Rhode Island Politics
Let’s play a new game. It’s called: “Identify That Whine” It’s simple. Read the following two statements. Determine which is a declaration of facts designed to educate and motivate and which is whining. But the overall budget – taxes and spending – is set by the General Assembly. All of the increases in Marc’s chart…
The overall state budget has grown from $4.65 billion in 2001 to $6.98 billion in 2008, which is a 50% increase over 7 years. As we’ve all figured out, that’s just too much. In an effort to identify those areas that saw the largest growth, here are those departments that had operating budgets over $1…
It’s a curious — somewhat humorous — thing to read a well-meaning and fair-minded progressive attempting to work his way around to advising the other side. Here’s Ian Donnis: One school of thought, popular among at least a few of the posters at Anchor Rising, is that the state’s budget meltdown will cause dramatic and…
Here is the list of state job cuts (PDF). Looks like MHRH took the biggest hit, with nurses and nurse’s aides, cooks and cooks helpers, janitors and administrative staff taking the biggest hits. According to the press release: One hundred and fifty three state employees received layoff notices Thursday (the position titles for which are…
Has William Voegli spent time in Rhode Island? Liberals sell the welfare state one brick at a time, deflecting inquiries about the size and cost of the palace they’re building. Citizens are encouraged to regard the government as a rich uncle, who needs constant hectoring to become ever more generous. According to Voegli, its up…
Katherine Gregg at the ProJo gives us the sad stories of the state workers who have been laid off. I feel for them. But they’re not the first to lose their jobs for reasons unrelated to their own job performance, contrary to what some may think. As AFSCME Local 2884 president Salvatore Lombardi explained: “It’s…
I want to second Marc’s concluding thought in his prior post. The Rhode Island budget deficit elephant is sitting in the middle of the room and people are still trying to ignore – or, at least, downplay – its very presence. How long has this elephant been present without any real acknowledgement? A long time…
In addition to cutting the state payroll, stopping the rub and tugs and cutting aid to cities and towns, the Governor wants to reduce the costs of our social welfare programs. Carcieri indicated he would try a second time to convince lawmakers to cut in half, from 60 months to 30, the time limit for…
From today’s ProJo: With the state facing a budget hole as high as $450 million for the fiscal year that begins July 1, House Finance Committee Chairman Steven M. Costantino, D-Providence, yesterday urged municipalities to craft their own budgets with the understanding “that the state is facing a serious, serious deficit…. I would not expect…
Dan Yorke has been exposing Legislative “rub and tugs” for a few months. In total, these little payouts from legislators to local community groups have cost the state $2.3 million in 2008 (and, as Yorke points out, has helped keep the politicians in office–they’re such good people!). Well, now Yorke’s taking a look at the…