by Kate Leonard
I am writing to question the funding that has gone beyond what was approved by Newport voters in November 2020 for building the new Rogers High School. Are the additional amounts added to this project legal? I have contacted the Rhode Island Attorney General to find out.
Newport voters had authorized school bonds to cover $98,862,667 for construction of a new Rogers High School. Since that time, we are told that construction costs have escalated. The deficit to continue the construction keeps growing. What later ensued has me question the legality of what is occurring. The appointed members of the School Building Committee (volunteers) have continued their push to build the new Rogers High School at no matter what cost.
On February 17, 2022, the Newport City Council approved use of an additional $15M gained by selling bond premiums (as requested by the School Building Committee) to continue construction. These bond premiums in the past always were returned to the city to pay down the school bonds and lower taxpayer obligations. No voter approval was requested or approved.
Now I hear that the School Building Committee wants an additional $6.6M to add into the Rogers High School new-Build. A meeting may be scheduled for Friday, October 20th at 7:30 a.m. to request that City Council approve these funds to complete the project. Where will this funding come from?
I question if the additional funding has been designated as legal. I also question just how much more will be requested from SBC before this new Rogers High School project is completed. It seems the saga continues and continues with no end in sight.
Why aren’t Newport voters required to approve all the additional funding being requested? Voters approved $98,862, 667. We are now $20M plus over in budget requests.
– Kate Leonard, Retired Newport City Councilor
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