Monique Chartier

AFT Flyer: Find the Fib

By Monique Chartier | April 4, 2009 |

This flyer, in PDF form, urged the removal from the FY2009 budget of those articles which would have bestowed much needed management tools (i.e., lifted costly mandates) on cities and towns. Sent to several state legislators, it apparently did the trick as the matter has been pushed off to FY 2010. There is a major…

Can We Afford to Do Everything?

By Monique Chartier | April 3, 2009 |

Under Justin’s post “Because They’re Better than You” about the Chief Justice’s nifty office renovation, commenter EMT points out that … part of the cost was due to the historic status of the building. Respectfully, regretfully, is it possible that we can’t afford to keep or maintain historic buildings? The renovation of Justice Williams’ office…

Supplemental Tax Bill? Mayor Lombardi Will Name Names

By Monique Chartier | April 2, 2009 |

In his editorial today, Valley Breeze publisher Tom Ward writes You’ve got to love that Mayor Charlie Lombardi, unless you hate him, of course. This week he’s telling hometown state legislators that if they approve the state supplemental budget, the one with huge cuts in state aid to North Providence and other communities, he’ll be…

Snippets from the House Debate & Vote on the FY09 Supplemental

By Monique Chartier | April 2, 2009 |

… which started early afternoon and ended around 10:00 pm. I attended the last two hours. A substantive description, courtesy the ProJo, of the budget as it will go to the Senate is available here. > One of my favorite moments during the debate last came when Gordon Fox snapped at Bob Watson, “Sit down…

Pay for Performance: the Logical Extension

By Monique Chartier | March 31, 2009 |

Thanks to WPRO’s Matt Allen for the heads-up about the “Pay for Performance Act of 2009” bill that got voted out of Elmer Fudd’s … er, Barney Frank’s committee last week. Byron York at the Washington Examiner reports. But now, in a little-noticed move, the House Financial Services Committee, led by chairman Barney Frank, has…

House Judiciary Committee Throws a Spanner into Voter ID

By Monique Chartier | March 31, 2009 |

Chairman Lally and the House Judiciary Committee have voted to hold Bill H 5097 “AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS – VOTER IDENTIFICATION” over “for further study”. The vote to do so was thirteen to one; the one “nay” was Rep Rod Driver. What aspect of this concept might still need to be studied? Let’s see,…

House Republicans’ “Form Letter”

By Monique Chartier | March 30, 2009 |

… as promised. House Republicans have suggested that representatives who vote in favor of the General Assembly’s pending supplemental budget send the following letter to the city or town which they represent. (A press release is public, right? Okay, then.) April 1, 2009 Dear Town Council President /Mayor; I wanted to drop you a quick…

House Republicans React to the G.A. Supplemental Budget

By Monique Chartier | March 30, 2009 |

… in a Press Release of today. House Minority Leader Robert A. Watson (R-Dist.30 East Greenwich, West Greenwich) and the members of the House Minority Caucus today said that tax increases and the failure to provide our cities and towns management rights advocated by Governor Carcieri are unacceptable. “House Republicans have drawn a line in…

Chris Dodd Picks Up an Opponent

By Monique Chartier | March 29, 2009 |

It’s much too early for such polling to be accurate. So let’s disregard the one point lead that Rob Simmons already has on Senator Chris “Sweetheart Mortgage” Dodd – plus we may jinx Mr. Simmon’s chances – and focus instead on his positions. From today’s Westerly Sun. If he were in the Senate now, he…

Observing Earth Hour – Global Warming Climate Change Style

By Monique Chartier | March 28, 2009 |

Tonight from 8:30 – 9:30 local time has been designated as Earth Hour. THIS SATURDAY 28 MARCH AT 8.30PM YOU CAN VOTE EARTH BY SWITCHING OFF YOUR LIGHTS FOR ONE HOUR – EARTH HOUR. I myself will participate in Earth Hour but in the manner of AGW advocates. By this philosophy, one is permitted to…