Rhode Island Politics
We all know we need to cut the state’s budget deficit. And while Monique has laid out some specific areas for potential budget cuts, our legislature did what it has done so well over the years: looked for the quick fix. Rhode Island’s part-time lawmakers returned to the State House yesterday, opening the New Year…
Of course, I’ve got to highlight the good sense of my townsman Stephen Miller (whom I don’t believe I know, by the way): The many issues facing Rhode Island today are not problems, they are symptoms of the real problem — us! Our extremely liberal, entitlement-based attitude permeates everything we do in Rhode Island. The…
In view of the RFP (Request for Proposals) that has been on the Rhode Island General Assembly’s website for several months, it appears that a broad based sales tax is not off the table when our solons begin to tackle the half billion dollar annual operating deficit of the seventh highest taxed state in the…
Warwick Mayor Scott Avedesian negotiated a contract with the Warwick Crossing Guard union, but it was rejected by the City Council for still being too expensive. Avedesian then solicited bids for a privatization option, but only received one. Now, he’s proposing laying off the union crossing guards and instituting a no-benefit, per-diem only crossing guard…
I’m as hopeful as anybody that Steven Coaty’s Newport election to the General Assembly is a sign of trends for the elections to come. I’ll admit, broadly, that I’m a little worried that the RIGOP won’t prove up to the task of pulling the state back from the the precipice that has the Democrats bedazzled.…
My piece in the Providence Journal today addresses some common misconceptions about Rhode Islanders’ voting habits and the implications for non-partisan elections. Colby Cook illustrated the piece with a cartoon, which is thus far an Anchor Rising exclusive:
Surprised? Providence Fire Union president Paul Doughty has not come to work for much of the last three years, staffing what Chief George Farrell said appeared to be a no-show position in the department’s training division instead of working a fire truck. At the same time, Doughty was making extra cash working overtime shifts to…
With a remarkable 63% of the vote, Republican Steven J. Coaty won today’s special election in Newport and will represent that city in the Rhode Island House. Mr. Coaty carried five out of seven precincts. More details are available at Ocean State Republican. [Hat tip once again to Will Ricci for alerting us to this…
Pew has come out with an analysis of state pension systems. The Providence Business News sums it up: Rhode Island was ranked among the top performers in pension funding, with $5.5 billion set aside toward a pension bill of $9.8 billion as of fiscal 2006. But on benefits, the state was ranked as “below par,”…
It is a minor irritation to write or hear that cliche. It is a bigger irritation to watch someone carry it out. At a press conference today, House Finance Chairman Steven Costantino announced a plan to consolidate five state agencies into one. In a statement issued moments before his press conference was to get under…