Saturday, June 02, 2012
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So what did Rhode Island?s State House insiders think of the proposed $8.1 billion budget? In short, the results were mixed. GoLocalProv has ten different reactions from lawmakers, union officials, conservatives and progressives.
Prev Next Governor Chafee
?I am pleased that the Finance Committee supported the acceleration of the school funding formula, which helps cities and towns. I am also encouraged that the Finance Committee included some portions of my legislative package in the budget. However, the fact that they selected the easiest pieces suggests that they will not address the most badly needed measures. Our highly distressed communities need more. The process is not done yet, and I continue to urge the General Assembly to pass my entire legislative package to help protect Rhode Island property taxpayers and avoid bankruptcy in our most distressed cities and towns.?
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Prev Next Senate Finance Chairman
Senate Finance Chairman Daniel Da Ponte:
?The Senate Finance Committee conducted dozens of hearings on various aspects of the Governor?s proposed budget during the past several months. The members of the Senate Finance Committee, and all the members of the Senate, raised their concerns and priorities during this process. In addition, I worked very closely with Chairman Melo in the development of the budget proposal.? I?m particularly proud that the proposal recognizes the need to make strategic investments such as the proposed IT enhancements and continuing down the path of transportation finance reform.? Now that the budget has passed out of the House Finance Committee, a briefing has been scheduled for Senate members on Tuesday. We will be listening to any concerns that may remain.?
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Prev Next Tea Party President
"Three questions:
Does it reduce taxes?
Does it encourage economic growth ?
Does it address the fundamental problems plaguing Rhode Island ?
The answers at first glance is a resounding, No !? Sure, it?s great that the Meal Tax was removed from the original budget and ?the funding formula for education is worthy, but, with a 8.1 Billion dollar budget, the need to increase 10 million dollars in revenue is going to be obtained by hiking taxes on the backs of smokers, dog groomers and taxi services ??
It simply is more of the same."
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Prev Next Kate Brock
"While it is encouraging to see some of the human service cuts to the developmentally disabled and dental coverage for low income Rhode Islanders restored, its absurd that House leadership failed to restore fairness to our income tax structure. The unsustainable tax breaks for the wealthy are starving our state, and our cities and towns of the revenue we so desperately need to pull our state our the economic crisis and reinvest in higher education, workforce development and reducing the property tax burden. It's time for everyone to pay their fair share so that all ?Rhode Islanders have a chance at a prosperous future."
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Prev Next NEA Pat Crowley
"NEARI is pleased with the increased aid to education and restoration of funding for the developmentally disabled. The transfer of work from contract employees to state workers at the Department of Health is also something we have long advocated for. The changes to the governance at higher education should be thoroughly vetted before being implemented and if the state truly wants to help struggling cities and towns, raising the income tax on high wage earners to provide property tax relief is the better way to do it."
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Prev Next GOP Chairman
?There seems to be a near panic in some quarters, to evacuate the State House so that members can get a head start on the upcoming campaign. This budget is an act of political theater. In its tortured attempt to offend no one it fails to benefit anyone by improving economic conditions.? The result is yet another punt by legislative leadership when they had the chance to score, instead.?
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Prev Next Lisa Blais
"The OSTPA would like to see the day that our leaders in the General Assembly provide a
budget with a vision and a plan?that puts RI on the path to economic prosperity, that includes systemic changes to every facet of RI government, that provides fully needed government services; especially to the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders, that stops the bloat for unnecessary government spending, that creates a landscape for businesses to flourish, that stops the scheming to take risks that Rhode Islanders cannot afford, that stops the scheming to create new ways to burden taxpayers and that provides the climate that will reduce the abysmal unemployment level. While some breathed a sigh of relief with this budget, the OSTPA is tired of? budgets that add fees and taxes while maintaining a structural deficit year after year."
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Prev Next George Nee
?It is unfortunate that the House Finance Committee voted for a budget that does not include tax fairness. If this budget is passed as is, the wealthiest Rhode Islanders will skate by again while lower and middle-income Rhode Islanders get stuck with the bill. That is why we are urging legislators to support an amendment to this budget bill that will make the wealthy pay their fair share.
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?As opposed to continuing failed tax breaks for the wealthy, this measure would bring increased revenue to Rhode Island that could be put toward job creation programs, properly funding cities and towns, lowering property taxes and investing in higher education. Sixty-eight percent of Rhode Islanders support ending these tax breaks for the rich. It?s time the members of the House of Representatives listen to their constituents, support this floor amendment, and help all working families.??
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Prev Next RISC Donna Perry
"Although it held the line on some taxes and offers significant school aid, it represents a lack of will on the part of the Assembly to provide a roadmap to local communities trying to rein in their deeply unfunded local pension plans. It?s very disappointing to see that in a year when several of the cities have reached the point of fiscal collapse, legislators won?t take on the tougher pieces of a package aimed squarely at helping the communities.?
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Prev Next Helio Melo
?This budget is excellent news for education and for our struggling cities and towns. In an era when we?ve often struggled to even maintain funding for many of our programs, we were able to get more money to schools sooner than expected, and also speed up money for distressed communities. It?s also good for taxpayers, because we were able to prevent several tax and fee increases. We were able to use a great deal of Governor Chafee?s proposal, and we?re grateful to him and all of those who brought their ideas to the table so we can do as much as we can for the state with the resources we have.?
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