The Scoop - Winning the Latino Vote - RI News and Politics at 4 pm

Monday, September 09, 2013

Anthony Faccenda, The Scoop

 

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Welcome to The Scoop, the 4 p.m. report on everything politics in Rhode Island – the inside daily report exclusively on GoLocalProv.com.

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Providence Mayoral Candidate Elorza Comments on the Latino Vote

As GoLocal reported on Sunday, Providence’s mayoral race lost a candidate yesterday when deputy superintendent of Central Falls schools Victor Capellan withdrew his candidacy. Capellan's departure leaves Jorge Elorza remaining as the lone Latino candidate. Despite this fact, Elorza, a former Providence Housing Court Judge, does not take the Latino vote for granted.

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"I don’t believe anyone will support me simply because I am Latino," said Elorza to GoLocal. "However, I look forward to winning the support of the Latino community because I understand that community and because I have a vision for the city that resonates with them. I want our schools to be world-class, I want to create middle-class jobs, and I want to support communities so that they can make Providence the best place to live, work and play. I look forward to winning the support of not only the Latino community but of every community in the city."

U.S. Congressional Candidate Maciel Issues Warning About SIBs

Independent candidate for the 1st District Congressional District Jonathan Maciel has issued a statement about the dangers of Social Impact Bonds (SIBs).

Also known as a “Pay for Success Bond,” a Social Impact Bond is a contract with the public sector in which a commitment is made to pay for improved social outcomes that result in public sector savings. Although addressing SIBs may not be at the forefront of most politicians’ political agendas, Maciel wants to send a word of caution.

“These bonds are just a 'pay for success' loan that carries interest,” Maciel said to GoLocal. “So if you meet the success criteria, it needs to be paid back. It's an easy way for state and local governments to get into debt if they aren't careful. If the project that needs funding doesn't generate profits, then SIBs are not what you want. Whether the program generates a profit or not, the SIB would still have to be paid back like any other bank loan providing the program meets its written goals.

“SIBs are pretty new so you're unlikely to find ‘run the hills’ articles on them anywhere yet. We probably won't know their full impacts for another few years. When it comes to funding non-profits, my stance is if we don't have the money to fund them now, what makes our governments think we'll have that money plus interest 5 years from now? Hard to assume real economic growth when policies aren't in place to promote that growth."

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Mollis Urges Voters to get Voter IDs

The Office of Rhode Island Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis is reminding Rhode Islanders that September 2013 is National Voter Registration Month.

"We should all have the opportunity to exercise the privilege of voting," said Secretary Mollis. "I encourage all Rhode Islanders to visit one of the Voter ID drives we have going on throughout the month of September and October, to obtain a free Voter ID card."

Registered voters who don't have an acceptable current and valid Photo ID can get a free Voter ID at any Voter ID drive, or at the Secretary of State's Elections Division at 148 West River Street in Providence during normal business hours.

The following are dates and places of Voter ID drives during the months of September and October.

  • September 8 - Labor and Ethnic Heritage Festival, Slater Mill, 12:00 noon – 5 p.m.
  • September 21 - Roger Williams National Park (Time TBD)
  • September 25 - Richmond Community Senior Center, Wyoming, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
  • October 7 - Woonsocket Senior Center, Woonsocket, 10 a.m. – 12:00 noon

 

An updated list of current Voter ID events may be viewed at: http://www.sos.ri.gov/elections/voterid/schedule/

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Chafee Co-Chairs Annual New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers Conference

Governor Lincoln Chafee, the co-chair of the 37th Annual Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, is set to wrap up his two-day conference in La Malbaie today.

This year's conference focuses on the region's energy future and includes discussions regarding clean, affordable hydropower, which will help our residents and businesses lower energy expenses and decrease our carbon footprint. Other initiatives include encouraging greater use of energy-efficient vehicles; adapting to climate change from an environmental standpoint; and supporting mutual assistance in the event of an emergency.

"We have an unprecedented opportunity to forge a regional and international coalition," said Chafee. "By working together, we can make our region both cleaner and more competitive—reducing energy costs and attracting investments to the region while protecting our quality of life and environment."

As co-chair of the conference, Chafee presented Sunday’s welcoming remarks in which he encouraged the attendees to continue to strengthen partnerships between the two regions on the issue of clean energy. This morning, Chafee chaired a meeting of the Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG), which also included Michael Lewis, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and James P. Redeker, Connecticut DOT Commissioner.

Reed Announces $861,000 Federal Grant for Bristol’s Maritime Center

Earlier today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed; Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Director Janet Coit; and Bristol officials and members of the Town Council gathered at the State Street Dock in Bristol to announce a new $861,000 Boating Infrastructure Grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS)—which will be used to turn the downtown Naval Reserve Armory into a municipal maritime center.

The Town of Bristol wants to renovate and update the historic Naval Reserve Armory to serve as a public maritime center for the benefit of visiting transient boaters. The facility will feature amenities such as laundry, restrooms with showers, storage, common areas to socialize, and information about downtown shops and restaurants. In addition to the maritime center, the project also includes installation of 16 additional transient moorings, and a dingy dock with fresh water for eligible boaters.

“It is important to help cities and towns across Rhode Island capitalize on their assets and one of Bristol’s great attractions is our beautiful waterfront,” said Reed. “I am pleased the Town of Bristol and DEM successfully partnered to win this $861,000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife grant to help build a new boating facility. Turning the Naval Reserve Armory into a municipal maritime center will ensure that visitors and local boaters have access to high-quality facilities.”

The federal grant comes from a U.S. Fish & Wildlife fund designated to support recreational boating through the Boating Infrastructure Grant program, which promotes water access and opportunities for recreational anglers and boaters, including through construction projects. Boaters and industry manufacturers support the program through excise and other taxes placed on fishing and boating equipment, along with gasoline.

The $861,000 federal contribution will be matched by $896,000 in state and local funds that stem from a $9-million bond referendum approved by voters last November.

In 2008, Reed—who chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Environment, which oversees federal funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—helped Newport secure a $713,000 federal Boating Infrastructure Grant to renovate the Armory Wharf and construct a central tie-up facility for visiting boaters, with restrooms and other amenities.

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Providence’s Mayoral Race By the Numbers

Prior to dropping out of contention, Victor Capellan had banked $34,284.73, according to his latest filings with the Rhode Island Board of Elections. Now that he's out of the running, here’s how the rest of the field stacks up as of the latest July 31, 2013 filing date:

  • Providence City Council President Michael Solomon: $491,848.51
  • Daniel Harrop: $102,427.88

 

Providence City Councilwoman Sabina Matos had $9,091.15 in the bank prior to dropping out of the Providence mayor's race last Thursday. Financial summaries are not available for Brett Smiley and Jorge Elorza as they have only recently announced their candidacies for mayor.

Current Providence Mayor Angel Taveras is expected to announce whether he will run for governor by the end of the year.

Source of data: ricampaignfinance.com

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