tassoni – RI Future

May 2, 2012May 3, 2012

Senate Takes Historic Vote On Homeless Rights

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The state Senate today has an opportunity to move Rhode Island one step closer to being the first state in the country to adopt a a homeless bill of rights, said Karen Jeffreys, of the Coalition for the Homeless, as members vote today on a measure that would guarantee Rhode Island’s most vulnerable residents equal protections under the law.

“Rights included in the bill include, but are not limited to, the right to use public spaces, the right to vote, and the right to equal treatment by police, employers and medical professionals,” according to a press release from the Coalition.

John Joyce, of the Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project, told the Associated Press in January that discrimination against the state’s homeless population is rampant.

The bill is sponsored by John Tassoni, a Smithfield Democrat. A similar bill in the House has not yet been voted out of committee.

May 1, 2012May 2, 2012

Tassoni: Second Legislator To Drop Out of ALEC

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Citing the “self-serving ideas of corporations and rich, powerful interests,” Sen John Tassoni, a Smithfield Democrat, become the second member of the General Assembly to officially distance himself from the American Legislative Exchange Council, the shadowy far right wing organization known as ALEC that pairs legislators with corporate interests, after news that more than 20 percent of state legislators belong to the group, and that their memberships are funded by taxpayer dollars.

“I’m not sure how I became a member, but having learned recently about the enormous amount of corporate funding for the group and corporate influence on the group, I have decided to terminate my membership and have sent that specific request to JCLS,” he said in a press release. “ALEC, it seems, is not about an exchange of ideas but rather about pushing the self-serving ideas of corporations and rich, powerful interests. I have no desire to be associated with that kind of organization.”

Last week, the Providence Journal reported that Sen. Walter Felag, a Warren Democrat, is looking to get out of ALEC too.

With Tassoni and Felag leaving ALEC, there are still 22 legislators who belong to the group that authors conservative model legislation for use in state houses across the country. There are now nine members from the Senate and 13 in the House. Ten are Democrats and 12 are Republicans.

April 23, 2012

Tassoni: Kennedy Plaza a Mess, RIPTA Chief Should Go

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Outgoing Senator John Tassoni, always quick to pick on bullies, has set his sights on RIPTA director Charles Odimgbe, saying recent staff cuts have left Kennedy Plaza in shambles and that Odimgbe should be replaced. Full press release after the photo.

Kennedy Plaza in Providence is a mess, said Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr., and it’s RIPTA’s fault. Armed with pictures showing piles of debris scattered around the RIPTA bus waiting area on Kennedy Plaza, Senator Tassoni (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, North Smithfield) said the situation is further indication that “the person that was hired to fix the problems at RIPTA is not doing a very good job of handling day-to-day operations, and that makes me wonder how qualified he is to address much bigger problems at the bus company.”

The upkeep of the bus waiting and transfer area at Kennedy Plaza is the responsibility of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, said Senator Tassoni. “Apparently, in a rush to appear as if he was getting a grip on RIPTA’s budget problems, CEO Charles Odimgbe eliminated a number of employees, including those responsible for maintenance of the authority’s facilities, including Kennedy Plaza.”

“The result of that decision may have saved a few dollars, but it has left no one to do the job of cleaning up Kennedy Plaza,” said Senator Tassoni. “That is certainly not doing anything to improve the reputation of RIPTA and I’m sure that the Providence mayor can’t be too pleased that Kennedy Plaza is starting to look like a dump because RIPTA is not doing its job of cleaning up after itself.”

Senator Tassoni said it’s become obvious to him that the RIPTA CEO “is not making the hard decisions necessary to address the serious and ongoing budget problems. Rather than making cuts by trimming the ranks of the well-paid middle- and upper-management personnel, he eliminates a lowly position and Kennedy Plaza is left to become a mess. Rather than implementing serious efficiencies, he testifies before the finance committee that his only options are to raise rates or cut bus routes.”

“I think it is clear Mr. Odimgbe is not up to doing the job for which he was hired and that it is time for the governor to replace him with someone who can,” said Senator Tassoni.