Chase bank charges fees to use unemployment debit cards
Trimming the costs of governance isn’t inherently a bad thing, but charging the unemployed fees to access their account information probably isn’t the best way for the state to save money. However, that’s exactly what happened when Rhode Island outsourced the management of unemployment fund accounts to JP Morgan Chase in 2007. “JPMorgan Chase agreed [...]
Occupy East Bay tonight, Occupy URI teach-in on Thursday
A new Occupy group is starting in Rhode Island and while the first one focused on Providence this one will focus on the East Bay. “People there are interested in doing something,” said Randall Rose, one of the organizers of Occupy East Bay, which meets tonight at the Bristol Library (525 Hope St.) from 6 [...]
Payday Reform and Policy Change: A Recent Conversation on Sonic Watermelons on BSR
PROVIDENCE, RI – Are Rhode Islanders paying fees for loans that are higher than what residents in other states are paying? The answer in some cases is yes – 260% versus 36%. Learn more about the type of loans that charge these rates, the impact of these loans on RI families, and what you can [...]
Nine years; it seems like yesterday – The Station Fire
Before I even start writing, I want to apologize in advance for anyone I may offend or hurt. This is a deeply personal issue for many of us and of the thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of people who have a direct connection, no two of us may see it the same way. Therefore, the [...]
A Different Tax Exemption for Brown
It was Saturday night, I was reading through Providence’s 2012 fiscal year budget, and I came across an expenditure that caught my attention. We’re all pretty familiar by now with the gist of this table, even if the numbers are dizzying: Between the variations of public property, the “meds and eds,” and other tax-exempt properties, [...]
High Stakes Testing: Not So Hot
Last week friend of the blog, Dan McGowan at GoLocal, asked: Everyone agree that “teaching to the test” is a bad idea, but it makes no sense to get rid of standardized tests that could determine whether a student is eligible to graduate… Why not continue to test, but also offer the right interventions that [...]
Racial profiling in Rhode Island
According to a study by Northeastern University, African American and Latino motorists were more than twice as likely to be searched after being pulled over for a traffic stop in Rhode Island. Think there’s racial profiling in Rhode Island? The study certainly seems to suggest as much, and a number of state legislators and the [...]
Station Nightclub Fire Documentary
There is a documentary film project under way about the Station Nightclub fire of February 20, 2003. In 2010, Paul Lonardo helped Gina Russo write a book called From the Ashes about the loss of her fiancé, and of her survival from the fire. Local documentary filmmaker David Bettencourt is working on adapting and expanding Gina’s story for [...]
RI’s DISCLOSE bill introduced!
Before leadership of RI’s legislative and executive branches jumped on board, there were the hardworking activists of Democracy Matters and Common Cause of Rhode Island working all fall to put together this legislation, designed to pull best practices from other states who have introduced similar reforms. Congratulations on putting everything in place for an exciting [...]
Poverty Institute Becomes Economic Progress Institute
The name changes, but the mission will stay the same. Over a year ago I (and many others) had conversations with a consultant who was working with the Poverty Institute to rebrand their image. And today, in coordination with the annual Budget Rhode Map, the Poverty Institute is officially changing its name to the Economic [...]
Feb 25: Housing Resource Fair in East Providence
Congressman David Cicilline is hosting a housing resource fair on Saturday, February 25th from 9am to 2pm at East Providence High School, 2000 Pawtucket Avenue, East Providence, RI. If you are having trouble paying your rent, staying current on your mortgage, are in foreclosure proceedings or want to learn about housing resources, you should go to this event, [...]
DL Providence presents: Faces you should know – Feb. 22 from 7 – 9pm
2012 is already shaping up to be an exciting year in politics. Not only is it a presidential election year, but we have our local politics to keep us entertained. With the ongoing redistricting fight, the many social and economic issues that will be at play in elections, and Netroots Nation coming to RI in [...]
Marriage equality back on State House agenda
Same sex couples in Rhode Islanders will have another opportunity at equal protection under the law as Rep. Art Handy, D-Cranston, will again introduce a bill in the General Assembly that would afford the same marriage rights as their heterosexual counterparts enjoy. “Every year we move forward,” Handy said, who has introduced a similar bill [...]
TOMORROW: 5th Annual Budget Rhode Map Conference
Register now for The Poverty Institute‘s 5th Annual Budget Rhode Map Conference ”From Poverty to Progress“ to hear from leading experts about the economic vitality of Rhode Island and its residents. Thursday, February 16, 2012 8:30 am: Registration and Continental Breakfast 9:00 am – 12:30 pm: Conference Rhodes on the Pawtuxet 60 Rhodes Place, Cranston, RI 02905 $35 per [...]
Despite headline, RI actually has moderate sales tax rates
If you only read the headline from the Projo today you’d think Rhode Island has again, as the common talking point goes, landed on the losing end of a list of worst states as far as taxes go. “RI tax burden still among highest in U.S.,” reads the headline. However, if you took the time [...]
Beyond Occupy
About half a decade ago, I sat in my college freshman orientation class and it was discussed that my generation was apathetic, detached, and essentially unresponsive to the issues that faced us. This is a common refrain about my generation, the Millennial Generation, and typically, newspaper articles have been written about it. That day we [...]
Netroots Nation “Grab a Booth” Contest
Netroots Nation — in Providence in June — is offering free exhibit booths and passes to a select few non-profit orgs. Sounds like being a local non-profit helps your chances: Would your nonprofit or small business like a free booth in the 2012 Netroots Nation Community and Exhibit Hall in Providence, Rhode Island? Then enter [...]
State of the City: Employees, retirees give first
As expected, Mayor Angel Taveras said the state of the city is not so good. “Providence is in peril,” said the mayor of the capital city to lead into the annual State of the City speech. And, as he reiterated throughout his 20 minute address, it’s up to retirees and tax-exempt landowners to save it. [...]
Lock-em-up-unless-they’re-bankers Kilmartin
Striking a vital blow against accountability, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin endorsed the “50-state” settlement on foreclosure fraud yesterday, led by the Iowa Attorney General, Tom Miller. The settlement essentially allows banks to skip away from the crimes they committed in the course of foreclosing on a few million people’s houses. To recap: this settlement has [...]
Taveras to deliver State of the City speech tonight
Everyone knows what the state of the city is. Providence Mayor Angel Taveras has already sounded the alarm loudly. But nonetheless, he’ll still deliver the annual speech tonight at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall. The state of the city is, of course, disastrous. Rhode Island’s capital city is on the brink [...]
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