Side of The Rhode: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in RI Politics
Friday, May 23, 2014
Every Friday, Dan Lawlor breaks down who's rising and who's falling in the world of Rhode Island politics. Check out who made the lists this week.
Hot
M. Teresa Paiva Weed/Senate President - Good work, Madam President! On Wednesday, the State Senate voted overwhelmingly to support Senator Roger Picard’s proposal (co-sponsored by Paiva Weed, Lynch, Gallo, and Felag) to have the people vote this fall on whether all candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor should run on a joint ticket, “commencing with the general quadrennial election in A.D. 2018.” The House version, H8098, introduced by Judiciary Chair Cale Keable, has been held for further study. Hey Mr. Speaker- listen to the Senate!
Jorge Elorza/Mayoral Candidate - “Engaging with City offices can often be a frustrating and time-consuming experience, requiring citizens… to navigate processes that don’t take into account either the expectations or the technological advantages of the modern world,” observed Providence Mayoral candidate Jorge Elorza. Elorza recently revealed a Five Point Plan to improve city services, ranging from a data-tracking, problem solving Chief Innovation Officer to allowing certain licenses and permits to be paid online with credit cards. Check it out here.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST#1 - Providence, we’re number one! “…what the city lacks in scale and profile, it certainly makes up for in style and spirit,” announced Architectural Digest, declaring Providence “the country’s best small city.” They didn’t even mention the city’s best frozen lemonade stand, Mr. Lemon!
Jo-Ann Ryan and Mary Kay Harris - Of the 15 current Providence city councilors, only two, Sabina Matos and Carmen Castillo, are women. Ryan and Harris hope to change that. Ryan, running for the open seat in Ward 5 left by Mayoral candidate Michael Solomon, brings a wealth of problem-solving experience. She currently is Special Projects Manager with RI Housing, has an MBA and is Vice Chairwoman of the City Planning Commission. Harris, an energetic neighborhood advocate and 15 year organizer with Direct Action for Rights and Equality, is seeking to unseat incumbent Davian Sanchez in Ward 11 (Sanchez owes over $9,000 in fines to the state Board of Elections).
RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence & Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center - Following the recent murder of Shelina Moreino, a caring mother, the Coalition and Center issued a joint statement reminding that "domestic violence is perpetrated every day in Rhode Island behind closed doors by abusers seeking to control their partners…As relatives, friends, coworkers, classmates and neighbors, we must be able to understand and identify the signs of abuse…” The State Helpline for Domestic Abuse Assistance is 1–800–494–8100.
Extraordinary Rendition Band - Six young men in Providence have been murdered this year: Nelson Sanchez, 24, Derreck Almanzar, 24, George Holland, 17, Satchel Bernard Ramos, 22, Francis Rodriguez, 20, and Davon Taylor, 20. ERB, working with families and students, particularly from Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts, organized a musical march for peace this past Thursday in the West End. ERB declared, “It is time to unite as a community and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH to gun violence in Providence!”
Not
Jim Langevin/Congressman - Congressman Langevin continues to support opportunities for digital spying on US citizens. While the Congressman argues that the latest version of the USA Freedom Act provides proper “balance,” technology firms from Facebook and Google, alongside privacy advocates like the ACLU, disagree. The USA Freedom Act was mean to reform and limit bulk data collection, but last minute changes leave possible loopholes for continued gathering. As US Rep Zoe Lofgren said, “I think it’s ironic that a bill that was intended to increase transparency was secretly changed.”
Jim Bennett/Providence Director of Economic Development - As GoLocal reported, the Providence Economic Development Partnership (PEDP) is under criticism for “extending the notes on eleven failing – or soon to be defunct – companies in its Innovation Investment Program (IIP)”. Bennett told GoLocal, “We know a majority are going to fail, but HUD still shows that we’ve met our objectives…16 of the companies are high growth.” If a majority of companies are going to fail, maybe there’s another way to use city time.
Superintendent Susan Lusi - Before resigning under public pressure, a person with life experience but a fake degree was hired to be a $94,000 a year supervisor in the Providence School District. The recent hiring fiasco at the district is more egg on the face for the School Department. As GoLocal’s John Perilli argues, “Unless our cities and our state learn how to better hire, oversee and fire those public servants in which they vest the most trust, then they will lose that public trust altogether.” What can be done to improve HR at the School Department?
Really? - If our city and state elite are willing to spend $20 million to essentially move the chronically homeless out of Kennedy Plaza, why not spend $3.4 million to house them?
91 - “91 people in Rhode Island have died from overdose since the start of 2014,” GoLocal reported. This past week, Newport Hospital hosted a forum featuring Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed and Director of Health Michael Fine to discuss “the steps individuals, families, friends, community groups and all Aquidneck Islanders can take to help those struggling with addiction and how they can help to prevent overdose deaths from prescription pain killers and heroin.” Check out these tips from the Department of Health.
The “Gotta Study Six” Senators Metts, Lombardi, Jabour, Lynch, Goodwin, & Nesselbush - The RI Senate Judiciary Committee (not to mention President Paiva Weed) should continue their good work, follow the example of their House colleagues, and allow a full Senate vote on the bill to eliminate the straight party ticket (or master lever). The ballot line discriminates against Independent candidates, and confuses voters. It’s an easy fix- let’s end it.
