Leonidas (Leon) Amarant
For Middletown Town Council
My name is Leon Amarant (Leonidas Amarant on the ballot!), and I’m proud to be running for Middletown Town Council. Having grown up in this community, Middletown is not just where I live, it’s home. Our town faces important challenges and I am committed to working for every resident, ensuring we move forward together toward a brighter future. I’m eager for the opportunity to represent you and would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for your support, I truly appreciate it!
A Common Sense Vision for Middletown
As a lifelong Middletown resident, father, and proud member of this amazing community, I believe now is the time to invest in our town’s future by focusing on the key issues that affect us all. Middletown is going through a period of significant change, and we need strong leadership that prioritizes the needs of our residents. My platform is built on five core pillars: tax reform, education, housing and affordability, our environment, and support for small businesses. I will also push for term limits, greater transparency, and accountability in local government. Together, we can tackle these challenges with smart, data-driven solutions.
Tax Reform: Fairness for All Residents
Our current tax system is an absolute mess. It relies on a complicated, inaccurate, and proprietary algorithm that calculates your taxes based on how much it thinks you could sell your home for. The issue with this approach? Eventually, you’d actually have to sell your home just to keep up with the taxes.
To make matters worse our current council recently passed the infamous “tiered tax” rate policy, penalizing all rental homes with a 30% increase. This forced landlords to raise rents, exacerbating the affordability crisis and placing an even greater burden on the Middletown families most in need.
This system seems designed to push residents out and disincentivize the production of much needed housing. It is doing just that and I believe that’s just plain wrong.
Fun Fact: Rhode Island state law caps the annual budget increase for every municipality at 4% (RIGL 44-5-2). I believe your property taxes should follow the same principle. I’m proposing a tax policy that focuses on fairness, predictability, and accuracy, ensuring that all residents (including renters) and businesses are not forced out of the community we call home.
Cutting unnecessary government spending is also key to creating a more efficient, accountable, and fiscally responsible community. By reducing waste and focusing our resources on essential services like public safety, infrastructure, and education, we can lower taxes and put more money back into the pockets of local families and small businesses. It’s about smarter spending, not just cutting budgets (we need to do that too!), but prioritizing what truly benefits our residents. We need a government that operates like any responsible household or business: sticking to a budget, avoiding debt, and planning for the future. Together, we can make our town a place where tax dollars are used wisely and effectively, paving the way for sustainable growth and economic opportunity for all.
Education: Our #1 Priority
As someone who attended Aquidneck School, Gaudet Middle School, and Middletown High School, and with three school-aged children, two of whom currently attend Gaudet, I understand the importance of quality education. It is the foundation of a thriving community.
We are undertaking our most ambitious project yet, the development of the new Middle-High School. Regardless of personal opinions on the need for this new school, the people of Middletown voted, and the $190 million bond passed, albeit by a narrow margin. Now, it is crucial to ensure the project’s success, avoiding budget overruns, delays, and any mismanagement. This is an opportunity to deliver a high-quality educational facility that serves our community and future generations, and we must manage it responsibly and efficiently.
This will create state-of-the-art learning environments while reducing maintenance and operational costs. By reinvesting in educational resources and staff development, we can position our schools to be among the top performers in the state. Middletown should be a leader in education, ensuring our children are equipped for the future.
We need leaders who will provide strong oversight, ensuring that this project meets its goals, while also holding our school administrators to higher standards to improve the performance of our schools. This is more than a building, it’s our commitment to a better future for our children and community.
Housing: Addressing a Growing Afforability Crisis
Since joining the Planning Board in January 2023, I’ve had a front-row seat to the complexities of our housing crisis, an issue that extends far beyond Middletown, with roots in a nationwide and global shortage of development to meet modern demand. However, Middletown faces its own distinct challenges, limited land, constrained infrastructure, and a delicate environment. To address these issues, we need a smart, balanced approach to housing that respects our island’s history and uniqueness.
While the state of Rhode Island has taken steps to address the housing shortage, our solutions must remain focused on Middletown. We need development that reflects the uniqueness of our community, sustainable, appropriate, and in line with our environmental priorities. There is a limit to growth, and we must push back against projects that threaten the charm of our town or compromise its natural beauty. At the same time, we must actively incentivize the development of housing that serves the needs of today’s residents and future generations.
Reducing regulations, cutting red tape, and lowering fees that hinder responsible development are steps Middletown can take immediately. I will advocate strongly for these policies because creating a path for more housing is one of the most effective ways to begin tackling the affordability crisis, which is hurting families nationwide.
A clear example of missed potential is the “Town Center Project.” Middletown had a golden opportunity to use 15 acres of town-owned land for affordable and workforce housing, which would have met a critical need. Instead, the current council handed this land to a corporate conglomerate that plans to build a hotel, market-rate rentals, and chain restaurants, a decision driven by profit. The relocation of the library, which was meant to be the heart of the “Town Center,” shows just how disconnected this plan is from the community’s original vision. This deal, largely negotiated behind closed doors, overlooked the voices and needs of Middletown’s residents, passing up a rare chance for real and meaningful change.
Environment: Protecting Our Natural Resources
Growing up on Second and Third Beach, I developed a deep connection to Middletown’s environment. As a surfer and swimmer, I spend as much time as possible outdoors, appreciating the open spaces, beaches, and stunning vistas that make our town such a desirable place to live. These natural treasures are a big part of why my wife and I chose to raise our family here.
Middletown’s natural beauty is one of its greatest assets, but it’s under threat. Our watershed is facing increasing pressure from runoff, which impacts our ponds, drinking water, and beaches. The health of our environment is directly tied to the well-being of our residents and the strength of our local economy. That’s why I advocate for a science and data-driven approach to monitor pollutants and identify problem areas in Middletown and across Aquidneck Island. With the recent $2 million resiliency grant awarded to the Aquidneck Land Trust (ALT), we have an opportunity to work together to implement targeted policies that will protect our environment for future generations.
Unfortunately, our viewscape has been permanently scarred by the towering wind turbines now dominating our horizons. Driving past Second Beach recently, I was horrified to see how we’ve allowed foreign companies to industrialize our ocean—a loss I consider a travesty. The next phase of the Wind Farm project involves dredging the Sakonnet River to lay a massive transmission cable, not for Rhode Island, but to supply energy to Massachusetts. Middletown, along with Newport, Portsmouth, Tiverton, and Little Compton, must stand united to fight against this project that threatens our environment and our community.
Small Business: The Backbone of Our Economy
Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, I understand the tremendous pressure businesses face, especially small businesses. With rising rents, out-of-control inflation, and increased labor costs, our local businesses need our support more than ever. Instead of imposing excessive taxes, regulations, and fees, we should be incentivizing investment in Middletown.
We must also address the growing concern about large corporations taking over our Island. Their dominance can overshadow and stifle local businesses, which are the true backbone of our economy. By carefully studying the economic impact of policy decisions before they’re approved, we can ensure that our local businesses are not overshadowed by corporate giants.
Let’s start listening to our local business owners and do as much as we can to help them thrive. When our small businesses succeed, so does our community.
Term Limits
Term limits are essential at the local level to ensure fresh perspectives, accountability, and the long-term health of our community. When officials serve for extended periods, they may become disconnected from the evolving needs of their constituents or resistant to new ideas. Local governance thrives on innovation, adaptability, and the willingness to challenge the status quo, something that’s harder to achieve when the same individuals remain in power for too long. Term limits also prevent the consolidation of power, ensuring that no single group or individual can dominate decision-making over an extended period. By fostering regular turnover, we invite dynamic solutions to the unique challenges our town faces and create a system where public service is a privilege, not a career.
I fully support the idea of term limits, but I understand that not everyone may agree. With that in mind, I am committed to ensuring that Middletown voters have the opportunity to decide by placing the question of term limits on a future ballot.
Transparency and Accountability
As a community, we deserve a local government that works for us, open, honest, and accountable at every level. Transparency isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the foundation of trust between citizens and their elected officials. By promoting clear communication, making information easily accessible, and ensuring that decision-making processes are open to public scrutiny, we can build a local government that serves the best interests of every Middletown resident.
Accountability goes hand in hand with transparency. Elected officials must be held responsible for their actions, decisions, and use of taxpayer dollars. It’s about listening to the concerns of the community and acting in a way that upholds the public’s trust.
I am committed to advocating for policies that increase government transparency and ensure accountability. Together, we can foster a culture of openness where every voice is heard, and every action is accountable.
Let’s build a local government that reflects the values of honesty, integrity, and responsibility.
More About Me
As a lifelong Middletown resident, I’ve proudly called this community home for the past 42 years (with the exception of a brief stint in Boston). Growing up here, attending Aquidneck School, Gaudet Middle School, MHS, and later URI, I’ve been shaped by the values and people of this town and of Rhode Island.
My story is one of gratitude, hope, and the American Dream. As the son of Greek immigrants who arrived in Middletown over 40 years ago with nothing but the clothes on their backs and determination, I grew up surrounded by the values of hard work, integrity, and deep appreciation for the opportunities this great country offers. These principles have shaped who I am today, a proud Rhode Islander, a devoted husband to my amazing wife, and a father of three young children, striving to build a future rooted in those same values of perseverance and opportunity.
In addition to serving on Middletown’s Planning Board, I am actively involved in several local charities, including the McCarthy Scholarship Fund and AHEPA Housing, and I support many causes like the Aquidneck Land Trust and Middletown Pop Warner. Whether it’s coaching youth soccer and football or backing initiatives that strengthen our neighborhoods, my heart is with the people of Middletown.
My work journey started at 13, washing dishes, waiting tables and working in construction. Over the years, I’ve mowed lawns, managed a restaurant, and have led teams both large and small. My most interesting job by far was while in High School when I worked in a butterfly zoo on Aquidneck Ave. Go ahead and ask me anything about butterfiles!
Professionally, I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Science and Information Systems (URI). I’ve spent over 25 years as a software architect and systems analyst, specializing in creating tailored solutions for complex business challenges. I am also a registered Rhode Island General Contractor and have built multiple residential and commercial properties. Along the way, I’ve also had the opportunity to help several tech startups get off the ground.
This campaign represents a chance for me to serve ALL the residents of Middletown. It’s not just about policy, it’s about keeping our town a place where dreams are nurtured, families thrive, and neighbors support each other.
Let’s build a stronger, brighter future for Middletown together. It’s time to create a community that supports every generation, from our children to our seniors, leaving a lasting legacy for the future.
Paid for by Amarant for Rhode Island