Democratic leader chides councilors for opposing larger senior tax credit

LINCOLN – “What a disappointment” said Democratic Party chairman Timothy McMahon, “to think that in the most difficult of financial times, Lincoln’s Councilmen Macksoud and Russo would team together to vote in favor of making life just a little more difficult for our seniors.”

Responding to a recent Council vote where Democrats John Flynn and Council Vice-President James Jahnz advocated for a tax credit that would ease the financial burden of our seniors, McMahon was incredulous that Macksoud and Russo would pair to oppose legislation that would benefit so many.

McMahon went on to note that “our seniors, these people of Lincoln who have worked hard their entire lives building and supporting our community, need our assistance right now. For the two unaffiliated members of the Council to turn their backs on them is a shame. Equally disappointing is that the deciding vote could have been cast by President Ronald McKenna. Surely McKenna’s voice on this vote would have been an important one, one that could have and should have supported the many eligible seniors of his home district of Manville, rather than recusing himself from this vote.”

“In speaking with Councilman Flynn” McMahon continued, “I learned that Lincoln lags behind nearly every community in Rhode Island in offering a similar system for encouraging seniors to remain in their homes rather than selling out to families with young children. The majority of these cities and towns offer a credit and not a deferral. That kind of assistance means fewer families in town who will need expensive school services. Therefore this legislation would lead to a cost savings in the end. And to me, that is just one of many sound financial reasons why this legislation should have passed. If so many other communities are doing this successfully, why can't we do the same for our seniors in Lincoln?”

McMahon concluded by saying that “Lincoln’s seniors are a tremendously important asset to our community and are clearly in the thoughts and deeds of Councilmen Flynn and Jahnz. Why, Messrs. Macksoud and Russo did not have the determination to support them also, has yet to be adequately proven.