Rhode Island Politics
Ted Nesi posted an interesting graphic from the Tax Foundation that shows that: Rhode Island posted the 18th-fastest growth in high-income taxpayers between 1999 and 2009. While the total number of Rhode Island taxpayers grew by just 4% during that period, the number with adjusted gross incomes above $200,000 jumped 63%, for a net gain…
Curt Schilling’s interview with the ProJo is a must read because it provides insight from another angle into the 38 Studios mess. Thus far, to paraphrase what seems to be the current Rhody Conventional Wisdom, Schilling (along with “Caaarcheeeri”) made a backroom deal to fleece the state of millions and both have pocketed the dough…
First of all, I agree with the leap-off point of Travis Rowley’s column this week: vilification of Kurt Schilling is completely misdirected. Responsibility for the 38 Studios mess – “mess” as in, who is to blame that taxpayers will probably end up paying $90-100 million hard earned dollars with nothing to show for it –…
A fascinating and eye-opening article by Mike Stanton in yesterday’s Providence Journal describes how, to paraphrase Stanton, the state jumped into the game business. We learn, for example, that the decision to provide 38 Studios with a $75 million loan guarantee from the taxpayers of the state was definitely a joint one reached by then-Governor…
… though not because the Schilling deal, facilitated by the Economic Development Corp, might leave taxpayers on the hook for upwards of $100 million. By almost any measure, Rhode Island has a very poor business climate. High taxes, too many fees, too many regulations, many of which were intended to protect consumers but, in reality,…
John Depetro alluded to it earlier today. But it looks like WJAR/NBC10/Turn to 10’s Bill Rappleye got what can only be viewed as a confirming quote from Governor Chafee. State officials have been meeting with the video game company owned by former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, Gov. Lincoln Chafee told NBC 10 on…
This past Friday, Justin wrote a piece for The Current about Rhode Island’s business-unfriendliness (worst in the nation). Not that causation=correlation or anything, ahem, but he ended the piece with this bit: The page for Rhode Island also presents data and rankings based on the U.S. Census. Notably, the state had the second worst debt…
As you might remember, I sent a few questions to State Senator Walter Felag on April 30. I guess Hummel was right when he showed us that members of the Assembly do not respond to non-constituents. More than a week later and no response from the Senator. I guess I shouldn’t hold my breath, but…
As Bob Plain reports: Writing on behalf of the 80,000 members of the AFL-CIO, union leaders George Nee and Maureen Martin sent a letter to every member of the legislature asking that ALEC memberships not be funded with taxpayer money. “If the views and priorities of ALEC align with your personal beliefs, then by all…
I was reading Phil Marcelo’s story in the Providence Journal today about the state legislators who had joined ALEC but weren’t too familiar with the organization. One thing near the end that stuck out was Sen. Walter Felag looking into canceling his membership. I decided to steal a page from Andrew’s book and send Senator…