum in the public’s eye. I am also glad Councilman Stycos was reappointed chairman of the Finance Committee.  He is truly the only one that tries to “keep them honest” on everything!

I do not know what happened to Councilman Aceto in his bid to be the president, even though it would take the three Republicans on the council to make that happen.  That also was the case for Councilman Farina. Apparently they both were willing to vote for the other if one was to receive the Republican votes. Why did the one that seemed to have that wrapped up, Aceto, get cold feet just hours before the meeting to announce the line up and threw his support to Lanni? On the surface, it doesn’t appear that he was rewarded with any choice chairmanship, just kudos from Lanni for his courage to switch his vote. Hard to understand! It would not have bothered me if, with his coalition, he was voted president.

That would really have put the governing of Cranston on a whole different level and had the probability of producing some very important advantages for the taxpayers. I just can’t help myself!

Now for more on the 2016 mayor’s race. I would be willing to bet that Farina will run too, much bad blood with him and the Sepe crowd to just sit idle by. He would a formidable candidate in the primary. He does have a substantial following and his father could pull in some IOU’S.

Sepe of course would receive the party’s endorsement and perhaps the support of Cranston’s Nicholas Mattiello and Frank Lombardi, speaker of the House and state senator, respectively.  The key may be if they show up at Sepe’s annual Christmas party at his business office?

Believe it or not, I even was invited one or two or more times!

Who the Republicans may put up I have not heard.

But this I promise, if my exploratory friends and colleges can come up with a support program necessary to seriously run, I will run as an independent! I can assure you it will not include anyone from the Democratic Party (unless they peel away). Twice they have encouraged me to run, once for mayor and just recently for the School Committee (yes I know it is a non-partisan position, I say with tongue in cheek), and both times they went out of their way to submarine me. And don’t let them tell you they did support me, just ask them how much money and campaign workers they produced? For the recent campaign, I was told point blank that with my total approach (great signs, etc.) that they were afraid that I might become too popular and therefore have a leg up for running for mayor. I can only hope!

Promise, deny and then lie, and Sepe’s gang, they do it very well, but who challenges them?

I will have much more to come over the next few weeks and months.

Richard Tomlins

Cranston

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