Rhode Island continues to struggle with high unemployment, loss of revenue and an overwhelming deficit. We must focus on getting people back to work in order to meet the basic needs of our constituents. As one of Rhode Island’s more than 70,000 unemployed, I have been able to see first-hand how our constituents are dealt with and the areas that need to be corrected to get people back to work. The RI Dept of Labor & Training recently instituted an electronic filing system for unemployed workers to file weekly for unemployment benefits, making the system more efficient while making sure those most in need have access to the those critical benefits. This new system is light years ahead of the “phone-in” system used for many years and I commend the RIDLT for their progress. The thinking used to increase the efficiency in this one department needs to be expanded and used throughout the State system—in all departments. We need to find ways to efficiently, and effectively, get people back to work, while we continue to support all of the basic needs of our constituents. The focus this coming session needs to be JOBS, JOBS, JOBS.

We also need to make Rhode Island competitive with our neighbors. I introduced bills this year to lower the sales tax in one of three possible ways:

Move from a 7% tax to a 4% tax, matching what our largest neighbor, Massachusetts, has targeted or,

Lower the sales tax to 3% over the course of 4 years decreasing 1% each year or,

Reduce the sales tax to 4% while initiating a bond to cover the difference from what is currently collected and what is brought in during the first year. (It is quite possible the bond will never be needed, as sales from MA & CT residents coming to RI for goods and services, and keeping Rhode Islanders shopping within our state will increase our overall revenue, not decrease it – even in the first year.)

These are three ideas to explore. The simple fact is, we need to do something, and I have ideas to put forward to the Legislature, but I cannot and should not count on my fellow legislators to do this alone—these ideas will require the voters of Rhode Island to agree, which in my opinion is a much better way to solve these types of critical problems.

I was fortunate to be able to sponsor the Bay Street Bill this past session which will increase the fines on industrial polluters from $1,000/day to $25,000/day. The Governor signed that legislation into law in July 2009.

As seaside communities, Tiverton and Portsmouth are blessed with an abundance of wind which can be harnessed safely and responsibly for the power that we all need. Portsmouth has just brought on line the first municipal wind turbine in Rhode Island which, while providing clean energy, will also give the town free energy for public buildings. This needs to be the norm in Rhode Island and not the exception.

Rhode Island also needs to hold our neighbors responsible for keeping our environment clean and safe. One of the biggest polluters of Rhode Island is the Brayton Point Power Plant located in Swansea, MA. We must step forward and demand Massachusetts fix this problem. Additionally, the Weaver’s Cove LNG terminal threat continues. This proposed environmental hazard could potentially disrupt traffic on the Newport and Mt. Hope Bridges and on our waterways when tankers transit through Narragansett Bay. Setting aside the tremendous disruption to our commerce and way of life, the dredging required to allow the tankers into either the Fall River-based terminal or the offshore berth proposed for Mt. Hope Bay could have disastrous effects on the fisheries in the bay. This could mean more job losses for Rhode Islanders, and have a devastating effect on our fisheries. The RI General Assembly needs to continue to fight for the citizens of the Ocean State and keep these out-of-state polluters from killing our bay.

Rhode Island continues to remain the only state that does not have a funding formula for education. This leaves cities and towns “guessing” as to what amount of money will be provided for their school budgets. As a former Town Councilman, I know that this forces cities and towns into making difficult decisions, and near impossible negotiations while they wait to see what the Governor and General Assembly decide. As we saw this year, FY2010, this is not a reasonable way to run town government or a school system. Rhode Island must come up with a fair and predictable funding formula for education that the municipalities can rely upon. The educational system which the State has direct control over also requires a thorough review.

Our Post-Secondary Education system must remain competitive and affordable, while providing a broad range of educational opportunities for those who wish to go to Trade Schools, Colleges or Universities. If Rhode Island is going to compete for high tech businesses, then we are going to need a highly skilled and educated work force. Those businesses and others require skilled tradespeople, as well as engineers, trainers and teachers, lawyers and marketers, and so many other professions—but the requirement is the same—solid education and training. Our future depends on how well we provide this to the next generation. Internationally-renowned companies have relocated to Rhode Island in the past because of our skilled workforce. We must insure the continuation of that workforce. As a State Representative, as a business man, and as the father of three children who will be part of that workforce, I am committed to working on these issues.