PROVIDENCE, RI —

1. Some random, quasi-creative answers to the “obstacles” question…

   Work to create stronger political will to get things done. The speaker cites the Airport expansion as an example.
   Reduce bureaucracy. It takes hundreds of boxes of materials to apply for a new health center. Wind power is too bureaucratic.

2. On the non-creative side, at least two groups have said “funding formula” and “school district consolidation” as important parts of the solution. If that’s the most important thing that comes out of this session, then the state isn’t headed for improvement any time soon. As always, saying “funding formula” tells the public nothing, unless you say how you’re paying for it, or if you aren’t paying for it and are just shifting money between the communities the state picks as winners and losers.
3. Increasing borrowing has just been proposed as a solution to the obstacle of “not having enough money to do what we want to do”. It might be because the final groups have had their thunder stolen by the previous groups, but the recommendations now are a little less original than the ones earlier in the session.