DEBARTOLO: If you don’t vote, you can’t complain. All these people are out there complaining. I ask them, ‘Did you vote?’ (They say) ‘Oh no, my vote doesn’t mean anything.’ Your vote does mean something. The more people you get out there to vote, we can get our point across there.
TASCA: So as we go into Election Day, what issues are first and foremost in your mind? What are you thinking about when you head into the ballot box this year?
DEBARTOLO: I’m going to vote for someone who is more for our rights. A little less government. I’m more of a libertarian, but there’s no Libertarian Party in Rhode Island, so I took the next best choice and that’s Republican. I like their views.
I’m really strong on the Second Amendment. This magazine ban they pushed through, I’m not a big fan of. I have some guns that don’t have magazines less than ten (rounds). I leave my gun out on the kitchen table and it’s never killed anybody. It’s more of a mental health issue. My guns sit in my safe. My guns sit in my house. My guns have never killed anybody. People kill people. Guns don’t kill people.
TASCA: What are some of the other issues that are prominent for you?
DEBARTOLO: Connecticut did that gas tax relief. I’m an excavation business owner. I drive a truck and diesel’s really hit me this year. I’m having a hard time coming back from it. I used to pay $1,500 a month and that was okay with me. Now I open the bill and it’s $4,700 (a month). I stepped back and couldn’t believe I’d spent that much at the pump. I was like, ‘Where did I go?’ I don’t work outside of Westerly.
Grocery bills are through the roof. They say there’s no inflation, no inflation. Have they gone to the grocery store? I usually cook steak tips on Labor Day. $17.99 a pound at Stop and Shop. You can’t get the family pack anymore.
TASCA: How does it feel living in a town like Westerly, which traditionally votes for blue presidential candidates? What it it like to be a right-leaning libertarian in this town?
DEBARTOLO: It’s an uphill battle. I first met (Westerly State Senate candidate Westin Place) when he was at Stop and Shop trying to get signatures to get on (the ballot). A lady comes out and says ‘What party are you?’ He says ‘Republican.’ She gave this snarl look, shook her head and looked away. What’s wrong with Republicans?
I keep telling people that we need to get away from the party system. We need to stop being Democrats, stop being Republicans. We need to be Americans again. We need Americans like we had after September 11th. Everyone loved this country. Everyone flew a flag. We don’t have people like that anymore. I fly a flag on everything I can. I love my country. Our forefathers would be rolling over in their graves right now if they saw the way this country’s run.
TASCA: Because of the political divide?
DEBARTOLO: Yeah. I’m a third generation business owner. My grandfather started it after he came back from World War 2. My two uncles ran it. Both my uncles got sick and passed away six years apart. I was concerned about helping the family and keeping the family business going. When I got that chance, I told my uncle as he was dying from Stage Four cancer, ‘I want to be a third generation business owner in this town. I want to keep the name going.’ He told me not to do it. Here I am six years later. This was my best year yet.
I’m hoping next year’s even better. I want to buy another piece of equipment right now, but (with) a recession, can I make the payments? Am I going to have to take a hit on my credit and send it back? Is my business going to keep doing good or is it going to slow down? That’s why I haven’t taken on any big payments yet?
TASCA: You think Republicans have small business owners in mind more so than Democrats?
DEBARTOLO: I do believe so. I might not know book smarts but I know my street smarts and my common sense. Who are you going to call when your septic system fails? When you need someone to design it and put one in? We’re a dying breed. The trade industry is a dying breed.
TASCA: What, if anything, do you hope will change as a result of this election? What’s realistic?
DEBARTOLO: I really hope we get some more Republicans in this state and try to really pull it back. More and more people are leaving. I’ve had friends leave. They went to Florida. I had friends leave who went to Maine. They can’t afford to live here.
I just love this town. It’s a beautiful spot. (I was) born and raised here. I love going to Maine on vacation. I love going to Florida on vacation. But I love coming back here. I don’t want people to keep leaving. All my best friends are throughout the country. I got two in Alaska. I got three in Florida. I got four in Maine. I’m like, ‘Now I got to make (new) best friends.’
I’m going to get married right here in Westerly. I got 13 acres right on Route 1. I hate seeing people leave because they can’t afford it.
Joe Tasca can be reached at jtasca@thepublicsradio.org
