Monique Chartier

Ominous: Gov Does Not Rule Out Tax Hike

By Monique Chartier | December 27, 2012 |

Over at On Politics, Ian Donnis reports that Gov Chafee will not say whether his upcoming budget will include a tax hike. Governor Lincoln Chafee is declining to talk specifics about whether his next budget will include revenue increases – a.k.a. tax hikes. The governor offered this comment during an interview last week (excerpts of…

“States Doling Out the Best Benefits”: Guessez Vous Who Is Number One?

By Monique Chartier | December 26, 2012 |

Ah, yes. Another week, another undesirable ranking. Rhode Island once again finds itself at or near the top of a category quite disadvantageous to the people who pay the bills. Thanks to commenter ANTHONY for sharing a link under another post that sent me click-clicking around curiously until I happened across this 24/7 Wall Street…

Premium Premiums? RI Employers Paying Higher Than National Average For Employee Health Coverage

By Monique Chartier | December 24, 2012 |

Business Wire reports. When it comes to national average costs for health plans, Rhode Island employers are paying 13 percent more for employee single coverage and six percent more for employee family coverage, according to a study by USI Insurance Services’ (“USI”). Lovely! Another item to add to our … er, enticing business climate. By…

How Do You “Mediate” A State Law?

By Monique Chartier | December 19, 2012 |

… that, slightly rephrased, was the reaction via Twitter last night of John Ward to the news that Superior Court Judge Sarah Taft-Carter on Tuesday ordered the state and the coalition of public employee unions challenging the General Assembly’s overhaul of their retirement system to meet with federal mediators and see if a settlement can…

Shooting Monster Felt No Physical Pain?

By Monique Chartier | December 16, 2012 |

Usually, I look through news sites (a couple of times per day) for the latest developments in politics and, especially, for news on Rhode Island politics and gov’t. For the last couple of days, however, it’s been stories about the horrendous Connecticut shooting that I’ve been compelled to click on. Some information is now coming…

Re: Looking for Reasons

By Monique Chartier | December 15, 2012 |

Under Justin’s post about the unspeakable attack in a Connecticut elementary school, Joe Bernstein makes the following comment. How about this Adam Lanza was an evil little f**ker?Maybe he was mentally ill also, but the overwhelming majority of mentally ill people aren’t a danger to anyone except for themselves. Connecticut has very stringent gun laws…

Piling On the Taxpayer: 59 Illegal Alien Students Enroll at In-State Tuition Rates

By Monique Chartier | December 11, 2012 |

The Providence Journal reports. The Rhode Island Office of Higher Education said Monday that 59 undocumented students are paying in-state tuition rates to attend a state college or university.. This fall, 56 such students enrolled at the Community College of Rhode Island, two at the University of Rhode Island and one at Rhode Island College.…

Over at OSC, Liveblogging the Second Toll Hearing

By Monique Chartier | December 4, 2012 |

Over at Ocean State Current, Justin is liveblogging a second, packed DOT hearing on the proposed toll on the new Sakonnet River Bridge. Feel free to drop over and comment, boo, throw popcorn (…at the proposal), etc.

Governor Gives Thirty Minute Notice For Tree Lighting

By Monique Chartier | November 29, 2012 |

Yes, you read that correctly: thirty minutes. Governor Chafee deliberately excluded the people of Rhode Island from the lighting of THEIR tree (whether “Christmas” or “holiday”) at THEIR State House. Chafee’s office announced at 11:31 a.m. on Thursday that the governor would host a lighting of the tree at noon. Typically, several days’ notice is…

Unionize? Hellooo, You’re Management

By Monique Chartier | November 25, 2012 |

Here’s something I never thought I’d say: good decision, RI State Labor Board. The Rhode Island State Labor Relations Board recently dismissed a petition to unionize by Tiverton’s municipal department heads. The board decided the matter on Nov. 7, saying the superintendent of wastewater collections, the town planner, tax assessor, zoning officer, senior center director,…