Aaron Morse for Dighton-Rehoboth School Committee 2020

I am happy to announce my candidacy for the Dighton Rehoboth Regional School Committee. As a member of the committee, my mission will be to represent the interests of Rehoboth as pertaining to the education of our youth, as well as the fiscal impact the district budget has on our town. It goes without saying that student achievement is the main objective of the schools. However, with so much focus being placed there, the financial stability of Rehoboth has taken a back seat. The last half decade plus has been marked by turmoil and strife with no changes in philosophy or approach when it comes to building the budget. Despite increased communication between the town and the district, this budget season is shaping up to be no different. Something has to give. My hope is that my voice on the school committee will lead to a new approach in building the annual budget that works for both the schools and the town of Rehoboth.

As a newcomer, this will be a difficult process. What qualifies me to take on such a daunting task? The answer comes in who I am as an individual. I am not a politician, nor do I aspire to a life of public office. I am a working class citizen who simply wants to provide for my family. Professionally, I am a Web Developer and I have been working in the IT industry for 22 years, which has required me to teach myself new technologies and techniques to remain current, demonstrating an ability to take in new information, new concepts and learn “on the fly”. I have also grown accustomed to working in team settings where clear, knowledgeable and respectful communication is key. My communication style is fact based, focusing on keeping things simple and easy to understand. I believe these will be essential qualities to possess in working on the school committee and with the district administration. With transparency, mutual respect and strong communication, positive change can be achieved that will truly benefit Rehoboth and the district. We must find the balance that will keep both entities on sound fiscal footing.

I moved to Rehoboth with my wife, Nicole, and our two children in April 2018. We lived in Warren, RI for over 10 years. Soon after our first child was born in 2013, we made the decision for Nicole to leave her job and stay at home to raise our son. Around the same time, we were taxed out of our 1100 sq ft, 2 bedroom ranch on barely a quarter acre lot due to an issue with the Warren-Bristol Regional School District assessment on Warren’s side to the tune of about $1.4M. We didn’t know any more details at the time and were only just beginning to consider becoming more involved locally. After being in one home for 10 years, we moved several times between 2015 and 2018 while looking for a home to suit our family and our lifestyle.

We were happy to find a home that suited our needs that we were able to afford here in Rehoboth, especially since Nicole’s parents have lived here since 2006. You can imagine our dismay when a few short months later, an override was passed. We could already see history repeating itself. I wanted to make myself aware and knowledgeable of town finances and make sure we voted and participated in such a way that would protect not only our way of life, but that of my senior in-laws’ and many other families in town, some of which we have come to know as friends.

To date, our property taxes have increased approximately $1000 due to the override and debt exclusions for the district. This has been difficult for many households in Rehoboth, mine included. Since my wife and I decided we wanted her to be home with our kids full time, we are a single income household. This drastic increase in our cost of living threatens the life we have worked hard for.

This is why I am stepping up and putting action to words. I have witnessed first-hand what rapidly increasing taxes can do to the average household, and I am seeing it happen again. It is for this reason that I became active in learning about municipal finance and how the tax levy is calculated. Since moving to Rehoboth, I have been intentional about prioritizing attendance at town meetings and being informed of the goings on around town. This has helped me to truly appreciate the community that has welcomed my family as we begin to grow our roots here. I have met many people and built friendships which has moved me from being active for personal reasons to serving the whole community.

Nicole, our kids and I truly love Rehoboth and we hope to be long-time residents. In order for that to happen, we need fiscal responsibility. I intend to be active in whatever capacity it takes, not only for my family, but all the citizens of Rehoboth, to ensure we have done all we can to keep Rehoboth the desirable and affordable community it has been.

To learn more about me and my position on relevant issues, support my campaign financially or request a yard sign, you can reach me at http://www.facebook.com/morse4sc or by email at morse4rehobothsc@outlook.com.

Thank you for your support!
Aaron Morse