Rhode Island is in the midst of an economic downturn which is affecting all aspects of government. We need to bring in more businesses to this state and the only way that will happen is to make this state more attractive to those businesses. We must reduce taxes, and reduce and eventually eliminate the numerous unfunded state mandates that are crippling our cities and towns and bring our sales tax in line with our neighbors.

The only way to achieve this very lofty goal is to look at what we are spending and reduce what is going out. Everything needs to be on the table and the RI General Assembly needs to lead on this matter. All legislators who receive health coverage from the State need to start paying the same percentage that the rest of the people in this state do, whether they are employed by the state or in private industry. If they do not take the benefit, they should not receive a stipend. The State’s vehicle fleet should be reduced and gas guzzlers sold off. RI should be the leader in renewable energy, making us more attractive to energy-dependent industries.

This does not mean that we should abandon our obligations but rather make sure that all state spending is done wisely and that those people who need our help get it. Rhode Islanders have always had a great amount of charity for their fellow citizens and we need to continue that trend.

We are blessed to have one of the most beautiful states in the entire country surrounding Narragansett Bay. We must preserve the natural beauty and protect the natural resources of our state for future generations. In order to do this, we need to give the RI Department of Environmental Management the ability to fine industrial polluters a meaningful amount. Those companies who are responsible for poisoning our soils, water, and air should bear the full cost of the cleanup and face what are currently pin-prick costs.

As a seaside state, Rhode Island has the ability to harness both the winds and the tides to generate electricity. This would not only make our environment cleaner but would also help all Rhode Islanders with the cost of power.

We also need to make sure our neighbors keep their industries clean. The Brayton Point Power Plant is one of the biggest polluters of Rhode Island, despite the fact that it is located in Swansea, MA. The Weaver’s Cove LNG terminal could potentially disrupt traffic on the Newport and Mt. Hope Bridges and on our waterways when tankers transit through Narragansett Bay. 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. 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.