Justin Katz

“Un pueblo unido no mas sera vencido!”

By Justin Katz | April 4, 2008 |

Whoa. Listen to the audio provided on the Providence Journal page to which Monique links in the previous post. The above quoted line — used to rally momentary resistance to police instructions — is sounding more and more like a threat than encouragement: Outside the State House, [Providence City Councilman Miguel Luna] said, “When you…

The Success of the Father

By Justin Katz | April 3, 2008 |

Not to pick on Linc, but it must sting somewhere deep down to know that, after years as a U.S. Senator, more years as an Ivy League professor, and now as an author with a new book out, his opinion remains of public interest more with reference to what his father’s opinion would have been:…

What the Numbers Show

By Justin Katz | April 3, 2008 |

Unfortunately, neither Community Catalyst nor RIte Care Works, the author and promoter respectively, seem interested in providing the full details behind a press release from The Clarendon Group that appears to support the conclusion that every dollar of RI government money taken from RIte Care comes with a 12¢ cost in economic activity but save…

Charity with Other People’s Money

By Justin Katz | April 2, 2008 |

When things go wrong for people, society ought at least to weight the costs of helping, even when the problems are wrapped up in the esoteric complexities of modern finance, but when I read news like this, I can’t help but wonder from where the money’s coming: The legislation is likely to draw on elements…

What the Kids Are Learning

By Justin Katz | April 2, 2008 |

One hesitates to make too much of isolated incidents, but then again, this isn’t but so unusual a story these days, except for the decreasing age and increasing numbers: A group of third-graders plotted to attack their teacher, bringing a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape and other items for the job and assigning children…

A Raise over a Coworker

By Justin Katz | April 2, 2008 |

The budget passed at the last Tiverton School Committee meeting — largely reflecting the latest teacher contract proposed — included the loss of only one teaching position from the payrolls. Prior to that, the district had sent out thirty-four non-renewal notices. Apparently, three-quarters of the teachers are willing to accept the risk (and probable sacrifice)…

Off the Island

By Justin Katz | April 2, 2008 |

John Derbyshire’s “March Diary” has much with which Rhode Islanders might sympathize, and that makes one wonder whether forswearing the “island” in our name mightn’t be a step in the right direction. The following is from a reader’s letter: I see you’ve got the “New York Funk”. I was born and raised in NYC, and…

Whose Line Is It, Anyway?

By Justin Katz | April 1, 2008 |

Providence Journal Deputy Editorial-Pages Editor Ed Achorn has dubbed me a “critics” (emphasis added): RHODE ISLAND is facing massive deficits. Rather than slash spending, large numbers of legislators last week proposed $340 million in new and increased taxes, under a bill that critics have aptly dubbed the 2008 Economic Death and Dismemberment Act. These pols…

Hang in There, Gov

By Justin Katz | April 1, 2008 |

The curious thing is that they don’t offer an “instead”: At least 250 people packed the Algonquin House on Broad Street for the 2 p.m. news conference, sponsored by Immigrants United, We Can Stop the Hate Rhode Island, Univocal Legislative Minority Advocacy and Hispanic Ministerial Association Miguel Sanchez-Hartwein, executive director of the Center for Hispanic…

Don’t Go Changing, to Try and Please… Special Interests

By Justin Katz | April 1, 2008 |

The Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council (RIPEC) makes a point that ought to be raised every time the progressives put forward data purporting to illustrate the lack of effect of recent tax cuts: Estimating that taxpayers already are kicking in an average of 12.3 percent of their income to finance state and local government, the…