EXCLUSIVE: Former Mayoral Candidate Was Behind Cranston Robocalls
Friday, August 26, 2011
A former Mayoral candidate is claiming responsibility for the robocall that went out to thousands of Cranston residents over the past week.
Richard Tomlins, a Democrat who lost to Mayor Allan Fung by a 76.3%-23.7% margin in 2010, says he spent “several hundred dollars” to place the calls, which claimed that Cranston residents would face a six-eight percent tax hike every year if the Achievement First Mayoral Academies are built in the city.
The recording went as follows:
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“Parents, teachers, students and taxpayers,
On Wednesday, August 24 at 5:00pm in front of the Cranston City Hall, there will be a rally to save Cranstron's award winning school district. Mayor Fung wants to punish our children's education by removing twelve million dollars from current funding to take to his private charter school. Your taxes would increased by between six and eight percent per year. This will be your last chance to deny the Mayor from making our district second class. Be there.”
Tomlins: State Aid Is Not Guaranteed
Tomlins justified his claims by saying Mayor Fung is relying on the promise of state aid for his school district to make up for money spent on the charter school, but that there is no guarantee the money will be there next year.
“If he can guarantee the state will have money, he might have a better argument,” Tomlins said.
Tomlins said his gripe is not with charter schools, but rather with Fung, who he said is using Achievement First for a $200,000 per year job or as a “springboard for higher office.”
“I’m nonpolitical when it comes to education,” he said. “But if you look at education in this country, the cost is going up and the performance is going down.”
Fung will not be paid as Chairman of the Board of the proposed Mayoral Academy.
Democrats For Education Reform Responds
The Cranston Mayor was not immediately available for comment, but Democrats for Education Reform spokesman Bill Fischer blasted Tomlins for misleading Cranston residents.
“It’s nice to know Mr. Tomlins has finally come forward with taking responsibility for the misinformation provided to Cranston residents,” Fischer said. “He should be ashamed of himself.”
Fischer said he believes others may have been involved with the calls.
“I’m not totally convinced he did it on his own, but I think he owes the residents of Cranston an apology,” Fischer said.
