June 2016 – RI Future

June 30, 2016

State sponsored stupidity

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No Nicholas Mattiello — Why is this man running our state?

Are you sick of living in an anointed dictatorship?

Every year the General Assembly rolls out some boneheaded decisions that we get to live with. This year “The Most Powerful Politician in the State” lost control of the wheel, declaring that the General Assembly had reached a “point of no return” and had to stay up all night blindly passing bills.

Why our legislators put up with giving up their power, swearing fealty and kissing the ring of anyone is beyond my ken.

Here’s a brief look at some of the foolishness…

$7.8 million in tax breaks for Ocean State Job Lot

The short version: because of the impending and yet unimplemented because there’s an election coming truck toll tax that will put a blight of gantries across our state, we taxpayers just gave Job Lot a whole bunch of money to stay put. This includes a $3.2 million job creation package over 10 years that gives Job Lot $7,500/year per new employee hired. Tat works out to $625/month per employee per job that we’re paying to create jobs. Whoo hoo! Let’s grow the economy. By the way, with a population of about 1 million, that means we’re each paying $7 to Job Lot, whether we shop there or not.

Beach Pass Cost Cuts

Who doesn’t like going to the beach and spending less money? Me—if the money from the beach passes was going to make sure that the beaches were kept pristine and beautiful, and to pay the life guards and crews. Yes, it’s nice to pay only $30 as a resident, but the fact that the law doesn’t take effect immediately means that the DEM had to come up with a whole “Season Pass Credit” refund procedure.

Even worse, we lowered the seasonal beach pass for out of state folk from $120 to $60 and the daily rate for tourists dropped from $28 to $14. Really? You mean that having tourists pay less to go to our awesome beaches is a good thing? Anyone who’d rather save $14 than go to East Matunuck deserves a beach vacation in Connecticut. Are we trying to curry favor with the cheapskate tourists?

$100,000 to Protect Mattiello’s Interests

Yes, $100,000 of our tax dollars are going to fight an ACLU Lawsuit which argues that prisoners at the ACI shouldn’t count as voters in Mattiello’s district, because they can’t vote there. In other words, our Anointed Dictator, who has amassed a huge campaign war chest because he’s such a great guy, actually needs fewer votes to get elected than every other legislator in the state.

Providence to Newport Ferry… Starting… NOW!

All of a sudden it seems that there’s going to be a Providence to Newport Ferry. This year. Starting July 1 the 45-60 minute trip will cost $10 each way and $20 round trip. This is very, very cool.

What’s a little bit odd, in my opinion, is that we’re taking $500,000 in funding from the US Department of Transportation, passing it through the RI DOT, and paying the Seastreak company to run the service. Are any profits from the service (and its bar) rolling back into to the state coffers? According to the Providence Journal, the state hasn’t set any ridership targets, so we won’t know if it’s successful or not.

In a state that’s trying to promote tourism, having this information out and available when tourists began making plans in say February or even June would have been a nifty idea. The website wasn’t even up last week, but now it says that there’s going to be “Complimentary shuttle bus service between the Providence train station, convention center, downtown, and the Providence to Newport ferry terminal.” Also, the last ferry leaves Providence at 6pm or Newport at 7:15, so nobody’s going to be staying for dinner…

It’s a nice idea, but the last-minute execution could be cooler. Or warmer.

June 30, 2016July 1, 2016

Deborah Ruggiero seeking re-election in House District 74

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Rep. Deborah Ruggiero announced today she plans to seek re-election to the House of Representatives.

“I’m honored to serve on behalf of my friends and neighbors in Jamestown and Middletown as their strong and articulate voice at the State House. My work on the 4 E’s — environment, economy, education and the elderly — has resonated in all of my legislative priorities including the Renewable Energy Program, the Rhode Island Safe School Act, and working for additional funding for our seniors,” says Representative Ruggiero, “I take my job as advocate very seriously and make sure that the needs of Jamestown and Middletown are addressed by the state. It’s about listening and being responsive. I would be honored to continue the work I’ve started, with the support of the voters of Jamestown and Middletown.”

Representative Ruggiero, a Democrat, was first elected in 2008 as the representative from District 74 in Jamestown and Middletown. A Deputy Majority Leader, this year she became the chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee. She serves as a member of the House Finance Committee and is the chairwoman of its Subcommittee on Environment and Transportation. She is also the co-chairwoman of the Special Legislative Commission on Defense Economy Planning.

Representative Ruggiero has championed legislation assisting the agricultural and seafood communities, improving home care patient rights, expanding renewable energy opportunities and supporting economic development at Rhode Island’s ports. She co-chaired the Joint Port Facilities Study Commission, which developed several recommendations to help the state’s economy.

As chairperson of the Small Business Renewable Energy Commission, she helped enact several comprehensive renewable energy laws to help reduce dependency on fossil fuels. She has sponsored numerous renewable energy laws, including several encouraging distributed generation. This week the governor signed into law legislation she sponsored to create third-party financing and virtual net metering for affordable housing, creating jobs in the clean energy sector and increasing renewable energy.

In 2014, she co-chaired the task force that studied the nexus of mental health laws and gun rights following the 2012 Newtown, Conn., school shooting and sponsored the resulting law requiring Rhode Island to submit more data to the national database used to screen gun purchases. Representative Ruggiero was the sponsor of the Safe Schools Act, Rhode Island’s anti-bullying law. She also sponsored legislation to remove regulations on small businesses.

In 2012, the Rhode Island State Nurses Association named her “Legislator of the Year” for her approach to health care issues. In 2011, the YWCA Northern Rhode Island recognized her as “a rising political star.”

Aside from her legislative duties, she is president of DR Communications Group, an advertising and marketing company. The native Rhode Islander is the creator and host of the award-winning radio show, “Amazing Women,” that highlights Rhode Island women that make a difference. She is also a member of Save the Bay and Jamestown Rotary. A resident of Jamestown, she holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. She’s an avid golfer and loves to cook.

“I plan to keep working hard to serve the needs of Jamestown and Middletown, to help create thoughtful policy that brings jobs, prosperity and sustainability to our whole state, and to deserve the trust of the people of District 74. I look forward to speaking with many citizens during this election season, and as always, I welcome all residents to contact me if they would like to talk about any topic. I love campaigning. It’s an enjoyable way to speak with constituents and engage in good conversations on important issues. It’s how I learn what people want me to work and vote on, and that input is pivotal to my work,” said Representative Ruggiero.

[From a press release]

June 30, 2016

Vincent Marzullo running for Pat Morgan’s House 26 seat

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Vincent Marzullo has served in a variety of government positions – for the State of Rhode Island, Essex County, NJ – and for 31 years with the federal government as the RI Director of the Corporation for National & Community Service.

During the 70’s and early 80’s, Vin was the RI Employment & Training Director, trained thousands of Rhode Islanders for Electric Boat Co. and administered the largest public service employment (PSE) program in the state’s history (4000 workers in state/local government and non-profit agencies) – and served in a similar capacity for Essex County, NJ.

As the head of the federal volunteerism agency for RI, Vin had daily responsibility for AmeriCorps*VISTA – the domestic Peace Corps, working with hundreds of non-profits, community development groups & various government entities; and was responsible for more than 4,000 senior corps volunteers that participate in the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions.

Vin has served as Admissions Director at St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, a 6th grade teacher at a parochial school in Riverhead, NY, and was a partner in a research & development solar energy company when alternate energy was a promising job generator during the early 1980’s. In the 1982 RI General Election, Vin was the Republican Candidate for Governor and in 1978 he was a Democratic Candidate for Lt. Governor. Vin was a delegate to the RI Constitutional Convention in 1986.

Vin currently serves on the Board of Directors of PGE Federal Credit Union – a non profit credit union for federal & postal workers (almost 3500 members). While in federal service, Vin chaired for 12 years the RI Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) for federal workers – the world’s largest workplace giving program – raising more than $8 million during that period. Vin’s local involvement has been as a member of the West Warwick Pension Board from 1995-99 and again during 2011-13, advocating for greater transparency, improved investment performance, and better scrutiny of disability pensions. In addition, Vin served as the President of the West Warwick Babe Ruth League from 1986-92.

A Brooklyn, NY native who has been living in West Warwick for the past 34 years, Vin graduated from Providence College and attended the Manpower Institute (1973) at Harvard University. Recently retired from federal service, Vin and his wife, Josephine (a MET Life retiree), are the proud parents of 2 children: Amanda Wilmouth and Michael Marzullo and the grandparent to a granddaughter: Reese Wilmouth.

[From a press release]

June 30, 2016

Cale Keable seeking re-election in Burrillville

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Cale Keable announced today he is seeking election to the Rhode Island House of Representatives serving the people of Burrillville and Glocester.

“Now, more than ever, Burrillville and Glocester need a strong voice in the General Assembly,” said Cale. “The proposed power plant threatens the very fabric of our town. We fought tooth and nail to give the people a say. I will continue to be a voice for residents – not special interests.”

A Chicago company has submitted an application to the State to build a 1000-megawatt, fracked gas power plant in the heart of Burrillville’s village of Pascoag. Led by Cale’s opponent, the Burrillville Town Council recently opposed state legislation that would have subjected the tax treaty between the Burrillville Town Council and Invenergy’s power plant to local voter referendum.

“Cale Keable has been standing shoulder-to-shoulder with residents in fierce opposition to the proposed power plant,” said Jason Olkowski, who lives in Harrisville. “Burrillville needs a representative who has listened to our concerns and protects our interests. Other communities across the country have not had such vocal or visible support from their elected officials. Cale has established himself as both a leader and an advocate for our town. We are fortunate to have his leadership in the House of Representatives.”

Cale has chaired the House Judiciary Committee since 2014. Under his stewardship, the committee has passed an unprecedented series of government reforms: elimination of the master lever, comprehensive campaign finance reform, lobbying reform and a proposed amendment to the state’s constitution to bring the legislature within the jurisdiction of the Ethics Commission.

“Our Judiciary Committee has implemented a pro-reform agenda that will restore public confidence in government and ensure that corruption is held accountable,” said Cale.

Cale has also fought to bring resources and tax relief to Burrillville and Glocester. Last year, he voted to reduce the state’s minimum corporate tax, eliminate sales tax on businesses’ utility bills, and create a new jobs tax incentive program. This year, he strongly supported the Administrative Procedures Act that overhauled the state’s regulatory framework. Cale has also passed legislation to ease resident interaction with government. Residents can now apply for hunting licenses online and Burrillville polls will now open at 7 a.m. instead of 9 a.m.

“In the wake of the Great Recession, Burrillville entrepreneurs and small businesses need all the help they can get,” said Cale. “For two years, we have worked to build a better business climate that reduces government’s burden on Burrillville small businesses.”

Cale has fought hard to combat the state’s opioid crisis. He cosponsored the state’s “Good Samaritan Act,” which exempts from liability and provides immunity to individuals who seek assistance when someone is overdosing. Cale also supported bills to further regulate the prescription of opioids, improve emergency room response to overdoses, and require insurance companies to continue coverage of inpatient substance abuse programs.

Cale was born and raised in Burrillville where he proudly attended its public schools. He graduated summa cum laude from Providence College with a bachelor’s degree in economics and history in 1998. Cale received his juris doctorate from Harvard Law School in 2001. He now works as an attorney at the law firm of Partridge Snow & Hahn. Cale, a two time kidney transplant survivor, serves as board member for the New England Organ Bank and is a former board member of the Industrial Foundation of Burrillville as well as Burrillville Schools Alumni Education Foundation Inc. Cale is married to Colleen (Foley) and they live in Pascoag with their two dogs Bonnie and Clyde.

[From a press release]

June 30, 2016July 1, 2016

Cicilline, Langevin on historic House floor sit-in for gun safety

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After leading a sit-in-styled event at the Providence Public Safety Complex yesterday, Rhode Island congressmen David Cicilline and Jim Langevin talked to RI Future about the direct action sit-in on the House floor last week and how it helped changed the debate on gun safety in Rhode Island.

“Sometimes you have to break the rules to stand up for something really important,” said Cicilline, who predicted the Democrats will eventually get the Republicans to vote on the ‘no fly, no buy’ gun safety bill they are angling for. “Sometimes these fights require finding a way to get in the way. Sometimes it’s the only way you can both bring attention and galvanize people to move forward and make change.”

Langevin called the sit-in, “among the most meaningful, impactful and inspiring days of my entire time in Congress. We are demanding a vote and we are not going to go away until we get one.”

If you couldn’t make it to the yesterday, here’s the video of the entire event, which also featured Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steve Pare, General Treasurer Seth Magaziner, representatives Aaron Regunberg and Teresa Tanzi as well as several others.

June 29, 2016

Ryan Hall challenges Nardolillo in House District 28

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Ryan Hall is excited to announce his candidacy for State Representative from District 28.

Hall has an inspired vision of hope and prosperity for Coventry and Rhode Island. Many Rhode Islanders are disengaged and disenchanted by our current political system, and he believes that engaging the community and finding prosperity for Coventry residents can reverse this trend.

“We need to clean up our government to allow for local economic growth,” Hall said. “Local food, local products and local companies promote a strong middle class, but they first need the support of our elected leaders. Our state should be an innovation hub for the country and the world because of our geography and population size.”

Additionally, Hall is running to ensure that government and tax system functions for all Rhode Islanders.

“No one likes paying taxes, of course, but they are our payment for enjoying the benefits of living in a civilized society with roads, schools and rule of law. We should feel confident that our tax dollars are being spent equitably and in a way that best serves our community and our state. Unfortunately, that confidence just isn’t there right now.”

Finally, Hall is committed to fighting to make sure future generations inherit a strong, prosperous and sustainable Rhode Island.

“We need to bring equity and resources to education making sure that our future is ready for the challenges they will inevitably face. We also need to focus our efforts squarely on clean energy, not because it’s trendy or hip but because it is economically and morally the right thing to do.”

Ryan Hall is hopeful for the future and is excited at the prospect of getting to know the citizens of District 28 over the course of the next few months.

“I am eager to start speaking with folks all across the district and listening to not only their concerns but also their vision for the future. I look forward to working hard to earn their vote for ‘Hall this Fall’ and the honor of representing them at the state house.”

Ryan Hall has deep roots in the town of Coventry. He has been a resident of the town for most of his life and his family’s history here goes back several generations.

He is an Eagle Scout from Troop 39 Summit and a 1999 graduate of Coventry High School. He later completed a Bachelor of Science Degree from the New England Institute of Technology. He currently works as a Technology Educator and Crew Leader at The Greene School. Ryan Hall lives with his wife at their home on Flat River Road.

[From a press release]

June 29, 2016June 29, 2016

Power plant opponent Jeremy Bailey running for Burrillville Town Council

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Jeremy Bailey, one of the most vocal and visible leaders in the battle against Invenergy’s plans to build a $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant in Burrillville, has announced his candidacy for a position on the Burrillville Town Council in a Facebook post this morning. Bailey is running as a Democrat. A real estate agent, Bailey has a master’s degree in engineering.

Bailey has been one of the most vocal critics of the Town Council and Town Manager Michael Wood, once publicly calling Wood a “a cancerous tumor.”

June 28, 2016

Lauren Niedel declares for Glocester Town Council

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Lauren Niedel, a 22 year resident of Glocester has officially declared her candidacy for her Town Council. Motivated by the Council’s dismissive response to her call to action against the proposed Burrillville fracked gas power plant Lauren decided that the only way to make change is to become the change.

The Glocester Town Council is made up of 5 men, no democrats, and does not reflect the makeup of the people in town or their vision. Her main platform items will be to stop the Clear River Energy Center, create a NW RI Renewable Energy task force, Open up communication channels for residents and make the Town Council much more transparent. Lauren also wants to create two intern positions for Ponaganset High School Seniors to update the town’s archaic website and a to have a student ambassador as a liaison.

“Our town functions as if it is 1990,” says Lauren, “it is time to bring it into the 21st century and that cannot be done with our existing Town Council members. Our rural way of life has to be preserved but we don’t live in a bubble and it is time we govern that way.”

Lauren is a sales professional with 2 grown children and has been married for over 30 years. Her children Joel and Hannah both graduated from Ponaganset High School school system. Joel is entering his 4th year at New England College – majoring in Environmental Science and Hannah works for the Federal Government in Maryland. Her Husband David has been employed by the Foster/Glocester school system for over 15 years.

This past year Lauren was one of the leading organizers for RI Bernie Sanders 2016 campaign. She is also a delegate for Sanders and will be taking part in the July DNC Convention. Since 2013 she has been the Deputy State Coordinator of the RI Progressive Democrats. She is also a contributing writer for RI Future.

[From a press release]

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016

Barrington Town Committee ditches Malik for Knight

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The Barrington Town Committee voted to endorse Jason Knight for District 67 State Representative over the incumbent, Representative Jan Malik. “I’m so pleased and thankful to the committee for their endorsement,” stated Knight. “I’m campaigning to bring a new voice to the state house for Warren and Barrington and clearly the committee agreed that it is time for a change.”

Knight continued, “The voters of Warren and Barrington have a choice this year between a conservative incumbent who is anti choice and has enjoyed the support of the NRA or a new voice with real Democratic values who supports ethics reform and knows that we need new and creative ideas to get our economy back on its feet. The committee’s vote shows that Barrington is ready turn the page.”

[From a press release]

June 28, 2016June 29, 2016

Michael Gazdacko, TEDx board member, to run against Anastasia Williams

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Democrat Michael Gazdacko is challenging Rep. Anastasia Williams in a primary for the right to represent the District 9 House seat at the State House.

Gazdacko is a member of the City Plan Commission, works for Urban Smart Growth and is the board president of TEDx Providence, according to a news release announcing his candidacy.

“So much of what I do is about bringing people together to exchange ideas and find ways to leverage our shared strengths,” he said in the news release. “I see this as the logical extension of that calling. My campaign will be inclusive of all voices because our public discourse is always more robust with everyone in the room.”

Williams has represented District 9 since 1993. She’s been a center of controversy this legislative session for failing to disclose her job at the John Hope Settlement House, a non-profit for which she also helped secure a $300,000 legislative grant.

Gazdacko’s full press release is below:

Michael Gazdacko, a West End resident and member of the City Plan Commission, today announced his candidacy as a Democrat for State Representative in District 9. “I’m running because I’m passionate about healthy, prosperous, happy communities and I believe that the state legislature is the best opportunity to contribute,” said Gazdacko. “I intend to serve on behalf of everyone in this diverse, vibrant district and to do so with honor, integrity and humility.”

The candidate currently serves as the Director of Development and Operations for Urban Smart Growth, where he oversees the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket and Greystone Lofts in North Providence. Gazdacko is also the board president for TEDx Providence, a board member of the Pawtucket Foundation and worked with Farm Fresh RI to launch the Wintertime Farmer’s Market. He is the former host/organizer of PechaKucha Providence and has volunteered extensively with Providence Preservation Society. In 2015, he was appointed to the City Plan Commission by Mayor Elorza.

“So much of what I do is about bringing people together to exchange ideas and find ways to leverage our shared strengths,” Gazdacko explained. “I see this as the logical extension of that calling. My campaign will be inclusive of all voices because our public discourse is always more robust with everyone in the room.”

He is a dedicated advocate for local food and sees the state legislature as an opportunity to support policies that make fresh, healthy food sources more accessible in urban communities. He also intends to work on urban transit and development issues, including improvements to public transportation, making the city more bike and pedestrian friendly, and ensuring that zoning and business regulations support neighborhood businesses. “These are issues that affect us all – food, transportation, the economic resilience of our neighborhoods – and they’re areas in which I believe the General Assembly can have a profound and positive impact.”

Gazdacko is a Midwest native who came to Rhode Island in 2007 to steward the conversion of the historic Hope Webbing Company into the thriving, multi-use Hope Artist Village. That development has attracted more than 100 tenants, including Seven Stars Bakery, Farm Fresh RI, New Harvest Coffee and the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame, of which Gazdacko is a founding board member. He has lived in Providence since 2011 and currently resides with his wife on Harrison Street. In 2012, they purchased the vacant lot next door to their home and turned it into an urban farm.

“I don’t undertake this endeavor lightly,” Gazdacko said of his candidacy. “I look at what’s happening in our politics, both locally and nationally, and I find reasons for inspiration. People are getting engaged and making their voices heard. We have so many first-time candidates and first-time voters. Answering the call to public service is one of the most important and solemn responsibilities we have as citizens. I look forward to working every day on behalf of the citizens of District 9.”

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016

Former legislator Lisa Tomasso challenges Republican incumbent

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Former legislator Lisa Tomasso is running for the House seat she once held representing parts of Coventry and West Warwick against Republican incumbent Sherrie Roberts, Tomasso announced in a news release today.

“Civic involvement is in my blood and I look forward to this opportunity to represent the people of Coventry and West Greenwich at the State House,” Tomasso said in the news release. “I ’ve always felt a call to be active in my community, from serving on the Coventry School Committee to my current job battling the addiction crisis in Rhode Island. I believe that so much good can be accomplished for the people of Rhode Island, and I’m eager to get to work doing just that.”

Tomasso is one of several liberal-leaning former legislators who are running against Republicans who knocked them from office two years ago. Others include Larry Valencia, Catherine Cool Rumsey and Linda Finn (whose Republican counterpart has already decided against running for reelection).

In 2014, Roberts narrowly beat Tomasso by 247 votes, 2,805 people voted for Roberts and 2,558 voted for Tomasso. Tomasso was a legislator since 2010, when first won the House seat previously held by Ray Sullivan, now an organizer for NEA-RI.

Tomasso said in her release that public education is a high priority for her.

“As a mother, our educational system has always been of great importance to me,” she said. “Finding the best ways to educate our children, along with encouraging and nurturing their development and skills, is a tremendous responsibility and should always be of paramount importance to the state.”

Below is Tomasso’s full press release.

Building on a lifetime of civic engagement and as an enthusiastic supporter of parental involvement in our schools, Lisa Tomasso today declared her candidacy for state representative as a Democrat in District 29, which includes portions of Coventry and West Greenwich.

Tomasso, a resident of Coventry, laid out her platform of improving the economic and regulatory climate for small business, supporting education, keeping a lid on taxes and championing efforts aimed at substance abuse recovery.

“I’ve always felt a call to be active in my community, from serving on the Coventry School Committee to my current job battling the addiction crisis in Rhode Island,” said Tomasso. “Civic involvement is in my blood and I look forward to this opportunity to represent the people of Coventry and West Greenwich at the State House. I believe that so much good can be accomplished for the people of Rhode Island, and I’m eager to get to work doing just that.”

After her time on the school committee, Tomasso represented the people of District 29 in the House of Representatives, where she continued advocating for a strong educational system as a member of the House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare. Meeting often with students and educators, she helped develop an anti-bullying program in the state educational system and served on a panel to assess the implementation of a better statewide curriculum.

She was invited by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education to serve on its Ambassador Design Team to develop and write the strategic plan for elementary and secondary education in Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Library Association also named her as Representative of the Year for going above and beyond in support of the state’s libraries.

“As a mother, our educational system has always been of great importance to me,” said Tomasso, who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Rhode Island. “Finding the best ways to educate our children, along with encouraging and nurturing their development and skills, is a tremendous responsibility and should always be of paramount importance to the state.”

Tomasso has brought her civic-mindedness into the classroom, encouraging students to become active in their communities and learn about lawmaking. She recently taught a group of children at Washington Oak Elementary School, explaining to the how a simple idea can be transformed into law, simply by taking part in the democratic process.

Tomasso has also advocated to preserve open space and the region’s many lakes. She worked extensively with Save The Lakes, a statewide coalition focused on preserving Rhode Island’s freshwater lakes like Lake Mishnock, and advocated for the passage of legislation to protect against aquatic invasive species and to address water quality issues.

Tomasso is also a big believer in reforming the red tape that often suffocate the creation and development of Rhode Island’s small businesses. Tomasso said she found it encouraging that the state has taken efforts to make things easier for small businesses, such as reducing the minimum corporate tax and overhauling unemployment insurance, but said the state still has a long way to go.

“Ultimately, I’d like to see the minimum corporate tax disappear entirely,” she said. “I’d also like to see the state ease the regulatory burden on small business. We’ve made steps in the right direction, with measures such as ending the fuel tax, but we need to build on that taking away more and more of that burden every year.”

Tomasso, who also served on the House Oversight Committee, was particularly concerned about the delay most Rhode Islanders experienced in receiving this year’s tax refunds.

“That delay was totally unacceptable,” said Tomasso. “I know people who had to wait months for refunds — which is money that belongs to them. I will make it a priority to keep an eye on the Division of Taxation to ensure that agency does whatever it can to rectify the situation before next tax season.”

A longtime advocate of strong ethics reform, Tomasso was thrilled to see the General Assembly pass legislation that will put a question on November’s ballot to amend the state constitution, giving the Ethics Commission full jurisdiction over state legislators.

“I will be so happy to step into the voting booth on Nov. 8 to vote yes on ethics reform, and I urge everyone else to do the same,” said Tomasso. “I look forward to returning to the General Assembly with the encouragement that a third party is overseeing all the actions of state legislators.”

Tomasso works as the community relations manager for The Providence Center, an organization that specializes in intervention, treatment and recovery in behavioral health.

“My time spent working for The Providence Center has truly shaped the way I feel about addiction and recovery,” said Tomasso. “For too long we have thought of addiction as someone else’s problem, a lifestyle choice or a result of bad parenting. Addiction is everyone’s business and while there are social determinants that place certain individuals at higher risk than others, addiction is not a choice. Addiction is a disease and recovery is possible.”

As an advocate for recovery, Tomasso has received the community service award from the Rhode Island Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependence.

Tomasso will officially kick off her campaign on Sunday, July 10, from 1 to 5 p.m. at her new campaign headquarters at 1193 Tiogue Ave. near the intersection of Reservoir Road. The public is invited to tour the space and meet with Lisa Tomasso. Refreshments will be provided.

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016

Lauren Carson seeking re-election in Newport

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Rep. Lauren Carson today announced she will seek re-election to the House of Representatives. Ms. Carson represents District 75, Newport. Representative Carson was first elected in 2014 and is completing her first term.

“District 75 wants a state representative that puts Newport first,” said Representative Carson. “Newport wants a responsive and accessible state government and I will continue to champion sensible policies to make sure that our voices are heard in state government and that there is fairness and transparency in Rhode Island.”

“I have promised transparency and availability to the voters. During my 18 months in office, I have held 10 constituent meetings designed to engage voters in the process of state government and to keep my ear to the ground on the issues that Newport cares about most,” said Carson. Carson supported reform legislation that fixed Rhode Island’s broken lobbying, campaign finance, and ethics laws which passed in the Assembly, recess for grammar school children and income tax exemptions for veterans, military and private pensions.

Representative Carson is a member of the House Oversight Committee, which has been investigating 38 Studios and the House Small Business Committee. Representative Carson currently chairs a special House Study Commission on Tourism.

“Building and investing in a smart and sustainable Rhode Island tourism campaign is good for Newport. Following the failed “Cooler and Warmer’ campaign, my special Commission redirected our efforts to understand how other states manage their marketing programs and how Rhode Island can make sound marketing investments in the future,” said Representative Carson. “We have successfully redirected tourism and hotel tax dollars back to the local regions in the 2017 budget and will continue to examine and propose strategies on how our state tourism dollars are best spent in the future.” Carson plans to hold her next Study Commission meeting in Newport. It is now scheduled for Friday July 15 at the old Colony House. Representative Carson also chaired a Special House Study on the Economic Impact of Flooding and Sea Rise.

“Newport is at ground zero for flooding and sea rise. Both the Point and Fifth ward neighborhoods must be preparing now for the economic impact that will accompany flooding. Businesses along the waterfront are at great risk and I have committed my first term to getting a better understanding of the scope of this risk.” Carson succeeded in achieving $100,000 in the 2017 state budget for the University of Rhode Island to develop a mandatory training program for municipal planning and zoning boards to increase their knowledge of flooding and encourage better decision making for flood prone and waterfront properties.

Representative Carson graduated the University of Rhode Island and holds a graduate degree in History and a Masters Degree in Business. She works part time for Clean Water Action and has one adult son, Andrew, 27, who lives in New York.

[From a press release]

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016

ProJo news story corrects Projo op/ed misinformation

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How misleading are Providence Journal editorials on public education and specifically charter schools? The news department ran a front page story this morning overtly correcting misinformation found in its editorials.

This from the second paragraph of the story ‘Bill would not end expansion’ on page A1 this morning (web version):

And this is from the ProJo Editorial Board on June 18:

BVP was also used as an example in a June 9 editorial by the Providence Journal. A June 26 letter to the editor from former WPRO radio host Steve Kass, who also worked for Republican Don Carcieri, lauded and parroted the editorial’s focus on BVP.

The ProJo editorial board has a long history of using – and misusing – Blackstone Valley Prep to represent all charter schools in Rhode Island. Many Rhode Islanders, even some charter school supporters, think the Journal editorial writers are purposely deceiving their readers in an attempt to improve public perception of charter schools.

In the same editorial, the Providence Journal writes, “What sin did the academy commit, in the eyes of the legislature, that necessitated its loss of funds? It is not unionized. And it tried to focus its spending on serving the students rather than providing costly benefits to adults.”

Even the most ardent charter school supporters know there are more valid reasons than this to better regulate charter school expansion. Objectively, charter schools divert critical funding from the vast majority of public school students. The ProJo editorial board never mentions this more salient point. The all-white, conservative-leaning editorial board only seems to care about inner city students when charter schools are involved – and charters serve only 5 percent of overall public school students.

But don’t confuse that with a hyper focus on charter schools. The ProJo editorial board has had nothing to say on a recent scandal at BVP involving teachers sending disparaging emails about students. But when a teachers’ union official was found innocent of cyber-harassing a state legislator, the op-ed board still called for the official to be fired.

If the editorial board is banking on the fact that most readers don’t pay close enough attention to see the nuance behind its obstructive and often misleading editorials, it is committing a gross miscarriage of journalism. Thankfully, the news department seems to be fighting back.

June 28, 2016

Lisa Scorpio to challenge Carnevale in House District 13

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Lisa Scorpio announced her candidacy for State Representative today in House District 13 – Providence/Johnston.

“I’ve spent most of my life right here in this community.” said Scorpio, who works as an executive assistant in the Providence School System. “My grandparents immigrated to Silver Lake in the early 1900’s from Italy and I’ve always felt it was important to live here. To make sure my children thought of this place as home. I’ve worked for years to help this community grow and adapt. I’ve stood arm and arm fighting for the change we need. I’m running now to take that fight to the State House.”

Scorpio went on to paint a progressive vision for government, “I believe we need a government that is looking out for the people of Rhode Island. A government that works to make sure our streets are safe, that those who work a full week are not living in poverty, a government that confronts the problems of today. We need to pass common sense gun legislation, we need to raise the minimum wage, and we need more than anything to make a real investment in our children and our schools.”

Scorpio continued, “I’ve been serving in the Providence School system for 24 years, right here in the district for 7 years. We need to make sure our children are prepared for the future and that we act early to make sure they are taken care of. Education is key to so much of life and it’s our responsibility to make sure everyone has access.”

Regardless of the ruling in his case, Scorpio feels Carnevale’s time has passed, “We need new voices at the State House. We need representatives who aren’t so weighed down by controversy. The work a representative does, and the votes they take, should be the story and not whether they will or will not be going to jail. A representative should be concerned with helping their constituents first and foremost and know when they have become more of a distraction than a help.”

Scorpio lives off of Sterling Ave in Providence with her son. She attended RIC and graduated from Katherine Gibbs. She works as an Executive Assistant in the Providence School System, is a co-founder of #300women, and is a board member on numerous community organizations.

[From a press release]

June 27, 2016June 27, 2016

SCOTUS abortion ruling has RI impact

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Local reactions to the Supreme Court decision Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, which is being hailed as the most important reproductive rights decision in decades, have started to come in. Arguing that “…it is beyond rational belief that H.B. 2 could genuinely protect the health of women, and certain that the law ‘would simply make it more difficult for them to obtain abortions,” Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined Steven Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, Anthony Kennedy and Elena Kagan in the 5-3 decision that struck down a controversial law that closed 75 percent of abortion clinics in Texas.

Breyer wrote the opinion, saying, “Both the admitting-privileges and the surgical-center requirements place a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a previability abortion, constitute an undue burden on abortion access, and thus violate the Constitution.”

The full statement from Planned Parenthood Votes! Rhode Island:

Today, June 27, 2016, the United States Supreme Court upheld the Constitutional right to abortion. In its 5-3 ruling on Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, the Court struck dangerous restrictions on abortion providers in Texas.

While the Court’s decision ultimately does not affect Rhode Island women and families today, Planned Parenthood Votes! Rhode Island warns that existing Rhode Island laws and an anti-abortion rights majority in the General Assembly threaten reproductive freedom for Rhode Island residents.

“The Supreme Court made it clear that politicians cannot pass laws to block access to safe, legal abortion. Yet today’s victory does not undo the past five years of damage and restrictions already written into law across the country and what is at stake this fall in Rhode Island,” said Craig O’Connor, Director of Public Policy and Government Relations, Rhode Island with Planned Parenthood Votes! Rhode Island. “We will continue to fight restrictions on safe, legal abortion on behalf of all people in Rhode Island. This year, Rhode Islanders will make it known at the polls that anti-abortion politicians have no place in the Rhode Island State House.”

The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling protected access to safe, legal abortion by blocking two unconstitutional Texas restrictions. As the Court recognized, “neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes.”

In Rhode Island, several anti-abortion laws exist that have real world effects on abortion access, for example, the prohibition on state employee’s health insurance from covering abortion. In fact, language in Article 1, Section 2 of the Rhode Island Constitution explicitly states, “Nothing in this section shall be construed to grant or secure any right relating to abortion or the funding thereof.” Therefore, if ultimately the Supreme Court reverses its position on Roe v. Wade, there could be very real and very devastating repercussions throughout Rhode Island.

“Physicians and patients must be free to make informed and medically-appropriate decisions without interference from ill-informed legislation,” said Jennifer Villavicencio, MD, with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). “Abortion is a fundamental aspect of women’s health care and must be protected. Rhodes Islanders need to ask their State Senators and State Representatives where they stand on abortion rights and reproductive freedom.”

Steven Brown, Executive Director with the ACLU of Rhode Island, said that the ACLU of Rhode Island has sued the state more than six times over restrictive abortion laws since Roe v. Wade. Brown said that although each suit has been successful, “much work remains to be done to make our state a place that respects reproductive freedom.”

NARAL Pro-Choice America – in its annual “Who Decides” scorecard – labeled the RI House and Senate anti-abortion. NARAL also downgraded Rhode Island to an F rating on reproductive rights – from a previous D+ rating. NARAL awarded the same score to Texas.

According to The Guttmacher Institute, politicians have passed 316 restrictions on safe, legal abortion at the state level since 2011.

Rev. David A. Ames, Priest-in-Charge at All Saints’ Memorial Church in Providence and Member of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund Clergy Advocacy Board said that all people have “an inherent right to reproductive health care.” Ames explained, “We must continue working to expand reproductive freedom in Rhode Island.”

The RI ACLU’s Steve Brown offered an additional statement, saying, “We are extremely pleased that the Supreme Court has struck down these cruel and insincere efforts to interfere with a woman’s basic constitutional right. But this is hardly the end of the matter. Since Roe v. Wade was handed down, the ACLU of Rhode Island has been forced to sue the state at least half a dozen times over restrictive abortion laws. Although every one of those suits has been successful, Rhode Island continues to impose significant barriers to a woman’s right to choose, allowable under other U.S. Supreme Court rulings. As a result, much work remains to be done to make our state a place that respects reproductive freedom.”

June 27, 2016

Cicilline, Langevin hold gun safety ‘sit-in’ Wed in PVD

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Following on their successful sit-in action last week on the House floor to call attention to gun violence in America, Rhode Island congressmen David Cicilline and Jim Langevin are hosting a local action called “No More Silence: A Public Sit-In to Reduce Gun Violence.”

The event will be on Wednesday, 3pm at the Providence Public Safety Complex.

Cicilline and Langevin both participated in the historic sit-in on the House floor last week that was organized to call attention to the GOP’s inaction on gun safety following the horrific Pulse massacre in Orlando that left 49 innocent people dead.

The follow-up event is being billed, by Cicilline spokesman Rich Luchette, as an opportunity to “discuss ways for Rhode Islanders to continue to push Republicans in Congress on ‘no fly, no buy’ and universal background checks,” he said.

Cicilline was an organizer of the 26-hour House floor sit-in, along with Georgia Congressman John Lewis, which for 12 hours prevented Republicans from conducting congressional business.

“Republicans can no longer ignore the voices of millions of Americans who are demanding commonsense legislation to address this epidemic,” Cicilline said in a statement following the protest action. “It is shameful that Speaker Ryan, using a procedural maneuver, adjourned the House in the dark of night, shortly after his party voted for another Wall Street giveaway, so that Republicans would not have to address the very real impact of gun violence. This isn’t Wall Street’s House – it’s the People’s House – and it’s time Republicans start acting like it by addressing the important issues facing American families. When the Speaker calls the House back into session we will continue to stand up once again for our constituents who are demanding we take action to reduce gun violence in our country.”

In a letter to congressional colleagues, the six organizers of the sit in wrote:

Dear Colleagues:

This week, Democrats in Congress made history while the world watched. Our sit-in showed that the Republican Leadership can no longer ignore the epidemic of gun violence. A movement was born and will only continue to grow.

We ask you to join us in a National Day of Action on June 29, 2016. While you are back home in your District, you can continue to build the momentum and engage your community. Whether it a press conference, roundtable, or telephone town hall, we encourage you host an event showing that Democrats in Congress will keep up the fight against gun violence. Local partners including survivors, law enforcement and faith leaders can be excellent partners and can help carry our message even further.

We look forward to working with you as we continue our fight to bring commonsense, bipartisan, gun violence prevention legislation up for a vote. Together, we can give voice to the overwhelming majority of the American people who want to see their Congress take action to help keep our communities safe.

Sincerely,

John Lewis

John B. Larson

Katherine M. Clark

David N. Cicilline

Robin Kelly

Mike Thompson

June 27, 2016

Clean Water Action ‘deeply disappointed’ with Raimondo, Archambault

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The RI Sierra Club made a bold move when they revoked their endorsements of Senators Steven Archambault and William Conley over their Senate Judiciary Committee votes against the people of Burrillville in their fight against a proposed power plant in their town. Clean Water Action has also endorsed Archambault and in addition, they have backed Governor Gina Raimondo, the strongest supporter of the power plant among the state’s elected officials.

I asked Clean Water Action’s Rhode Island State Director Johnathan Berard if his group was willing to revoke their endorsements.

Berard commented that his group is “deeply disappointed” but stopped short of revoking the endorsements Clean Water Action gave out during the last election.

Clean Water Action ardently opposes the construction of any fossil-fuel burning power plants in Rhode Island and we are deeply disappointed that these general assembly members and the governor, who we supported in 2014 based on their promise of environmental leadership, have chosen to ignore the will of the majority of Rhode Islanders, as well as the environmental and public health communities, by forging ahead with the development of new natural gas infrastructure projects across the state.”

Compared to the position taken by the Sierra Club, this is a soft response. Clean Water Action seems to have a process to endorse candidates, but their endorsements lack any teeth when it comes to holding elected officials accountable.

June 27, 2016

Marcia Ranglin-Vassell to challenge DeSimone in House District 5

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Marcia Ranglin-Vassell announced her candidacy for State Representative in House District 5 – Charles, Wanskuck and Elmhurst neighborhoods of Providence.

“Our community needs someone who will fight for us,” Ranglin-Vassell said upon filing her declaration of candidacy at the Board of Canvassers. “For too long, we’ve had politicians who are only helping themselves and their well-connected friends. I have spent my entire life working, teaching, and fighting for families like mine. Families who’ve worked hard for everything they’ve got and just want a fair shot. Our neighborhood needs an advocate who won’t give up. As a mother, a Providence public school teacher, and a community activist, I have done everything I can to give my children, my students, and my neighbors a chance at success. I’m running to bring that same passion and determination to the State House, for all of us.”

Currently a special education teacher at Providence Career and Technical Academy, Ranglin-Vassell cited her passion for education as one reason for jumping in the race. “I grew up very poor in Jamaica, in a neighborhood similar to some of our struggling neighborhoods here in Providence. I remember having only one pair of shoes and no backpack – when it rained, I would put my school books under my clothes to keep them dry. My father never learned to read or write, but he started a church and a preschool right in our front yard and taught me the power of education. That is why I became a teacher, and why I have dedicated my life to empowering young people and community members to be the best they can be. My children all went through Providence public schools, so I know public education can be successful. But I also know our schools continue to struggle, and our state continues to underfund our young people. As state representative, I will not rest until we have a fair school funding formula that ensures our youth have the resources they need to succeed,”

Saying she has always felt the need to serve her community, Ranglin-Vassell said she did not feel at all intimidated taking on the high-ranking House Majority Leader. “I know that entering this race is a challenge to the status quo, but sometimes the establishment needs a challenge. I always try to do what I think is right, whether it is easy or not,” she continued. “And titles aside, the truth is our current representative is not fighting for his constituents. I have lived here in our district, on Waite Street, for over 20 years, and I have never met our representative. I do not have a single friend or neighbor who can say he has ever returned their phone calls or emails. I’m sure he is great for the well-connected, for the people who know-a-guy. But he has never been there for families like mine that are working hard and just trying to get by. We need a legislator who is committed to representing all of our community, and that’s why I am in this race.”

Marcia Ranglin-Vassell has a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education from Rhode Island College and a Master’s in Special Education from Providence College. She is a “Woman of Achievement” award-winner from the YWCA for her work in education, a congregant at Ebenezer Baptist Church, and a member of the Rhode Island Black Business Association.

[From a press release]

June 27, 2016June 27, 2016

Why should Burrillville care about Invenergy’s bad financial decisions?

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At the most recent Burrillville Town Council meeting, Town Councillor Kimberly Briquette Brown made some curious remarks about Invenergy’s obligations to ISO-NE, the organization responsible for managing the supply of electricity to Rhode Island and neighboring states. Invenergy is planning to build a $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant in the town and residents of Burrillville strongly oppose the plant.

“It’s my understanding,” said Brissette Brown, “from speaking to Mike McElroy and learning about this just as much as everybody else has been over the last few months, that once the ISO had granted the power capacity in February to Invenergy, that regardless of whether not they enter into a tax agreement with the town, if they do not go forward with building the power plant they’re going to be fined, substantially, it’s my understanding, and I could be wrong, millions of dollars. At the time… there was a concern about the financial ramifications of leaving the bill to people that thought that by voting no to a tax agreement that they’d be basically sending the power company packing.”

The gist of her remarks seems to be that Burrillville town attorney Michael McElroy convinced her that the town might be on the hook financially for the fines that Invenergy might suffer for not delivering on its obligations to ISO-NE. I couldn’t see how this was possible, so I asked Jerry Elmer, senior attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), for his insight. The added emphasis is all mine:

By way of background, I explain in general that the results of FCA-10 show that the Invenergy plant is not needed, here.

And I am well aware of the fact that the mechanics of these FCAs can be complicated and difficult to understand; I provide some general background, here.

“In FCA-10, Invenergy bid both of its turbines, or 997 MW, into the ISO’s auction. However, in the actual auction, Invenergy cleared only one turbine, or 485 MW. Thus, Invenergy acquired a CSO of 485 MW. Invenergy agreed to provide electricity to the regional grid operator, ISO-NE, for a one-year period of time running from June 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020. This period of time is called Capacity Commitment Period 10 (CCP-10), and it corresponds to FCA-10. In return for agreeing to be available to the regional grid operator during that specified, future period, Invenergy will receive a stream of payments called capacity payments.

“In effect, Invenergy is selling a commodity, capacity, in return for a stream of money, called capacity payments. (And those links above provide some needed background that may help readers understand this.)

“In order to be allowed to participate in the ISO’s Forward Capacity Auction (FCA), Invenergy (or any other entity) had to first “qualify.” In order to qualify to participate in an auction, Invenergy (or any other entity) had to show that it had a realistic chance to actually build its proposed plant. (The ISO requires this, because the ISO is responsible for keeping our electricity grid reliable. ISO cannot keep the grid reliable if entities that acquire CSOs cannot actually build and operate power plants.) Invenergy (or any other entity) also has to put up a huge amount of “Financial Assurance” to even be allowed to participate in an FCA. FA is a kind of bond, a way of securing (guaranteeing) that Invenergy will be able to perform its obligation. FA would be forfeited if Invenergy (or any other entity) acquired a CSO (in an auction) but then did not actually have a plant built by the beginning of the CCP.

“So, now that Invenergy did acquire a CSO in FCA-10, is Invenergy irrevocably committed to building the proposed plant in Burrilville? The answer is unequivocally not.

“Could Invenergy abandon its proposed plant in Burrillville completely, and not lose the FA (bond) posted with ISO? The answer is unequivocally yes.

“To be sure, Invenergy could not just walk away from the plant. However, between today and June 1, 2019 (the beginning of CCP-10, when Invenergy’s CSO kicks in) the ISO will hold three separate Reconfiguration Auctions. One will occur about 2 years before June 1, 2019; one will occur about a year before June 1, 2019; and the last one will occur just before the start of CCP-10. At each of these Reconfiguration Auctions, buyers and sellers buy and sell CSOs to each other.

“Invenergy could – if it wanted to – sell out of its CSO in any one of those Reconfiguration Auctions. Of course, because the ISO is still responsible for keeping the New England electricity grid reliable, any entity that wanted to buy Invenergy’s 485-MW CSO would have to be qualified by the ISO to participate in the Reconfiguration Auction. The qualification process would be very similar to the qualification process for participating in an FCA – show that you either have a power plant already or could realistically build one in the remaining time allowed, and post FA.

“Invenergy could elect to sell out of its CSO in any of the next 3 ISO-run Reconfiguration Auctions for any one of a variety of reasons. For example, Invenergy could decide that the political climate in Rhode Island has turned against it, and that the plant might not be permitted by the Energy Facility Siting Board. (This could happen, say, if Governor Raimondo were persuaded to oppose the proposed plant as a result of overwhelming constituent pressure.) Or Invenergy could decide that the New England energy market is less lucrative than it thought it would be, and it is not worth building the plant. (In fact, the auction clearing price crashed from over $17 per kilowatt-month in FCA-9 to $7.03 per kilowatt month in FCA-10.) Or, Invenergy could sell out of its CSO for no other reason than that it thought it was profitable to do so. (Remember that whatever entity buys the CSO from Invenergy would be buying the right to a future stream of income. This is a valuable commodity, and it is entirely possible that Invenergy simply flips the CSO for a quick profit. Note that in that last sentence I mean “possible” as being completely within the ISO Market Rules; I am not suggesting that this is a likely course for Invenergy – only that it can be done.)

“In fact, Invenergy could sell out of its CSO in any one of the next three Reconfiguration Auctions for any reason it wanted to do so. The fact is that, having acquired a CSO on February 8 does not mean that the plant must inevitably be built, and does not mean that Invenergy is powerless to walk away without forfeiting the huge bond it posted with the ISO.

“In this scenario, the Town of Burrillville would not be on the hook for any of Invenergy’s CSO. In fact, the Town of Burrillville could almost certainly not be qualified by the ISO to buy Invenergy’s CSO. But, in any event, if Invenergy sold out of its CSO, the Town of Burrillville would have no liability for the CSO.”

So, in summary, the Town of Burrillville is in no way responsible for Invenergy’s bad decision to buy into a forward capacity energy market before being sure that they would be able to supply the energy required.

Invenergy made the promise, not Burrillville.

So I ask again, “Why should anyone in Burrillville care about bad decisions made by a Chicago based energy company? How is it possible that Burrillville should be liable for Invenergy’s bad business decisions?”

June 27, 2016

RI Democratic Party more aligned with national GOP than Hillary Clinton

Why is the NRA more pleased with the predominantly Democratic legislature in Rhode Island than gun safety groups? Why do anti-abortion groups have more access to lawmakers than their pro-choice counterparts? Why did our elected officials cut taxes to the rich, payments to struggling cities and towns and the pensions of public sector workers? Why is Rhode Island the only blue state with a voter ID law?

Sam Bell, director of the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats, told NBC10 News Conference this weekend that it’s because the Governor Gina Raimondo and the Rhode Island General Assembly are significantly more conservative than Hillary Clinton and national Democratic Party and are more ideologically aligned with traditional Republicans.

“I think one thing people don’t realize about how politics works in our state is that the people who dominate the Democratic caucuses in the General Assembly – both the House and the Senate, to a lesser degree – really seem to stand with the national Republican Party on the core issues that divide the two parties at the national level,” Bell to Bill Rappleye.

Bell said the recent top tier tax cuts were the among the largest ever and that car taxes, which hit lower income people harder, were increased to finance this tax break to Rhode Island’s richest residents.

“There’s just no evidence that Rhode Islanders stand with any of these extreme conservative policies that the leaders of the General Assembly are pushing,” he said. While local elected officials like to use the term “business friendly,” Bell said, the policies they push tend to hurt small businesses.

Afterwards, Jon Brien and I debated Bell’s assertion. Brien said the problem is “economic Robin Hoods” who want to take other people’s money while I countered that “economic sheriffs of Nottingham” who want to take other people’s money are the problem.

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