Politics RI - Candidates & Governor on State Budget
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Two candidates for office and the sitting governor have gone out of their way to criticize the state budget that passed the House Finance Committee Thursday night.
“I am very disappointed by the House Finance Committee’s actions on the state budget. This budget substantially reduces investments in education at a time when we need them most and fails to provide any of the tools that cities and towns have been fighting for to help reduce the burden on local property taxpayers.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"There’s no question that the General Assembly’s actions have placed an unfair burden on local property taxpayers. My responsibility now is to ensure that we absorb these reductions in a responsible manner and in a way that protects the residents of Providence."
Angel Taveras, Providence Mayoral Candidate
"I am disappointed to see that the House Finance Committee has, once again, sacrificed local communities and public schools in their attempt to balance the State’s budget. I am deeply concerned about the proposed $150 million reduction in local aid to cities and towns and the $31 million reduction in education spending."
"It is plainly disingenuous to claim that “the taxpayers are the winner” with this budget. With little left to cut from municipal budgets, the Committee’s proposal may leave city and town leaders across Rhode Island with no alternative to increasing local taxes. Once again, the General Assembly has avoided its own responsibility and passed the tough decisions onto the local communities. While we all will share the sacrifices necessary to weather this economic downturn, the State of Rhode Island simply cannot continue to renege on its responsibilities to the local communities."
Gov. Don Carcieri
"This budget assumes approximately $108 million from the federal government in enhanced FMAP funding. We have no way of knowing when or if Congress will move forward with the funding. The latest information indicates Congress is poised not to support this. The General Assembly cannot put together a budget assuming these funds will materialize. Unless Congress acts before the budget is finalized, we must have a contingency plan."
"The good news, however, is that because of better than anticipated revenues for this year and next, we can absorb most of the $108 million, but only if the General Assembly enacts the pension reform I proposed and completely eliminates the motor vehicle excise tax."
The chairman of the House Finance Committee, Steven Costantino, is also a candidate for mayor of Providence.
