Hi all, I wanted to let you know that we now have 197 signatures on this petition. Thank you so much for your support!  

Progress!  A representative of our group met personally with House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi and staff members representing Senate President Dominick Ruggerio.  The key point discussed was that there are 86 Special Districts in Rhode Island, and 81 are all using the same rules for voter eligibility.  Only a few outliers (Bonnet Shores, Buttonwoods, North Tiverton, Quononchontaug, and Weekapaug) use different qualifications which are linked to property ownership and/or tax payments.  These 5 Districts are clearly violating the Constitution.  

We provided evidence that the Charter in Bonnet Shores was declared unconstitutional in 2019, and that the Fire District was court-ordered to amend the Charter via committee in 2022.  Though a thoroughly community- and legally-vetted Constitutional Charter was presented to the General Assembly, it was not passed and special interests made donations and testified in favor of maintaining the unconstitutional rules that have allowed them to co-opt public land, public facilities, and public grant funding for private profit, a show of CORRUPTION that is daunting even by Rhode Island standards.  

While both decision makers were receptive to our representative, no action has been promised. They are "looking into it."

THE ASK:  As outlined in a recent scholarly review, the General Assembly has the right to IMMEDIATELY AND UNILATERALLY UPDATE THE CHARTERS OF THE 5 SPECIAL DISTRICTS THAT ARE KNOWN TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL.  This action does not require a vote because these Charters are clearly violating the Constitution and all Rhode Island residents have the same right to Constitutional protections, no matter which "district" they reside in!  The General Assembly has made unilateral changes to such Charters before, and it needs to do so now - and immediately - before further irreparable harm is done to the residents of Bonnet Shores or other special districts. 

We all know that the only reason that this has not been done is that connected folks are profiting from the unconstitutional loophole.  They want to keep it that way, of course, but the law is clearly on our side.  Now, let's make sure that our legislators are!  

The media has supported our efforts!

https://rinewstoday.com/drowning-in-corruption-in-bonnet-shores-dr-melissa-jenkins-mangili/

https://www.buzzsprout.com/163601/episodes/16863582

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvZKBAMpctk

https://docs.rwu.edu/rwu_LR/vol29/iss4/3/

Please share these links - and this petition - with your networks to make sure that everyone is aware of the travesty occurring in Bonnet Shores.  Keep signing the petition, and keep contacting ALL of your elected representatives to ensure that this is taken seriously and addressed immediately.  The Bonnet Shores Fire District has been operating under a regime of CORRUPTION since at least 2015, and it was documented to be unconstitutional by 2019.  Six years later, the General Assembly has not fixed this problem, and they need to act immediately as the body which has granted the governmental powers that are being abused in Bonnet Shores. 

Our decision makers are rep-shekarchi@rilegislature.gov and sen-ruggerio@rilegislature.gov if you would like to email them directly.  Feel free to copy THE ASK above, and add your own thoughts.  

Thanks again for supporting this cause.  Together, we can fix this and end the greed-based corruption and chaos that have plagued our community for the past decade.