General Assembly
And around and around not-my-town goes: Rep. John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Tiverton, Portsmouth), whose district encompasses neighborhoods on both sides of the Sakonnet River Bridge, has introduced legislation that will prohibit tolls from being charged on the bridge. … Instead, Rep. Edwards proposes placing a toll on Interstate Hwy 95 (I-95) in Westerly and…
I had to switch to music halfway through my commute home, on Friday, because Dan Yorke had Rep. Tim Williamson (D, Coventry, West Warwick) on his show, and my feet were beginning to stick to the pedals from the slime that was seeping from the speakers. A woman called in to challenge Williamson’s assertion that…
Apart from the complications of Rhode Island law, as a matter of political theory, this strikes me as a reasonable argument: The lawsuit [by the city of Woonsocket], which also names State Controller Marc A. Leonetti and General Treasurer Frank T. Caprio as defendants, said the money [that the state was supposed to give towns…
Somebody in the room for the surprisingly close vote to eliminate “hold for further study” as an acceptable method of killing legislation in Rhode Island’s General Assembly wrote to tell me that he’s sure that, at one point, the green lights outnumbered the red, indicating passage of the good-government change. Then, House Speaker Bill Murphy…
With the legislature back in session, the press releases have resumed, and I’ll tell ya: If all Rhode Islanders received them in their emailboxes and gave each a moment’s thought, there might be more discouragement across the state. Those whom we elect don’t seem to understand cause and effect and the 1,000-papercuts principle. So, here…
While we’re talking political platforms, it’s worth noting that candidate Dan O’Connor has put himself forward as a candidate for whom those currently represented by John Loughlin (R., Little Compton, Portsmouth, Tiverton) should not vote. His letter to the editor of The Sakonnet Times isn’t online, but it’s adequate to summarize that O’Connor lists the…
I made that mistake, and the House is debating H5582, which would mandate the number of apprentices who can be supervised by journeymen in trades. Majority Leader Gordon Fox just gave an impassioned speech about good workmanship, living wages, people of color, etc. In short, it’s a lot of rhetoric by people who have no…
Andrew’s news might explain the lack of the usual angst from the state’s unionists over legislative assurances that binding arbitration is dead, for the time being: The unions’ first choice — perpetual contracts — is alive and well. You’ll recall that the deadly bill, S0713, passed the Senate and the House Labor Committee and then…
Probably the most significant item to emerge, thus far, from the legislative appendix underway at the State House was House Majority Leader Gordon Fox’s assurance that binding arbitration for teacher contracts is not going to make a surprise appearance: Fox confirmed that a proposal to allow binding arbitration in contract disputes with teachers’ unions is…
Well, he’s a Democrat and a lawyer, which means he’s got two strikes against him, but Scott Pollard (D., Coventry, Foster, Glocester) counterbalances with a dozen good ideas on saving Rhode Island. Here’s the first: Problem: Rhode Island’s tax structure is not business- or citizen-friendly, which harms the state’s reputation and potential for growth. Solution:…
