RI Small Businesses: Beware of ALEC’s Minions
Jon Brien recently announced that he would be running a write-in campaign to retain his seat in Rhode Island’s House of Representatives. At a press conference to announce the egotistical continuation of his campaign on September 20, Brien was surrounded by owners of local business including Pepin Lumber, The Burrito Company, and American Beauty Signworks. [...]
Baldelli-Hunt, Brien Plead Dumb on 38 Studios Vote
The Cicilline-Gemma debate at Rhode Island College wasn’t the only question and answer session for candidates on Tuesday. In Woonsocket, constituents were invited to attend a candidate forum hosted by MyWoonsocket.com and WNRI radio to meet the candidates for General Assembly seats in the city. Radio host Roger Bouchard moderated while local reporters Sandy Phaneuf [...]
NY Times Links ALEC to Woonsocket Fiscal Crisis
Sometimes it takes a view from 20,000 feet rather than in the trenches to see the big picture. Such may be the case with today’s New York Times, which makes the connection between the budget crisis in Woonsocket and Rep. Jon Brien’s involvement with the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC, reports Times columnist and native [...]
In Woonsocket, Two Briens Saw Tax Bill Differently
The story in Woonsocket just keeps getting weirder. First the House delegation overrode the will of the mayor and city council by not supporting a supplemental tax bill at the State House last week. Then, today, a member of that city council – one who supported the tax increase, no less – has called for [...]
Woonsocket Delegation Still Won’t Support Tax
With the legislative session coming to a close, it seems that Woonsocket will not get permission from the General Assembly to assess the supplemental tax bill that local and state officials say is necessary to keep the financially struggling city out of receivership. UPDATE: House Speaker Gordon Fox just said the House may vote on [...]
Woonsocket Legislators Call for Fiscal Receiver
Woonsocket legislators would prefer a receiver step in and help right the struggling city’s financial problems rather than raise property taxes, according to a letter from them to Mayor Leo Fontaine. “Significant and immediate structural reforms are needed to avert a financial crisis in our city and we respectfully request that as a first priority, [...]
ALEC Funds Brien’s Travel Costs to Annual Meeting
Conservative Rep. Jon Brien, of Woonsocket, will be attending his first ALEC meeting as a member of the far right wing group’s board of directors when he travels to Charlotte, NC on Thursday for its annual Spring Task Force meeting where, he said, one of the orders of business will be “coming up with a [...]
Taxpayers Are Funding Legislators’ ALEC Memberships
Rhode Islanders taxpayers are funding legislators’ memberships in ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, said House spokesman Larry Berman. He said the state paid $800 in January for eight new members (more than 20 percent of the legislature are members) that Rep. Jon Brien, a conservative Democrat from Woonsocket who was recently put on the [...]
Chafee, Brien Explain Need for Municipal Aid Bills
Gov. Chafee and Rep. Jon Brien, chairman of the House Municipal Government Committee, kicked off the House Finance Committee meeting by addressing the need to pass the governor’s municipal aid package. Brien, from Woonsocket, has a particular interest in the bills’ passage as they would greatly benefit his community. In this video, they both explain [...]
New Comments