The story has moved on since I made a note to highlight this, but it remains an important point, particularly because suggested by a Republican:

Mayor Kenneth Hopkins is on the defense after three City Council members voiced strong concerns about the city potentially using its $6-million share of Gov. Dan McKee’s “Learn365RI” money to buy the iconic − and financially struggling − Park Theatre.

The notion that McKee should be fishing for positive headlines around the state by pretending more government funding of recreational activities will somehow improve education is bad enough.  The idea that the money can be spent on government takeover of deteriorating privately owned properties for some unspecified reason — while arguably completely in keeping with the governor’s true motivation — is beyond the pale.

Whether Hopkins was just freelancing with this idea or had a tacit wink and nod from the governor’s office before the media spotlight hit his window, Rhode Islanders should make it clear that the impulse toward waste and corruption has to stop.  (We should also recognize the value of splitting government between the parties to a significant degree.)