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 [...]
Laboratories of Democracy Must Push for More Democracy
In case you’re not following the steady stream of bills being introduced in the General Assembly (I only do it because I was asked to), you might not have noticed the introduction of a pair of bills that entered both the House and the Senate. If brought to a vote, they should pass, and this [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Occupy Providence and the Right’s Selective Support of the 1st Amendment
Occupy Providence has the fringe-right all in a tizzy over an incident in which condoms were dropped on a anti-choice rally at the State House, spawning not one but two diaries calling for criminal charges to protect the religious right from the inconvenience of being confronted with opposing views. Here’s Justin nearly hyperventilating over a [...]
Will Rep. Bob Watson’s 2nd Drug Arrest in 9 Months End His Political Career?
The Providence Journal (and everyone else) is reporting that Rep. Bob Watson was arrested again for possession of marijuana early Sunday morning. When the police arrived, they saw a white Volvo sedan in the lot, with its rubber tire missing from the rim on the front driver’s side. The driver’s side door was open and [...]
Racial Profiling Prevention Act
Have you or anyone you know ever been racially profiled? Sick and tired of police abusing their power? Well the Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM) has been working very hard on the Racial Profiling Prevention Act since last fall. To gather support, the Racial Profiling Coalition is holding a press conference on this Wednesday, Jan. 25th at 3:00pm inside [...]
This Week at the General Assembly
A highlight and discussion of some of the notable pieces of legislation going through the General Assembly this week. Education aid advance bill passes Assembly, becomes law - The General Assembly approved and the governor signed legislation requested by the East Providence Budget Commission to allow the city to receive its state education aid early to prevent [...]
RI Choice Coalition Recognizes Pro-Choice Leaders and Works to Ensure Health Care Access for all Rhode Islanders
It was a fitting day for the Rhode Island Choice Coalition to rally support for health care access considering the White House Report that was just released recognizing the state for being the top recipient of federal support totaling $64 Million for establishing a health care exchange. The main theme however, was a commemoration [...]
Rep. Lima to Introduce Voter ID Repeal Legislation
Watch for Rep. Charlene Lima to introduce legislation today to repeal the Voter ID bill that passed last session and was signed by Governor Chafee. She has been circulating the legislation in the House and has about 15 co-sponsors. It will likely be coming today in tandem with her press statement which was not completed [...]
Is Rhode Island Afraid of Young People?
Not in the slightest – we keep electing them into office! In the weeks since I’ve announced my candidacy for Providence’s State Representative District 8 (Federal Hill, Olneyville), I have fielded a lot of questions from friends, family and neighbors. One that keeps popping up, along with “are you nuts?” and “what do state reps [...]
And the consensus is…for H6095!
Today, the House Finance Committee heard testimony on H6095, the ’95/5′ tax that would solve our state’s budget deficit in a responsible way by asking those who can best afford it to join all the other Rhode Islanders who are “sharing the sacrifice.” And it was pretty clear which side Rhode Islanders came down on. [...]
95/5 Civic Responsibility!
Yesterday, Rep. Valencia held a press conference for his new income tax reform bill, H6095, which he’s calling the 95/5 Civic Responsibility bill. The 95/5 bill would raise an estimated $130 million in FY2012 and protect our state’s working families from even more painful and irresponsible service cuts. As the Projo reports: “It asks the [...]
Want to repeal the Bush tax cuts in RI and solve our fiscal crisis? We can.
With our $295 million deficit, cuts looming on the horizon, and the only other revenue-raising plan (a relatively regressive sales tax) now seeming to buckle under public outcry, Rhode Island is in desperate need of a real solution to our fiscal situation. Well, we have one! State Rep. Larry Valencia is currently drafting a piece [...]
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