October 30, 2014 – RI Future

October 30, 2014October 30, 2014

Chafee, Mukpo speak at EbolaBeGone vigil

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Gov Chafee dressed in traditional Liberian clothes. Photo by Steve Ahlquist.

EbolaBeGone, a local activist group gathering supplies and resources to combat the Ebola epidemic in Liberia and other West African countries held a candlelight vigil at the State House attended by over two hundred people last night. Speakers spoke movingly of having lost friends, families and classmates to this terrible disease that has now claimed over 5000 victims.

Governor Lincoln Chafee, who publicly rebuked the positions of Governors Chris Christie in New Jersey and Andrew Cuomo in New York when he said Rhode Island would base its policies regarding Ebola on science (as opposed to politically expedient fear), attended in full African dress and spoke briefly to the crowd, but he kept his comments off politics and on the message of hope and remembrance.

One surprise speaker was Ashoka Mukpo, the Rhode Island native and journalist who contracted Ebola in Liberia and survived. “Liberia for me was a second home,” said Mukpo, “I love the country and love the people… I was very lucky to have all these resources that could take care of me… and I know so many Liberians have not had that opportunity…”

Towards the end of the vigil, a woman sang “God is bigger than us” in Grebo, a language native to Liberia.

Consider donating to the efforts of EbolaBeGone. You can find out more on their Facebook page.

Images from Liberia were projected onto the State House

October 30, 2014

Polls show increasingly close governor’s race

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There’s been six polls in the last month concerning the governor’s race and taken together they show a increasingly close dash to the finish line between Democrat Gina Raimondo and Republican Allan Fung.

Raimondo’s support has been relatively consistent, though it’s dipped slightly. Fung seems to have had a rough first half of October but has since rebounded. Meanwhile, Moderate Party candidate Bob Healey (combined with other independent candidates) have plenty enough support to make a difference.

October 30, 2014

Votes for the good

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I’m an idealist. I think that government can be by the people and for the people. It’s why I ran a hard campaign against Gordon Fox and it’s why I am supporting a diverse group of people for public office. There needs to be both a positive change and a counterbalance to the ‘way things are run in Rhode Island’ that seems to be the default reset of our politics.

I invite you to vote for these people, not against others. That said, I’ll also give a few anti-hits because it seems necessary.

FOR Mayor: Jorge Elorza
I first saw Mr. Elorza months ago at the Institute For the Study and Practice of Nonviolence‘s Martin Luther King event. He spoke softly and eloquently. Mr. Elorza is not a blowhard candidate. He doesn’t know how to play the media circus the way a former felon turned talkshow host does. He offers himself, honestly.

AGAINST: Felons who have been convicted of betraying the public trust
The big signs are illegal. The former mayor doesn’t care. It’s a small thing, but it says so much. He’s paid off a rape victim. He’s been convicted of assault. He’s been convicted of running a criminal conspiracy in City Hall. I have a friend who’s been through the penal system, and he’s spent the past few years doing amazing work to redeem himself. This “independent” candidate’s been on a talk show and hasn’t taken responsibility. He laughed at us in his autobiography. Yes, like every other citizen of Providence who lived here during his long tenure, I have some examples of good things that he’s done. But let me ask you this: If you hired a guy as a babysitter to watch your daughter and he invited a bunch of his friends over to your house for a party, and they raided the liquor cabinets, robbed your coin collection and got arrested would you ever hire that guy to watch your daughter? Hello, Providence. It’s one thing to fantasize about good times. It’s another to put a bag over your head and hope that you’re not being led over a cliff.

FOR Governor: Robert Healey
Yes, I completely disagree with some of his ideas. But the same is true for both of his opponents. What I like about Healey is his honesty and intelligence. He has run his (admittedly brief) campaign with integrity. He will be a complete counterbalance to the anointed dictatorship that exists in the General Assembly. Neither of the other two candidates impress me. Healey answers questions on his website with honesty and without the political trick of saying nothing that will lose you a vote. Is Healey a longshot? Probably. When people talk about wasting a vote, they’re really trying to “game” the system. How about casting a vote that might really game the system?

FOR Lt. Governor: Cathrine Taylor
I’ve known Ms. Taylor since her son was at school with my children. She is hardworking, honest, and nice. She will do an excellent job with the non-position that is the Lt. Governor, and if something should happen to the governor, I would gladly support her.

FOR: Attorney General: Dawson Hodgson
Everything Mr. Hodgson has said impresses me. I’m tired of the 38 Studios crowd lingering in government. And having an attorney general who is in direct opposition to the “leadership” in the legislature strikes me as a great option.

FOR City Council, Ward 3: Write in Marcus Mitchell
This is another personal contact. I met Marcus Mitchell when he joined the board of the Friends of Rochambeau. Mr. Mitchell worked hard to bring the Providence Community Library system into existence. No, I don’t know enough about his policies, but I know he’s an earnest man. He’s running against Kevin Jackson, who would otherwise be unopposed. Mr. Jackson hasn’t filed his campaign finance reports, and he has signed onto the Circus Parade to elect a felon. I can’t support that.

FOR City Council, Ward 2: Sam Zurier
If they hadn’t moved the line, I’d still be voting for Sam Zurier. He works hard. If you don’t subscribe to his email newsletter about what’s going on in City Council, you should.

AGAINST Bond Issues
Yes, I want all the good things. But the sitting politicians running for reelection won’t raise taxes to pay for things. Instead, citizens are asked to vote on bonds. Nobody ever publicizes the true cost of these bonds, which adds about $5 million per $10 million to the cost of everything borrowed. There’s $243 million on the table, which will cost us at least $340 million over time. Do the math.

AGAINST Gambling in Newport (and Providence)
Just No.

CONFLICTED on the Constitutional Convention
The fear campaign by the ACLU has worked. I’m frightened of outside interests. I’d like to think that Rhode Island would be immune from their PAC dollars. I want to see stuff change now, rather than at the convenience of the legislature. If there is a convention, I’m running.

October 30, 2014October 31, 2014

For many, autumn’s glory means having no heat

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Lynn Collette of Wakefield is a single mother of three and the seemingly glorious change of seasons and the impending cold weather it will bring could have serious consequences for her family.

“I had my electricity turned off and my heat is unfortunately electric,” she wrote in an email to the Public Utilities Commission.

She’s managed to set aside $2,000 and to collect another $600 from local churches and charities to pay own the debt, she said in her email, but it still isn’t enough to get National Grid to restore her electricity. The utility company often requires customers pay 25 to 50 percent of an outstanding balance bill before it will restore service.

The landmark Henry Shelton Act, passed in 2006, requires utility companies restore service to low income customers if they can pay 10 percent of their bill and pay off the outstanding debt in 36 months. But there are many Rhode Islanders behind on their bills that don’t qualify for this program. And a new administrative rule passed last year requires people to pay down their debt before they can again take advantage of the 10 percent rule.

Camilo Viveiros, an organizer with the George Wiley Center, said there are more than 15,000 people who will have a utility shut off this year. He and others will implore the Public Utilities Commission today at its public meeting (10 am at its headquarters at 89 Jefferson Blvd., in Warwick) to repeal last year’s rule change and allow the 10 percent rule to apply to more low-income people.

“We are hopeful that the Public Utilities Commission will continue their tradition of heeding our request to reduce peoples needed down payments so they can get their utilities turned back on before November 1st, but we also want them to make it possible for more rather than less people to be able to restore their utilities,” he said.

In a press release yesterday, the George Wiley Center said:

“People shouldn’t be penalized for living through prolonged poverty and being in an ongoing economic predicament, for struggling with unemployment, living on fixed incomes due to illness, disabilities or retirement. Although our main demand is to allow people with low incomes to pay 10% down for utility restoration, the GWC opposes barriers that disqualify those who are struggling in this difficult economy.”

The state Division of Public Utilities is recommending last year’s rule stay in place, and it favors a tiered process:

(a) for a customer owing less than $1000, 20% of the balance owed must be paid and the remainder of that balance must be paid within 18 months;

(b) for a customer owing at least $1000 but less than $2500, 15% of the balance owed must be paid and the remainder of that balance must be paid within 24 months;

(c) for a customer owing $2500 or more, 10% of the balance owed must be paid and the remainder of that balance must be paid within 36 months unless the Company chooses to extend such time period;

(d) the customer requesting a payment plan under this provision, Part V, Section 4(G) either did not participate in one of the plans listed in Part V, Section 4(G)(a)-(c) in a prior year or did participate and currently has a balance due on his or her account that is the same or less than that customer had upon enrollment in a prior year plan listed in Part V, Section (4)(G)(a)-(c) unless the customer makes an additional down payment sufficient to bring the customer’s balance to the level equal to or less than the starting balance when the customer previously participated.

And here’s the letter legislative leaders sent the PUC on the issue.

The issue is one the PUC, activists and many low income Rhode Islanders deal with every autumn.