“I hope you will join me in protecting this exceptional place we call home and work to make our community stronger and more resilient into the future.”
A Message to My Constituents
I want to continue to fight for families, our businesses and for seniors struggling to get by.
In these uncertain times we need our government to protect our access to affordable health care and our reprpoductive privacy. Our seniors deserve services that allow them to stay in their homes longer, and when they need specialized care, that care is in a well-funded facility with health workers that are well compensated.
A quality education should not be a matter of zip code. We must ensure that our schools are adequately funded by the state and the next funding formula for our public schools is fair and does not overburden local property owners. I agree with the recommendation of the RI Public Expenditure Council that we should be moving toward innovation that enables school districts to address the differences in student ability and needs. In the past we made the mistake of pushing all our students toward 2-4-year colleges that set so many of them up for failure. Not everyone wants or needs to go to college. Public schools should offer students career paths and certificate programs that lead to apprenticeships in lucrative trades or a head start in a professional career such as healthcare. Some school committees are already exploring or moving in this direction. Our State should be assisting in this endeavor.
We must reform public education so it works for all students. Charter Schools alone aren’t the answer since they do not serve the wide range of needs students present. A quality education should not be limited to those families who win a lottery to attend a Charter School. This year, schools will receive a $70.9 million increase in state aid.
The statewide crisis in affordable housing is pushing seniors, young individuals, and families into substandard living situations. In 2021 the General Assembly established the state’s first permanent funding stream for affordable housing to help address the state’s critical housing shortage. Many of the bills are aimed at speeding housing production and removing roadblocks in the permitting process. The passing of accessory dwelling units on properties should boost housing production and a $120 million bond question, if passed, will support more affordable housing. It’s time to make affordable housing a reality across the state so future generations can live in the community they call home.
We must continue the work of reforming policies and regulations that are holding our small businesses hostage. Small businesses are vital to Rhode Island’s economy. We’ve made some progress but there’s much more to do. This year we doubled the amount of assistance for businesses hurt by the closure of the Washington Bridge, from $1.3 million in the recent governor’s proposal to $2.6 million. The General Assembly passed a law to make Rhode Island’s banking tax structure more competitive with other states.
We’ve made progress passing common sense gun legislation that protects citizens such as safe storage of firearms to protect children and protecting domestic violence victims with a red flag law. But more can be done to keep citizens safe such as passing a ban on future purchases of military style assault rifles.
Science reveals that we are being impacted by sea level rise and intense, sustained rain events that lead to flash flooding. Rhode Islanders want their government to provide guidance using the latest scientific information, prepare for the problems and plan the solutions.But there is much work to do toward Rhode Island’s climate resiliency.
I hope you will join me in protecting this exceptional place we call home and work to make our community stronger and more resilient into the future.
