Rhode Island Politics
In a post illustrating why he’s risen so quickly to the status of “must read” and why it’s so crucial to have intellectually curious people making their full-time livings investigating state-level politics and government, Ted Nesi responds to my incredulity at everybody’s willingness to accept the pension reform narrative. This is the most important paragraph…
In today’s Nesi’s Notes, Ted discusses an email from NEARI President Larry Purtill that was sent to NEARI members. Mr. Purtill talks about how Governor Chafee “lied” to NEARI during the campaign last year. Similarly, in a recent GoLocalProv article, NEARI executive director Robert Walsh said “I can assure you we received promises in writing.”…
I’ve placed the 5.5% privatization tax in the context of the General Assembly’s history of opposing such money-saving measures and pondered the language of the newly minted statute. My concern, in brief, is that there really isn’t anything limiting the application of the 5.5% “assessment” to state privatization. The only limit mentioned is to the…
Gotta love General Treasurer Gina Raimondo’s definition for legislative leadership: Follow the Senate president. Follow Speaker Fox. Be a leader. Lead by following! That sounds very Rhode Island. Real legislative leaders should be asking themselves why this whole process appears to be going so smoothly. Sure, the unions are putting on their show, as they…
So, today Tiverton voters will have the opportunity finally to do away with the financial town meeting (FTM) that has allowed a relatively small group of very motivated people to double taxes in the past ten years and ensure that they would continue to climb even during the worst economy that most of us have…
Readers of the Sunday Providence Journal will be familiar with the “In Quotes” column that typically appears on page A2; basically it’s a few notable quotes from the week, usually with a picture of the speaker. This week, one in particular caught my eye, because it’s from Brown professor Wendy Schiller, and I think it…
Even sharpened up, that cliche may not adequately describe the the duplicitious nature and predatory intent of the AARP’s testimony this week against pension reform. … Many have asked why AARP is engaged in this discussion. AARP Rhode Island’s advocacy on this bill fits into AARP’s broader, national campaign to Protect Seniors from fiscal instability…
Warwick Car Tax Revolt leader Rob Cote has done a great service to the citizens of Warwick and the state by keeping the heat on our elected officials regarding the car tax. Further to that end, he decided to drop in on the annual Car Tax Evaluation Committee meeting, buried somewhere in the State House…
Avid followers of Rhode Island politics are aware that John Robitaille was approached by the Frank Caprio campaign – and, in due course, by a circumspect Frank Caprio himself – about dropping out of the 2010 gubernatorial race so as to avoid the four way race that ultimately got Linc Chafee elected. (Robitaille demurred and…
Tonight, US Rep. James Langevin visited the protesters down at Occupy Providence. I wonder if the protesters are aware that he is one of the very people they are protesting against. No, he’s not the CEO of Bank of America or Goldman Sachs. I understand they’re protesting against corporate greed, especially the greed that is…