Rhode Island soldiers were the first to enter the New Orleans Convention Center after Katrina, with about 100 soldiers for a mission that called for 500. They were “huge heroes from a small state”.
[Open full post]Governor Carcieri proposes reform in four areas…
1. Reform eminent domain!
2. Reform medical malpractice insurance!
3. Pass voter initiative!
4. Reform predatory tax-lien sales!
And amending the state constitution to serve the interests of an out-of-state casino corporation would be a “travesty”. (Note: big applause here.)
Governor Carcieri outlines a five-point energy program…
1. Promote conservation.
2. Increase LNG capacity without building facilities in populated areas.
3. Assistance to vulnerable households.
4. Reform the pricing system for electricity.
5. Vigorously pursue alternative energy. Goal of using wind-power to produce 15% of RI energy
Governor Carcieri outlines the state of and his proposals for tax-relief…
Lincoln Park and Newport Grand revenues will pay for complete phase-out of the car tax.
Must reduce the growth rate of government spending. Pension reform will save $250,000,000 over 5 years. “Big audit” fiscal fitness will save $140,000,000.
Proposes the following long-term, structural spending reforms…
1. State personnel system will be reformed, fewer middle-managers.
2. Reform the human service entitlement programs, promoting healthier choices and putting more people to work faster.
3. Constitutional amendment to tie spending increases to rate of inflation.
4. Lower allowed rate of municipal property tax increases.
Governor Carcieri proposes a single metropolitan school district to include Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls.
[Open full post]Governor Carcieri outlines his proposals for improving innovation and education in Rhode Island…
1. Increase the research capacity of RI universities and increase their ability to attract top scientists.
2. Uprecedented investments in research at URI.
3. Create a science and technology tax-credit.
4. Implement statewide wireless, border to border.
5. Better coordination between primary, secondary, and higher education.
6. Attract more people to teach math and science.
7. Improve teacher training in math and science.
8. Provide more rigorous programs of study to RI students
Governor Carcieri says his adminstration will focus on 4 areas…
1. Innovation based on science and technology.
2. Improved education of young people in math and science.
3. Reducing the tax burden of government, by controlling spending.
4. Maintaining the quality of life that makes people want to live in RI.
According to Hotline, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, chairwoman of the National Republican Senate Committee, offered this bit about the RI ’06 Senate race today:
In RI, where the NRSC has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars slamming incumbent Linc Chafee’s primary opponent, Dole dismissed the idea that Chafee’s challenger could win. Dole: “I will not even entertain the idea that Steve Laffey will win the primary.”
Local Channel 6 charactized this as Sen. Dole offering “a positive view of Chafee’s chances against his conservative challenger.” There’s your red meat for the day.
[Open full post]Ed Achorn expounds on how Rep. Williamson’s proposed Casino Amendment will undermine Separation of Powers:
Representative Williamson seeks to amend the Rhode Island Constitution by writing in a specific tax rate for Harrah’s — the first time that a special deal crafted for a corporation would be part of the state’s constitution.
In other states where their constitutions give special tax breaks to private interests — such as West Virginia (coal) or Alabama (cotton and timber) — citizens have found it virtually impossible to get rid of them, notes Philip West, executive director of Common Cause’s Rhode Island affiliate. Those industries have used their influence to control state government, supplanting the public interest with their special interests.
But that’s only part of the plan for Rhode Island.
The Harrah’s-backed proposal seeks an exception from the state constitution’s guarantee of separation of powers, so that those who write the gambling laws (legislators) would also implement and enforce them. The scheme would create a new “gaming commission” with vast powers over the new casino. Four of the seven members would be appointed by the House speaker and Senate president — giving the legislature effective control of a board that would clearly serve an executive function.
As Achorn continues, “It’s as if separation of powers had never happened.” Indeed, as Achorn points out:
. . . in fact, the legislature. . . has not yet passed laws making changes in most boards and commissions to comply with the state’s constitution. Only 26 of 78 public or quasi-public boards have been changed. . .
Achorn does qualify that a “go slow” approach is probably a good idea, but still, to continue “go slow” on the Separation of Powers front whilst putting the Casino Amendment on the fast track certainly indicates the priorities of the State Legislature, doesn’t it?
[Open full post]The U.S. Chamber of Commerce–which represents 3 million businesses nationwide–has endorsed Senator Chafee for his ’06 Senate run according to an article in today’s ProJo. This despite having differences with the Senator over various environmental , tax and labor policies. According to the story, the endorsement means the USCC will provide both money and “people on the ground” for Sen. Chafee.
Mayor Laffey accused Sen. Chafee of recycling an endorsement he had received last November and his campaign characterized it as support from a special-interest group. Comparing this endorsement to that given Laffey by the Club for Growth, Jennifer Duffy of the Cook Political Report noted that, “The one difference is that the club doesn’t have much of a membership that lives and votes in Rhode Island — the chamber does.”Chafee said the endorsement is important “to show that not only can I win the endorsement of the environmental groups, but also the business groups. There is no more powerful business group than the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.”
. . . Chafee said he was not surprised to win the chamber’s endorsement, because of his ability to work across the partisan divide. “The value that they appreciate is working from the middle on some of these contentious issues and trying to get good bipartisan support,” he said.
According to Chamber vice president and political director Bill Miller, Sen. Chafee voted the chamber’s position 82 percent of the time in 2004.
“From class action [reform] to bankruptcy to medical malpractice, transportation, trade, the CAFTA bill that was hugely important to the business community — the senator has been supportive on all of those,” Miller said. “The bottom line is we have someone who is sympathetic to the business community, and more often than not votes with us.”
However, the Journal also reports
But Chafee has opposed the chamber on a number of issues, such as the Endangered Species Act, which Chafee supports and which the chamber has criticized; a proposed federal minimum wage hike, which Chafee backs; oil drilling in the ANWAR, which he opposes; and others.
Duffy explains that because the Chamber has a position “on so many issues, few politicians will match up perfectly.” Brown’s Darrell West has his own theory as to why Chafee garnered this endorsement.
[Open full post]Overlooking differences with Chafee is simple political arithmetic, West said. The chamber would rather have a Republican they like 80 percent of the time than a Democrat who may oppose them more often, West said. “Chafee has a demonstrated record of electability” as a moderate Republican in a state dominated by Democrats.
