38 Studios bonds: Don’t default and don’t repay
In my last post I insisted that Rhode Island needed to keep its word and not default on the 38 Studios bonds. I know more now, and my conclusion has changed. After much discussion with Randall Rose of Occupy Providence, who educated me quite a bit, and Sam Bell of RIPDA, I looked into the [...]
The Morning After
It seems fitting that the Providence Journal editorialized in support of making Plan B, the emergency contraceptive drug, over the counter the very morning after Rhode Island’s annual abortion restriction hearing in the State House. Over sixty supporters came out in waves of pink to support the work of the RI Coalition for Reproductive Justice and [...]
Keep abortion restrictions out of Rhode Island
The same radical anti-abortion agenda coming out of state legislatures from Arkansas to North Dakota is headed straight for Rhode Island. Today 5 dangerous abortion restriction bills will be heard at the State House that would work to insert politicians between a woman and her doctor – and would bring the same extreme legislation that [...]
What ‘Vikings’ Can Teach Us About Rhode Island Politics
The History Channel’s “Vikings” dramatizes the various sagas, chronicles, and skaldic poems about the Viking raider Ragnar Lodbrok into a weekly television show. It’s also the History Channel’s first scripted drama. In one way it’s a dramatic departure from the conspiracy theory “documentaries” and reality television that currently dominate the History Channel’s lineup. But “Vikings” [...]
For MetLife and Rhode Island, size matters
In the brouhaha about MetLife leaving, I did see and hear people try to blame this on the too-high RI taxes. Of course; it’s always about the taxes, isn’t it? I would like to make one point about that. For 2012, MetLife reported $1.4 Bn of operating earnings. In comparison, the $80-90 Mn of tax [...]
David Cicilline and the anti-poverty agenda
I seem to remember a time when people actually cared about poverty, when poverty was something that society actually wanted to alleviate, when poverty was the social ill and not poor people. That unfortunately was a long time ago. Almost 15% of Rhode Islanders live in poverty, close to 155,000 of our mothers and fathers, [...]
Rhode Island’s Economy: A Moral Failure
The most important news story Rhode Islanders can read this week is the front page of today’s Providence Journal. “The Face of Food Stamps Nearly 1 out of 5 in R.I. Depends on the Program,” reads the headline. It’s a sort of follow-up to the Washington Post’s recent stunning Sunday front-page examination of Woonsocket, where [...]
Who Will Be the Next Director of Ocean State Action?
With the exciting news that Kate Brock is moving on from Ocean State Action to take a policy position in Governor Chafee’s administration, I was thinking about who could be the next Director of Ocean State Action. I say this because Ocean State Action is probably one of the most important, if not the most important, [...]
Will ‘Moving the Needle’ Help Rhode Island?
So, yesterday was the day when Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed threw down 25 bills that she hopes will “improve Rhode Island’s business climate and its position on national business-friendliness surveys.” After years of bad decisions and then paralysis, the General Assembly now has a collection of bills to review that stem from the recommendations [...]
Bill Sequino Manages By Being Man Of The People
Congrats to Bill Sequino, who is celebrating 25 years as East Greenwich’s town manager. He’s one of my favorite public officials I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with as a reporter … You’ve got to respect a guy who has a better relationship with any given public works employee than with the any number [...]
Report Confirms Rhode Island Taxes Are Regressive
A new report confirms what progressives have saying for several legislative sessions now: Rhode Island needs tax equity. According to the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy report the poorest Rhode Islanders will pay more than twice as much in percentage of income than will the richest residents of the Ocean State. Rhode Island [...]
JOIN US: Strategy Meeting for Marijuana Reform
Do you think marijuana prohibition is a counterproductive and unjust policy? Then please join us a for a community organizing meeting tomorrow, Saturday, January 26th from 10AM-12PM at Brown University, Smith-Buonanno Hall (95 Cushing Street, Providence 02906). Citizens and community stakeholders, including parents, teachers, law enforcement, and those in the recovery community, will join to [...]
New Leaders Council ’40 Under 40′ Event Saturday
The New Leaders Council Rhode Island will kick off their 2013 Institute this Saturday, January 26, and at 6:00pm, and invites the public to celebrate and support Rhode Island’s nominees for the national “40 Under 40″ Awards. This year’s event will be held at Asian Palace, 1184 N. Main St., Providence. Rhode Island’s 2013 “40 [...]
Tobin Aligns With Hate Group to Oppose Equality
FAPSMEG (the Faith Alliance to Preserve the Sanctity of Marriage as Established by God) is a coalition of religious and political groups, brought together by the executive director of NOM-RI, Christopher Plante, to fight against marriage equality rights. The coalition marks the first time the local Catholic church, and perhaps the first diocese anywhere, has [...]
State of the State Analysis: No Recovery Package
Governor Chafee’s State of the State speech, announcing his budget proposal, strikes a fine balance between solutions and inaction. Woefully inadequate as his proposals are, Governor Chafee does appear to have a reasonable grasp of the problems facing our great state. On social issues, Chafee proposes popular, common-sense solutions like tweaks to gun laws and [...]
State of the State Analysis: Some Highs, Many Lows
On the whole Governor Chafee’s speech was disappointing. The first big budget item: no increases in taxes or fees. So much for tax equity. In fact the corporate tax rate is to go down from 9% to 7%. There are more millions for many worthy projects/areas: K-12 education, higher education, infrastructure, property tax relief, and [...]
Read Chafee’s State of State Speech; Budget Proposal
Below this graphic are the prepared remarks of Gov. Chafee tonight. You can read his proposed FY 2014 Budget Summary here. Mr. Speaker, Madam President, members of the General Assembly, Congressman Langevin, fellow General Officers, members of the Judiciary, distinguished guests, and my fellow Rhode Islanders, I am honored to join with you tonight in [...]
Chafee Takes Economic Center Stage Tonight
While Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed may have tried to focus some of the attention away from marriage equality with a press conference on the economy yesterday, the real news will happen tonight when Gov. Linc Chafee gives the annual State of the State speech. In it, he will outline his proposal for next year’s [...]
Regionalization Difficulties
Regionalization is one of those issues in Rhode Island that many people talk about but never seems to move forward. In a recent GoLocalProv article URI professor Ed Mazze suggests again that the state should regionalize along its five counties. But Warwick Mayor Scott Avedesian explained to RIPR Political Roundtable this morning why it’s easier [...]
Lose the Lever
Rhode Island is one of only 15 states left that still offers the option of party-line voting, and the only state in the Northeast. It appears as if 2013 will see a renewed and strengthened effort to remove this vestigial electoral organ. Ken Block is leading a petition drive to push the issue. [You can [...]
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