May 29, 2013 – RI Future

May 29, 2013May 30, 2013

Linc Chafee: Democrat of convenience, not conviction

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Policy-wise, Linc Chafee might best belong as a Democrat, and he often finds common ground with the progressive movement, but personally my favorite thing about our governor was how he seemed to relish his independence. He seemed to have no friends or natural allies on Smith Hill and he didn’t seem to care.

Chafee had thrown off the shackles of party politics and was willing to go it alone for the Ocean State. Or so I told myself. But now, he will soon have the dubious distinction of running for office under more party labels than Buddy Cianci. Linc Chafee, the principled independent is now a DINO.

Party affiliation is no small thing in our political process, and it sure seems to me Chafee is a Democrat of convenience rather than of conviction. Next stop: the Moderate Party. Then Cool Moose.

Scott MacKay and Ted Nesi both opine that they think Chafee’s most recent change of heart will benefit Gina Raimondo more than Angel Taveras, but I don’t see it that way. Don’t forget about this must-read recent post by Ian Donnis about how important the ground game could prove – and Taveras can still crush both these better-funded candidates on the ground. I wouldn’t think this changes anything for labor – two of them worked together to unilaterally slash public sector pensions while the other negotiated cuts; that seems like pretty basic math to me. And Taveras is still the only Latino in the race. So while the limousine liberals split their money between Linc and Gina, activists, labor and Latinos will be out in force for Angel.

But what if they all run in the general election too? Should we start the conversation now about instant runoff voting before this really gets out of hand?

May 29, 2013

How to improve sexual health for teens

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Birds do it, bees do it. And according to the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, nearly a third of all Rhode Island teenagers do it too. But what do they know about what they are doing, and what are we teaching them about it?

A conference Friday at Rhode Island College will “help improve the sexual health of Rhode Island’s youth,” according to the Sojourner House blog.

“Curious about what’s going on in regards to sexual health and RI youth?” reads their post. “Does the topic make you feel awkward, and you want to learn more about making those conversations go smoothly?”

Well then you might want to read on:

This conference is intended for any providers, educators, and other community leaders in Rhode Island to help them gain insights and improve their skills related to interacting with youth about sexual health issues. The morning sessions will include a mix of presentations from local experts, as well as a special session where young people from Rhode Island will share their thoughts and ideas about sexual health. The afternoon break-out sessions include hands-on training and skills building. A special emphasis of the conference/training is to learn about current and emerging issues in sexual health, and the roles of culture and technology in young people’s lives.

With a keynote by Teri Aronowitz, NP, PhD, an afternoon of workshops from organizations like Youth Pride, Rhode Island for Community & Justice, the YWCA of Northern RI, Planned Parenthood, and more, this is an event you don’t want to miss!

There’s more information on the Facebook page here.

May 29, 2013May 29, 2013

Speaker Fox is open to being moved on tax equity

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House Speaker Gordon Fox is open to the idea that the time has come for tax equity in Rhode Island. But he still needs to be convinced it’s the economic tack for the state.

“Major changes to the state’s income tax code were enacted only a few years ago, and he needs to be convinced that there is a compelling reason to alter that reform effort which makes Rhode Island much more competitive with our neighboring states,” said Fox’s spokesman Larry Berman in an email to me yesterday.

While it’s certainly not a ringing endorsement of legislation that would raise income tax rates slightly on those who make about a quarter of a million dollars a year, it’s a stark contrast to what Fox, who sponsored the most recent bill that lowered taxes to the rich, has said in the past.

Fox still sees “tax stability and predictability” as being attractive to business owners, said Berman, but his statement comes as the legislature grapples with how to plug a $51 million deficit after years of cuts to services to balance the state’s budget and Rep. Maria Cimini, a champion of the tax equity movement, sent a letter to House colleagues last week imploring them to support her bill that would raise about $66 million and prevent the state from having to cut more services.

She said years of austerity has left the state with little left to cut – as well as dangerously dilapidated roads and bridges and a workforce that is meeting the demands of a 21st century economy.

When I spoke to Cimini yesterday, she made a point of saying that the proposed legislation doesn’t seek to reverse the 2010 tax code changes, but rather than many tax breaks the legislature has given the affluent in recent years.

Much evidence has been presented over the past three legislative sessions that shows tax cuts to the wealthy didn’t stimulate the economy. While the evidence doesn’t prove the tax cuts caused the recession, it does show that the tax cuts didn’t stimulate job creation, as politicians and conservative pundits said they would.

May 29, 2013May 30, 2013

Gist: Low teacher morale predated her tenure

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In what I thought was one of the most interesting and honest exchanges of my interview with Deborah Gist, she tells me that teacher morale has been low since she came to Rhode Island four years ago, and that there’s a negativity surrounding local teachers and the state itself.

“Morale was very low when I got here,” she said. “I was so surprised at, just, the dejection, people were really bummed out.”

Gist worked in four different states and the District of Columbia before coming to Rhode Island and said she has never before seen the level of divisiveness between management and labor. She also said the state suffers from a sense of negativity about itself.

So I asked her if she thought local teachers were embattled- a term both RI Future and the Providence Journal have used to describe Gist recently. She said she didn’t know. She also made reference to a vocal minority that actively engages in teacher bashing for the sake of shrinking government.