The Boston Bruins entered Madison Square Garden in New York Tuesday night fully expecting to see the Rangers at their best.  After dropping the first two games of the series in Boston, the thought was that a return to New York would bring out the best in the Rangers.  If, indeed, that was their best, then one can draw only one of two conclusions from game 3:  a.) either the Rangers just aren't that good or b.) they have tuned out their loud mouthed coach John Tortorella.

In either case, it would appear that Bruins fans can get ready for and Eastern Conference Finals match-up, most likely with Pittsburgh because this Rangers team would seem to have little hope of coming back from a 3-0 series deficit.

Boston was the better team from the opening faceoff when they managed to keep the puck in the Rangers' zone for more than a minute to start the game.  The B's had little trouble clearing their own zone or entering the Rangers zone.  Were it  for goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, Boston likely would have won the game going away.

After a scoreless first period, the Rangers opened the scoring in the second when Taylor Pratt tipped Ryan McDonagh's shot in for a 1-0 lead at 3:53.

That would remain the score after two despite a relentless Boston attack that saw the Bruins outshoot the Rangers 14-5 in the period.  Lundqvist was immense between the pipes.

But early in the third, Johnny Boychuck's slapper from the top of the right circle beat Lundqvist to tie the game 1-1.

Then, late in the third, Danielle Paille tipped in a bouncing puck past Lundqvist for the eventual game-winner.

NOTES:

-Claude Julien and the Boston bench was furious at a missed call in the first period that would have resulted in a 4-minute penalty on Ryan Callahan.  Callahan's high stick cut the face of captain Zdeno Chara drawing blood which, by rule, shout have been a 4-minute penalty on Callahan.  No call was made despite the blood dripping from Chara's face.

-To make matters worse, Boston did not have a single power play opportunity all night.  The Rangers had two but their anemic power play went 0-2.

-Boston's 4th line has been a nightmare for the Rangers.  Daniel Paille scored the game-winner with less than 4 minutes to play in the third and Boychuck's goal also came when the 4th line was on the ice.  Shawn Thornton's presence on that line has been gigantic for the B's.

-Boston's trio of rookie defensemen continued to be a big presence for the Bruins as Torey Krug, Douggie Hamilton and Matt Bartkowski all played well.

-The B's can complete the sweep of the Rangers Thursday night when they play game 4 at Madison Square Garden.

Despite those limited numbers, Mike Martin was able to lead the Bears to a very respectable (13-15) record and a (7-7) mark in the Ivy League in his first year as head coach.  Now he will look to build on that success by adding more talent and more players to the program.

The school officially announced the incoming class of 2017 Tuesday.  Here is the official release:

Brown Basketball Announces Its Class of 2017

Providence, R.I. - Brown men’s basketball coach Mike Martin ‘04 has announced his first recruiting class at Brown with six outstanding student-athletes joining the Brown team in the fall of 2013. Brown’s Class of 2017 includes 6-0 point guard Tavon Blackmon (Upper Marlboro, MD), 6-4 guard Norman Hobbie (Spring Lake, NJ), 6-7 forward Leland King (Inglewood, CA), 6-4 guard Matty Madigan (Winston-Salem, NC), 6-10 forward Aram Martin (San Antonio, TX), and 6-6 guard Steven Spieth (Dallas, TX).

"We are very pleased to welcome this group of six into our program this fall,” said Martin, a finalist for the 2013 Joe B. Hall Award as the top first-year head coach in Division I basketball. “We feel that we have addressed some of our needs and these young men will significantly improve our depth. Each member of this class will have an opportunity to contribute early in his career and will blend nicely with our returning players, as we look to become more competitive in the Ivy League."

The six newcomers will join a Brown team that posted a 13-15 record in Martin’s first year, including a win over Providence College, and a fourth place finish in the Ivy League standings.

Brown’s Class of 2017

Tavon Blackmon

Freshman

6-0, 180

Guard

Upper Marlboro, MD

Gonzaga College HS

Secondary School Background: A graduate of Gonzaga College High School where he lettered in basketball (3)…Two-time Gonzaga Defensive Player of the Year…3rd Team WCAC as a junior and senior…Team captain as a senior…DC Classic All-Tournament Team in 2011…Personal: Tavon E. Blackmon…The son of Fletcher and Karmilla Blackmon…Has a sibling, Kaira…Enjoys video games and spending time with friends and family. Undecided on his concentration.

Why Brown?: “Brown gives me the opportunity to receive one of the best educations in the country.”

Norman Hobbie

Freshman

Guard

6-4, 185

Spring Lake, NJ

Manasquan HS

Secondary School Background: A graduate of Manasquan High School where he lettered in basketball (3)…Two-year team captain… New Jersey State All-Star…Group 2 First Team All-State…Shore Conference All-Star…First Team All-Shore Conference…Number one free throw shooter in New Jersey…Made 226 career treys, and scored 1,411 career points…Averaged 22.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game as a senior… Scored a career high 49 points… Central Jersey Group 2 Finalists…Honor Roll student…Personal: Norman M. Hobbie…The son of Norman Hobbie…Has six siblings – RJ, Kasey, Charles, Jack, Tyler and Savannah.…Enjoys going to the movies, playing Xbox, hanging out with friends and spending time with family…Economics concentrator.

Why Brown?: “Brown’s reputation for academic excellence, personal growth and development, and its commitment to athletic accomplishment is second to none. On my unofficial and official visits, I was immediately struck by the positive atmosphere and cohesive nature if the Brown community. I knew Brown would be my home.”

Leland King

Freshman

6-7, 215

Forward

Inglewood, CA

Brentwood School

Secondary School Background: A graduate of Brentwood School where he lettered in basketball (4)…First Team All-Alpha League as a junior and senior…Alpha League MVP in his senior year…First Team All-State selection…Team captain and MVP…Albert “Cap” Lavin Scholar-Athlete Award winner…Honor roll student…Personal: Leland C. King…The son of Leland and Robin King…Has a sister, Bianca, and two brothers, Latham and Le’Marree…Enjoys movies, go-karting, hanging out with friends and video games… Undecided on his concentration.

Why Brown?: “Brown is a great environment and a great place for me. It’s a wonderful opportunity academically and athletically.”

Matty Madigan

Freshman

6-4, 192

Guard

Winston-Salem, NC

Mount Tabor

Secondary School Background: A graduate of Mount Tabor where he lettered in basketball (3)…Varsity team captain as a junior and senior…Wendy’s Heisman Award State 10 finalist…North Carolina 4A All-State selection…All Best of the Northwest North Carolina 4A…Central Piedmont 4A All-Conference (10th, 11th, 12th)…Three-time Spencer Classic All-Tournament Team and Central Piedmont All-Tournament Team…National AAU Showcase Champions…Averaged 15 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds as a senior…National Honor Society member…Honor Roll student all four years…AP Scholar with Honor…National Latin Honor Society…Personal: Matthew John Madigan…The son of Michael and Ann Madigan…Has two siblings, Michael and Kelly…Enjoys hiking and hunting…Plans to concentrate in Economics or BEO.

Why Brown?: “I felt like it was definitely a place I could spend the next four years of my life. The coaches and players are awesome.”

Aram Martin

Freshman

6-10, 190

Forward

San Antonio, TX

The Miller School of Albemarle

Secondary School Background: A graduate of The Miller School of Alberarle where he lettered for two years…Played for the Carolina Cougars AAU Team…National Honor Society member…W.E.B. Dubois Honor Society…Personal: Aram Hassan Martin…The son of Nathan and Wanda Purifoy…Has two older sisters…Enjoys anime, working on his game and playing the guitar…Neuropsychology concentrator.

Why Brown?: “Brown is the perfect environment in terms of school with equal parts of academics and athletics. My visit to Brown was amazing.”

Steven Spieth

Freshman

6-6, 210

Guard

Dallas, TX

Jesuit College Prep

Secondary School Background: A graduate of Jesuit College Prep where he lettered in basketball (3)…Knights of Columbus Tournament MVP as a senior…Three-time Plano Avery Air Tournament All-Tournament team, and MVP as a senior…Freshman team MVP…Scored a career high 36 points…Averaged 18 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists as a senior…Personal: Steven Edward Spieth…The son of Shawn and Christine Spieth…Has an older brother, Jordan, who plays on the PGA Tour, and a younger sister, Ellen…Enjoys fishing and golfing…Undecided on his concentration.

Why Brown?: “I chose Brown because of its great mix of academics and athletics, and I believe I can thrive there.”

Read the apology issued through his spokesperson:

“Yesterday afternoon Senator Whitehouse took to the Senate floor to deliver his weekly speech about climate change. It was a speech that had been prepared in advance, and which included a general reference to tornadoes in Oklahoma. Tragically, and unbeknownst to the Senator at the time, a series of tornadoes were hitting Oklahoma at the same moment he gave his remarks. Senator Whitehouse regrets the timing of his speech and offers his thoughts and prayers to the victims of yesterday’s storms and their families, and he stands ready to work with the Senators from Oklahoma to assist them and their constituents in this time of need.”

-- Seth Larson, spokesperson for Senator Whitehouse

Valois served previously as RIEDC director under Governor Lincoln Almond.

“Marcel Valois is a proven business leader,” Governor Chafee said. “He understands economic development, he understands Rhode Island, and he shares my commitment to taking advantage of Rhode Island’s assets to strengthen our economy. I look forward to working with Marcel to build a sustainable Rhode Island economy that benefits all the people of our state.”

Valois served, most recently, as Vice President of the Economic Development Foundation of Rhode Island, Inc. (EDFRI). He previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Area Vice President of Penske Automotive Group, a publicly traded company, where he was responsible for overseeing total operations of the Inskip dealer group with more than 500 employees and over $400 million in annual sales.

In his previous tenure, he spearheaded the development of a master plan for the 3,000-acre former Quonset / Davisville Navy Base and led the marketing efforts for the passage of a $72-million bond issue for investment in the facility; led the state's negotiating team for the development of the Providence Place Mall; and successfully recruited Fidelity Investments to Rhode Island, representing over $500 million in new investment and the creation of 3,000 jobs, an achievement that was cited by Site Selection magazine as one of the top ten development deals in the United States in 1996.

Prior to that Valois served as Executive Vice President of the Blackstone Valley Development Foundation, Inc., and Director of Planning & Development, as well as City Planner & Planning Analyst, for the City of Woonsocket.

Valois received his B.A., in Liberal Arts, and his M.A., in Urban & Economic Geography, from the University of Rhode Island.
 

GoLocal talked with political pundits to get their take on what will be needed to win in 2014 -- and who might be looking like they've got a chance.  SEE SLIDESHOW BELOW.  

Former Providence Mayor Weighs In

Providence's 33rd Mayor from 1984 to 1991, Joseph Paolino, Jr., offered his thoughts with GoLocal on the factors necessary for a Mayoral candidate to be successful in Providence in 2014.  

"It's got to be someone who can show vision, fiscal stability, and sensitivity to tax issues," said Paolino Jr.. "That includes a long term plan of what to do with the Port of Providence, the Superman building. And taxes -- the current Mayor has taken an aggressive stance against raising commercial property taxes to keep businesses here. Will the next Mayor?"

"There are some relatively new faces politically speaking, as well as a number of potential candidates who bring a lot of experience to the table. Will Lombardi want to give up his GA seat? Will Solomon want to relinquish his spot as head of the City Council? I've never seen a Council President yield more power. Buddy, of course, would be a game changer if he runs. Smart, vision, experience on the job, great debater."

Profughi on Taveras

Victor Profughi, Adjunct Professor at Rhode Island College and Founder of Quest Research, thought there were possible issues that could face Mayor Taveras on his possible look out of the Mayor's office -- and up to the State House.  

"Taveras has set some high and lofty goals -- integrity, straight talking, and available," said Profughi.  "While he may not always have met these to the satisfaction of all his goals, they will be important for any candidate to project. "

"As he seriously considers a bid for the Democratic nomination for governor, he will face the additional challenges of providing leadership in the city while trying to balance these efforts against a statewide run that will require a broad statewide coalition for success, said Profughi. "This is a tough balancing act, and mayors tend to be unsuccessful in pulling it off .

Providence GOP's Tara Pinsky 

"The major issues facing the City are the ever increasing tax burden on property owners, continuous yearly deficits which this year alone ending June 30th is $10.3 million, the "kick the can down the road" mentality with unfunded pension and medical liabilities of $2.5 billion, and the lack of a committed vision to get Providence back on it's feet," said Providence GOP Chair Tara Pinsky 

"Residents are now aware we are getting too little for our taxes: schools continue to fail, ambulance service is being cut back, public safety was significantly cut back, and crime is on the rise," she continued.  

"We need a Mayor who does not want to step up to higher office to advance his own personal standing, and who will focus for all four years on the City, only, to get it back on track," and noted that Dr. Daniel Harrop will be the Republican  nominee.  

See who the some of the candidates talked about for Mayor of Providence in 2014 are here.

The e-mail release that went out this morning from the party contained the following announcement:

"Block, who has spent the last few months helping to lead the effort to reform elections in Rhode Island by eliminating the master lever, said the state needs a Governor who is not afraid to use the bully pulpit of the office and who has the experience needed to get things done.

"Rhode Island is starved for leadership and desperate for a Governor who won't just talk about economic development, but who actually has the skills to do something about it," said Block. "What Rhode Island needs now are elected officials who are motivated not by the status quo, but by the desire to fix what is so broken in our state. The serious problems with our economy and educational system will only be solved with hard work, attention to detail and a dedication to serving the best interests of the majority of Rhode Island's residents."

Realizing that the ability to raise money is going to be an important part of the race, Block said he is in the process of putting together a strong finance committee that will help him compete and get his message out to the voters. "This election must be about who has the skills and vision to lead Rhode Island out of the financial mess we are in," said Block. "It can't come down to a choice between status quo candidates who raise staggering amounts of money from special interests outside of the state, or candidates who are completely bereft of ideas. I intend to run a strong campaign with the vision and ideas necessary to convince voters that I am the best possible choice for fixing our state."

A formal kick off event will be planned in the near future, where Block will introduce his finance team and lay out his campaign platform.  The campaign website can be found at: www.blockforgovernor.com"

RI Taxpayers Recognize Block as Outgoing President

The RI Taxpayers organization released the following statement this morning regarding Block's announcement:

"As Ken Block announces his intent to run for Governor of Rhode Island, the RI Taxpayers (RIT) organization is extending its appreciation to him for serving as President of RIT over the past several months. Block, who announced today he is stepping into the race, formally resigned from his post as President of RI Taxpayers late last week.

Ken Block provided energetic advocacy this year on issues related to taxpayer concerns, the state’s business climate, and the need to abolish the master lever in our elections,” states RIT spokesperson Donna Perry. “He is a strong voice for reform on a wide range of issues statewide and as he steps out onto the campaign trail, we are very grateful for the leadership he gave us over the past few months.

RIT founder Harry Staley, who continues to serve as Chairman of the organization, says it is not clear at this time who will take on the role of President going forward. Block had assumed the role of President of the taxpayer organization this past January. RIT is a statewide, non-partisan taxpayer advocacy organization."

The feature documentary is about the 23.5 million Americans living in long term recovery, and the emerging public recovery movement that will transform how alcohol and other drug problems are dealt with in our communities. The movie trailer can be found here.  

GoLocal spoke with RICare's Board Chair and Senate President Chief-of-Staff Tom Coderre, who was recently awarded with the Vernon Johnson Award by RICares which "recognizes people who are in long-term recovery from addiction to alcohol or other drugs and their allies who have given back to their communities so that future generations can experience the reality of recovery."

In addition, GoLocal talked with the producer of the documentary Greg Williams, as well as RICares supporter and volunteer Nicky Estrella, about the public recovery movement, and what it means to them, and the impact it has on the community.

Out of Church Basements -- and Into Public View

"There's an emerging recovery community movement organized of individuals, families, and allies who are working together to put a face -- and a voice -- to public policy issues for recovery advocacy, including prevention and treatment measures," said Coderre. "We've had a good deal of a success from a budgetary standpoint here in the state."

However, it was the public perception of recovery -- and the need to get the stories out into the public -- which drove Coderre to become involved with RICares.

"There are 23.5 million people in addiction recovery in this country," said Coderre. "The recovery movement is aiming to bridge the gap between the "basements" -- usually church basements -- where AA meetings take place, and bring these stories to light for the public to understand."

"My own story of recovery has been very public, based on my political involvement," said Coderre, noting that he has been in recovery since 2003. "I had the ability to get my story out there, but working with RICares, I've been able to help other people, along with myself, in the process."

Coderre continued, "The screening of the documentary - and the aim of the movie - is to bridge the gap between people who've spoken out, and to broaden the public understanding of recovery. This is a public health issue, a civil rights issues. There was a time when people wouldn't talk about AIDS."

"That's what we're doing with the recovery movement -- working to break down the public stigma, to show it's a community health issue -- not a moral weakness," said Coderre. "When people recover, communities recover."

Film Producer Speaks Out

Greg Williams, who produced The Anonymous People, is 29 years old -- and has been in long term recovery since he was seventeen. However, as he told GoLocal, the process was rife with difficulty -- and he wanted to work to change that.

"For the first four or five years of my recovery, I feared doors would be shut to me," said Williams. "Jobs, relationships, you name it -- I became angry about those doors that were closed because of the stigma attached to recovery."

"Then, I met hundreds, and thousands of people in recovery, and thought, why can't we have a galvanizing movement for this public health issue, like Race for the Cure."

Williams, noting his background in film and TV production, talked about how the idea for the documentary came to be -- but no one wanted to fund it.

"Look, no one wanted to put their name on a project about addiction," said Williams. "The media doesn't really go for addiction recovery, or solutions stories. They want the train wreck, unfortunately, which is not what this is about."

"So I started a Kickstarter campaign, looking to raise $45,000 in funding for the effort of making the movie -- and ended up raising $85,000," said Williams. "Thanks to the support I got, I was able to stay true to my vision with the movie, which I'm proud of -- and hope people come see."

Addiction, and Recovery, as Family -- and Community Concern

Nicky Estrella, who became involved with RICares through her volunteer work at Anchor Recovery Community Center in Pawtucket, noted that addiction doesn't discriminate.

"I grew up in a family with addiction issues. It's a cycle of abuse, and it effects everyone -- not just someone you don't know," said Estrella. "Addiction was always viewed as a "family secret" -- and it's the kids who really suffer."

Estrella noted that her work at Anchor consisted of helping those in recovery with computer skills, and assisting in the ability to look for a job if need be, among other services. 

Estrella, a mom of three now herself, told GoLocal, "Every kid deserves a childhood, which is why I'm involved with such organizations as RICares and RISE. It is a chance to bring addiction to the forefront in hopes to help families heal."

Tickets for the screening of The Anonymous People on May 31 are $7 in advance at $10 at the door, and can be purchased online at http://ricares.brownpapertickets.com.

The New England Patriots announced Tuesday that former Pro Bowl linebacker Tedy Bruschi has been voted by fans as the 19th player and 21st member to enter the Patriots Hall of Fame. Bruschi will join Gil Santos, the Voice of the New England Patriots, at an induction ceremony during training camp scheduled for Sunday, August 11. The induction ceremony is open to the public and Patriots fans are encouraged to attend. Bruschi will also be honored during a halftime ceremony at the 2013 home opener when the Patriots host the New York Jets on Thursday, September 12.

It has been an exciting month for Bruschi, who just two weeks ago (May 7) was named to the College Football Hall of Fame.

“We knew when we drafted him in 1996 that Bruschi was going to be a fan favorite in New England,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. “But, he was so much more than that. During the most successful era in the history of the franchise, Tedy was the heart and soul of the defense and proved to be a champion, both on and off the field. He was a high-energy, tenacious defender whose playmaking abilities helped propel the Patriots to three Super Bowl championships in four years. His remarkable and courageous return to the field following a stroke only added to his legend and solidified his place among the most iconic Patriots in franchise history. We look forward to celebrating his induction with our fans.”

Bruschi joins Drew Bledsoe (2011) and Troy Brown (2012) as the only players to be selected by the fans into the Patriots Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.

In April, a 19-person nomination committee, comprised of media, alumni and staff, selected three candidates for consideration for the Patriots Hall of Fame. The three finalists were Bruschi, head coach Chuck Fairbanks and offensive tackle Leon Gray. Fans had a month to vote on Patriots.com for the candidate they believed was most deserving of Hall of Fame induction.

Bruschi was called the “perfect player” by Patriots' coach Bill Belichick at the press conference to announce his retirement just prior to the start of the 2009 season. As a seven-time team captain, Bruschi’s relentless work ethic and on-field intensity helped set the tone for the entire team.

Bruschi was originally drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft. That year, the Patriots won the AFC Championship and appeared in Super Bowl XXXI. It was the first of five Super Bowl appearances for Bruschi during his 13-year NFL career. He helped propel the Patriots to 11 winning records, nine playoff seasons, including eight as division champions, five conference crowns and three Super Bowl titles. In Bruschi’s 211 career games (including regular-season and playoffs), the Patriots had a 144-67 (.682) record, including a 16-6 (.727) playoff mark.

Bruschi earned his first Pro Bowl honor following the 2004 season after co-captaining a Patriots defense that allowed just 16.25 points per game, the third fewest in franchise history. He is the only player in NFL history to return four consecutive interceptions for touchdowns and his career total of four picks returned for scores ranks second in Patriots' history. Bruschi is the only Patriots linebacker to return multiple interceptions for scores in a single season (2002 and 2003), which is tied for fourth in NFL history among linebackers.

Beyond his impressive numbers, fans and peers alike revered him for his accomplishments off the field. After Bruschi suffered a stroke in February 2005, he dedicated himself to raising funds and awareness to fight stroke along with the American Stroke Association. He established “Tedy’s Team” to help raise funds and awareness to battle stroke, the number one cause of disability in the United States.

About the Patriots Hall of Fame

In 1991, the Patriots created their own Hall of Fame after John Hannah became the first Patriots player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While the team honor has existed since 1991, the Patriots Hall of Fame didn’t find a permanent home until the Kraft family built The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon in 2008. Now, enshrinement into The Hall is an honor befitting of the franchise’s greatest players, with 30-foot video pylons displaying each enshrinee. Beginning in 2007, fans became part of the Hall of Fame tradition and active participants in the selection process.

This year’s enshrinees will be the 20 and 21st members of the New England Patriots’ Hall of Fame (listed in alphabetical order below with year of induction):

Bruce Armstrong (2001)

Drew Bledsoe (2011)

Troy Brown (2012)

Tedy Bruschi (2013)

Nick Buoniconti (1992)

Gino Cappelletti (1992)

Ben Coates (2008)

Sam Cunningham (2010)

Bob Dee (1993)

Steve Grogan (1995)

John Hannah (1991)

Mike Haynes (1994)

Jim Lee Hunt (1993)

Stanley Morgan (2007

Jon Morris (2011)

Jim Nance (2009)

Steve Nelson (1993)

Vito “Babe” Parilli (1993)

Andre Tippett (1999)

Contributors:

William H. “Billy” Sullivan, Jr. (2009)

Gil Santos (2013)

Your turn to vote - 

According to the latest report from Standard & Poor, the raise is due to its increase in financial performance, improved financial management, and its progress implementing cost-containment measures that will considerably improve its long-term unfunded liabilities.

The rating is expected to remain stable.

The report highlighted Johnston’s improved economy, strong household income, per capita market values, and low net debt. Standard & Poor's reported that Johnston’s credit profile remains slightly weak due to high unemployment over state and national rates and high unfunded pension and postemployment benefits.

Johnston will use the proceeds from the issue to finance the acquisition of open space as well as fund road construction projects. 

"Despite a challenging revenue environment over the past several years," according to the Standard & Poor's report, "Johnston's financial position has improved considerably since fiscal 2006, when it had a $5.3 million deficit in the school fund. In 2006, the state of Rhode Island required management to implement stronger internal controls and submit a corrective plan to the office of the State Auditor General for approval. This was a requirement at the time so it could gain approval to levy a supplemental property tax cure the deficit. As part of the plan, the town had to set up a rainy day fund and maintained it at 8% of general operating revenues. 

Since that time, according to Standard Poor's, the town's financial performance has improved considerably. "It closed audited 2012 with a combined $2.0 million surplus in the general fund and school fund, equal to 2.2% of general fund expenditures." This marks Johnston's 6th straight surplus, which Standard & Poor's called "notable." 

Synopsis: Forced into medical retirement after a shoot-out with a notorious drug dealer made him a cripple, his once powerful body racked with cancer, former Boston police detective Butchie Wells now lives off a small disability pension and the meager income from his near bankrupt pawn shop. Exiled from the job he loved and estranged from his ex-wife and daughter, Wells spends each day searching desperately for a reason to live. The cold-blooded execution of his ex-partner, controversial rogue Boston detective Patrick Rhodes, gives the desperate Wells a reason to die.

It is a character driven piece, much more based on psychological conflict than bang! bang! shoot’em up! The murder is the rail the plot moves along, but the real story is how the characters interact. It’s more Bad Lieutenant than The Departed.

Q: What's the inspiration behind the show?

A: It was inspired by the brutal execution murder of Boston Police detective John Mulligan. I have to stress it is a fictional story but inspired by that brutal event and other real world incidents.

Q: There seems to be a never-ending supply of cop dramas on television; what will set In Plain View apart from the pack?

Agreed! What will set us apart from most is the writing. Good stories well told, in any genre, never get old.

Q: Can you touch on your decision to utilize crowd-funding and what your goal is?

A: Because, as you said, there’s a never-ending supply of cop dramas on the market, I decided to use crowd-funding rather than equity funding. I am embracing three new models, crowd-funding, the SAG/AFTRA New Media contract and the internet distribution model. It is very risky in the genre I’ve chosen and non-equity crowd-funding seemed a better way to approach this; more a patron-of-the-arts approach then an equity investment approach on a risky proposition.

With that said, I am discussing possible equity investments with qualified investors. The whole concept of monetizing content on the Internet and through various platforms, while real and the future, is very much misunderstood and cluttered. Once you clear through all the clutter, you realize, like most things in life, it is a new paradigm, but it ain’t as easy as it sounds! Even the studios and all the other big business elements are trying to figure out just what the hell is going to fly and what is going to crash and burn. Sorry, I’m a pilot and tend to overuse aviation metaphors.

Q: Although the web show is set in Boston, you're choosing to partially film in Rhode Island; what led you to make this decision?

Everything I’m doing is driven by cost. That’s the reality of modest budget content making. This is a lower-budget high quality project. And although I want to keep it “local” everything is analyzed through cost. Providence is more user friendly than Boston logistically. Whatever I can shoot in RI that will keep my costs down and also meet the demands of the scene visually, that’s the location I’ll choose. I won’t compromise on the visual needs, but I will hunt down hproper locations, both aesthetically and budget-wise, like a hound dog. Remember, I am both the producer and the director, so I have to think in both hemispheres. It will be nice when I only have to wear one or two hats, rather than a dozen. Of course, the hat wearing is all based on budget.

Q: Have you started scouting any locations in RI, and if so, which ones?

I’m always scouting. Most of what I’ll use are scenes in appropriate R.I. neighborhoods that can replicate Boston’s Roxbury and Dorchester sections, or Boston’s downtown area for tighter shots.

Q: Assuming crowd-funding is successful, do you think In Plain View will help stimulate the Rhode Island economy?

A: I would be stretching it to say that if we get enough funding that our web-pilot will be a major stimulant to the RI economy. But with that said, we would be a small part of stimulating a large economy. Ten years ago my small (and first) film Abracadabra was shot in MA (around a 400K equity financed film). I remember looking around at all the production people and the actors and thinking, man, some words I typed on a small screen and then printed on plain white paper, gave all these people a job for a month or more. That’s pretty cool!

It would be the same with the web-pilot, and even more so if we got the web-series funded, then we would be adding a lot more jobs. It’s a strange thing, but film commissions’ talk about helping small films and projects, but economically they are really more interested in the big stuff, which does generate (if debated by economists) more economic activity. Us smaller-budget folks are really on our own. Crowd-funding can help only to the extent that the local actors and production people support the project and get their supporters to contribute. I hear an awful lot of complaining about the lack of acting and production work, by that I mean smaller high quality, home grown fare, not junk. But this higher quality work isn’t going to magically appear by complaining and thinking it will conjure it up. It requires hard work by talented people and lots of support. Otherwise we just have to be content with waiting for the big budget ships to dock. And I have a news flash for anyone who doesn’t understand it yet, waiting for that career making ship to come in is futile, those deck chairs are almost always full of NY and LA actors or production people.

I am going to create a killer pilot, with the highest quality local actors and production crew, whether it’s 22 minutes or 11 minutes and then try my best to sell it into syndication. That will help, if only in a small way, to stimulate local economies. If others are so inspired to do the same, than we may begin to see some serious stimulation. Stay tuned!

For more information about In Plain View visit the series’ website at inplainviewthewebseries.com or visit RocketHub.com if you'd like to help fund the project. 

Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, various non-profits and elected officials and candidates. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island

What’s your problem? Write to John at dearjohn@golocalprov.com.

Dear John,

I went clubbing with the girls for my birthday and we ran into a group of professional golfers who were filming a reality TV show. Drinks were flowing, courtesy of The Golf Channel, and I soon became the arm candy of one of the golfers who wouldn't admit his age. I am 21 and single, and I ended up in his bedroom to hear him play guitar. He later gave me a love letter and is holding my stilettos hostage. Google confirms that he is a pro golfer, which is hot, but also that he is married with two kids. I have been avoiding his calls, but I miss him. Help!

Thanks,
The Other One

P.S. He is not Tiger Woods.

Dear Other One,

You have an opportunity that few young women get (and no unattractive ones): for a year or two, you can be one of the girls this golfer calls to have sex with when he’s in town! Now, he’s married, so depending on his level of recklessness, you probably can’t be seen together, which means conventional dates are out. But you most likely will get a nice piece of jewelry or two out of it, at least until he’s sick of you and on to the next one. Lucky you!

You can’t possibly think there’s more to this, can you? Love letters, guitar playing, playfully confiscated shoes, and “missing him” lead me to believe that perhaps you think he’s really interested in all of you rather than a few strategic parts. Sadly, I can assure you that, despite what he may have led you to believe, you’re just a cute drunk girl he’s trying to have sex with. As far as a future with him goes, there may be subsequent sex sessions if the first one is promising, but that’s about the most you can expect, I’m afraid.

Precisely what help you're asking for is ambiguous, so let me cover the bases: if you don’t want to have no-strings-attached sex with a man who’s married with two children and whom you probably wouldn’t give a second glance if he weren’t a professional golfer, then tell him so. But if that IS what you want, then answer the phone.


Dear John,

I'm 21 and I've never been in a relationship, I've only had sex once, and that was only because the girl threw herself at me and a friend of mine felt so bad watching me fail miserably that he pulled me aside as she was leaving and told me that she wanted to take me home with her. I would probably be considered pretty attractive, I'm a smart guy, I dress well, and I'm a classically trained musician. The handful of friends I have tell me I am the definition of a renaissance man. Unfortunately, I have zero self confidence and I'm so hypersensitive to perceived awkwardness and failure on my part that social situations are nerve-racking and I have been known to run away from being so overwhelmed.

The reasons could fill a novel, but the most prominent is the fact that I have gynecomastia, which is extremely obvious. I have suffered from this since the age of 12 and it has been crippling. I have been mocked and ridiculed for years from every side, from the kids at school to my family at home. My father died when I was a small child, and the rest of my family was made up of women who all found it extremely humorous that the boy was also "part girl." I've tried everything to fix the problem, but the only solution is surgery which, for me, will cost 15-20 times what it costs for normal people because of a genetic disorder.

I am at my wit's end, and I was hoping to hear a solution that doesn't involve me saving up $100,000 or living the rest of my life miserable and alone.

Sincerely,
Doomed Forever

Dear Doomed,

Even if you could save $100,000, I wouldn’t recommend spending it on gynecomastia surgery. (Gynecomastia is a condition in which a man’s breasts are enlarged.) Your primary problem isn’t your chest; it’s your head. You suffer from a debilitating lack of self-confidence that will not be fixed with a simple operation. None of this is your fault, of course. Anyone would have the problems you have if they were raised in such a cruel (deliberately or not) environment. You have been dealt a painful hand.

You need professional help to learn how to manage your anxiety and to change the way you react to social situations. Ultimately, you have to change how you think about yourself. It sounds like you have a lot of great qualities to work with, so you really can feel better about yourself if you make a commitment to doing so. There are a lot of ways to find a therapist who can help. If you have a regular physician, he or she can make a referral; if you are or recently were a college student, your school’s guidance office would be a good place to start. If you’re in Rhode Island or nearby Massachusetts, you can call Butler Hospital’s referral line to get started. I have no idea what your financial situation is like, but I do know that with a little effort, you can get the help you so badly need.

As far as your gynecomastia goes, you are probably aware that there are compression shirts designed to help guys like you. An online search will bring up lots of options. This is not a solution to your problem, obviously, but it may help ease your self-consciousness while you focus on your deeper issues.

And I have one practical suggestion I think you should try. If you’re a good musician, you should start or join a band. It could bolster your self-confidence, and playing in a band is a great way to meet new people, men and women. You may not feel like this is something you can do right now, but it’s something to work toward as you learn to like and accept yourself.


Dear John,

My parents don’t like each other, and they don’t make much of an effort to hide the fact. This has been the case for as long as I can remember. I long ago accepted the fact that they are miserable people - they can’t stand being together, but they’d hate being apart even more.

As you can imagine, this was a terrible environment to grow up in, but I have managed to lead a fairly normal life, relationship-wise, and am now happily married (to a man I actually like!) We have a one-year-old and plan on having at least one more.

My parents love seeing their granddaughter, and she loves seeing them. It’s actually kind of jarring to me to see how sweet they are with her. Not even she can cause them to put their grievances aside, though, and visits are periodically interrupted by their name-calling, their accusations, etc. This is never directed at anyone but each other, mind you. One of them can be barking at the other, then turn to my daughter with the sweetest smile. It would be funny if it weren’t so sad.

I feel like I’m in a bind, though. I don’t want to deprive them of the sunshine my daughter brings into their lives, but I don’t want to expose her to their hostility, either. How can I get them to put their differences aside, at least for as long as we’re visiting?

Signed,
Wants a Truce

Dear Truce,

Your instincts are absolutely right: you can’t expose your daughter to this kind of hostile dynamic. As she grows, she will take her relationship cues from you and your husband, not her grandparents, but it’s still important to avoid creating the impression that the way grandma and grandpa interact is healthy or acceptable.

You and your husband should sit down with them and calmly explain that the way they treat each other is setting a terrible example for their granddaughter. You’re not telling them how to live their lives, but you ARE telling them that in the future, you will leave if they start insulting and belittling each other. And she will not be allowed to stay with them unsupervised until you are certain they can control themselves when she’s around.

It may take an instance or two of you carrying through on this threat, but if they see that you’re serious, I think the abusive language will stop. Handled this way, you wouldn’t be depriving them of the sunshine your daughter brings into their lives. They would.

John is a middle-aged family man from Providence, Rhode Island. If you learn from your mistakes, he’s brilliant. Write to him at dearjohn@golocalprov.com.

The warm weather is here and it’s time for us to gear up for bathing suit weather. I know some of us cringe when we think of putting a bathing suit on, but let’s get motivated and be prepared for exercise whenever the chance arises. Schedule your workouts ahead of time and be prepared with a bag full of everything you need for your workouts.

Keep an organized exercise bag on hand at all times. Never say you can't work out again because you forgot your bag.

Here are 6 tips:

1. Find a great bag that will hold everything that you are going to store in it.

First, figure out what you are storing in your bag and then purchase the bag to accommodate the items. You might fall in love with a bag only to find out it doesn’t hold everything.

2. Make a list of everything you utilize for the gym:

Sneakers, deodorant, shampoo, towels, water, combination lock, makeup, hair brushes/accessories, magazine, music, change of clothes, etc.

3. Purchase trial size items to store in your bag so you don't have to take them in and out of your bag every time.

The trials size items will always stay in your bag.

4. Round up all of the above and purchase small accessory bags to contain your makeup and items for your hair.

Each category should have its own bag within the gym bag. Label or color code if you must.

5. Either keep this bag in your trunk or office at all times or keep the bag in an area in your home where you can just grab and go.

6. Keeping the bag in your trunk and/or office will allow you to be ready at a moment's notice.

If you decide it's a nice day and you want to take a walk after work or you decide you want to take an exercise class after work, you will never have an excuse not to exercise. You can never say you left your clothes at home.

Take this one more step and start scheduling your workouts into your calendar just as you would schedule an appointment. Start now and schedule your workouts for the rest of May and into the entire month of June. Knowing ahead of time when you are going to exercise will keep you on track. Can’t make a scheduled workout one day? You can look ahead and know that you have 3 other workouts scheduled for the week!

You now have your workouts scheduled, and your bag prepped! You'll never rush and be late to a class again because you are racing around trying to gather everything. You'll never get to the gym and say you forgot your music, elastic for your hair, or towel. This is just one more piece of the puzzle to help you if you are trying to lose weight.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. Kristin spent several years working in retail management, medical offices, and was even a successful certified personal trainer for 4 years. She discovered that in each of these fields she had a natural ability to streamline spaces and processes. Through her organizing ability and her passion for motivating others to achieve their goals, Kristin created Organizing in RI. Kristin has appeared on air on www.talkstreamradio.com and Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio. Her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. She is also available for organizing workshops.

A medical emergency while on tour

Due to being a vibrant supporter of the duo and a person who admires the people David and MorganEve are, I'm compelled to reach out to the public about the dire need of assistance Brown Bird needs right now. While on their latest tour, David was admitted to a hospital in Houston, TX due to the feeling of fatigue and the shortness of breath due to him combating the flu-like symptoms that so many of us New Englanders face whenever the seasons change. He has had several blood transfusions and has undergone several tests in order to figure out the cause of his illness and as I write this David has yet to be diagnosed. Spending over a week in the hospital is never good, especially when being a touring musician these days doesn't always equate to having the best health insurance coverage. In fact, David doesn't have any health insurance and the cost of his medical care is piling up.

Back in RI--help is on the way

As of this past Saturday, David and MorganEve are back in Rhode Island seeking further treatment for David's illness that has yet to be determined. Due to this unfortunate event, Brown Bird has cancelled a bunch of their shows all over the country and there is no definite date when we'll see a crown jewel of music in The Ocean State on the road again and gracing their talents to rabid fans wherever they go. There is something, though, we can do to help.

Brown Bird has put together a fundraising page via the website youcaring.com to help cover the costs of helping David get back on his feet, strum that guitar and sing that bluesy, raspy voice of his. They've already reached their goal of $40,000 but due to no timetable on when David will be out of the hospital, there is no such thing as enough help. Log on to the fundraiser page and do what you can to assist in the recovery of one of Rhode Island finest musicians and more importantly, one of the state's finest people. As the times get tougher, the best we can all do as people is help the ones who need it the most. Please do your part and do what you can.

Phase 2 underway

Phase 2 of the project was recognized yesterday at a ground breaking ceremony at the 355 Prairie Avenue site. The event featured speakers from PCHC, Lifespan and Walgreens, as well as representatives from state and local government.

“We are excited to move forward onto the second and final phase of this project that is helping to spur much-needed economic development in South Providence,” said Merrill Thomas, Providence Community Health Center CEO, at the ground breaking ceremony. “The commitment of Lifespan to locate key educational, training, outreach, and clinical programs on the Federated site resulted in the organization being the largest tenant and partner in our collective effort to inform and serve the Greater South Providence community. They provided the essential impetus in our endeavors to secure the federal, private sector, and philanthropic investments necessary to making the overall development possible.”

Lifespan will lease 27,000 square feet of space in the Beaman and Smith Building located on the Federated site. And through its Community Health Services program, Lifespan plans to include a community resource room where neighborhood residents can come to do research on nutrition and healthy lifestyles, as well as two clinic rooms for immunizations and other screenings and tests. Lifespan also hopes to incorporate a kitchen to provide area residents with a place to learn about healthy cooking.

“Lifespan has long been a supporter of development in this neighborhood and we are pleased to have the second phase of this important project get underway. We hope that by moving key services, along with the employees who staff them, into this community, Lifespan is helping to generate more economic activity and better health for residents,” said Timothy J. Babineau, M.D., Lifespan’s president and CEO. “We recognize that we are now in a time when making these types of commitments will be difficult; however, Lifespan remains committed to helping in ways that will truly make a difference and we believe this project is an example of that.”

The support and direct participation of Lifespan was further strengthened by a long-term lease agreement from Walgreens. “With our existing relationship with Providence Community Health Centers in the federal 340b program, we look forward to providing their patients and the broader community with responsive and user-friendly pharmacy and related-retail services,” said Ralph Seavy, district manager, Walgreens.

Thomas said that Lifespan's current Dental Center on Broad Street will be relocated to the Federated site "as a means of integrating dental care services with primary care, behavioral health and community outreach.”

A boost for South Providence

The development of the Federated site has always been positioned as the necessary catalyzing agent to revive the downward spiraling economy of South Providence.

“The final phase development of the Federated Lithographers site, and the participation of Lifespan, Walgreens, and Providence Community Health Centers, are the transformative elements in moving South Providence from decades of isolation to a future of economic integration that will serve as a model for rebuilding the fabric of the city’s neighborhoods,” said Darrell Lee, president of BCOG Planning and Development, and founder of the Prairie Avenue Revitalization Initiative. “The culmination of these organizational investments in South Providence is historic and greatly anticipated by local businesses and residents.”

Neighborhood revitalization is an arduous and long-term process that faces a multitude of hurdles ranging from developmental uncertainty to the low risk tolerance of most traditional investors. With the longstanding involvement of Lifespan, the recent Walgreens’ lease, bank financing, federal economic development and environmental clean-up grants, and philanthropic contributions, the plan for the Federated site and vision to rebuild one of the city’s most distressed neighborhoods have become a most-awaited reality.

Since initial discussions in 2005, the elected officials of South Providence have worked with Lifespan and Providence Community Health Centers to provide the pieces of the puzzle necessary to laying the foundation for rebuilding South Providence. City Councilor Luis Aponte added, “With the Lifespan campus within one-half mile of the planned development of the Federated site, we believed that the health care industry would serve as the connective tissue to foster sustainable economic development and provide job opportunities for residents in South Providence. I am glad to see that day finally in sight.” 

Business leaders and many political leaders like these goals and tend to believe that schools should be run more like a business. For example, using charter schools as a market incentive to improve quality, or using standardized tests for teacher evaluations and graduation requirements, fill the need for demonstrating accountability and return on investment. Good, sound business practice. They believe we need to produce students who represent the best and brightest of our state so they can start their own businesses or rise within the ranks of domestic and international commerce. Schools should be able to take these raw materials (our students) and mold them into outstanding workers and leaders. Businesses will then have their choice of the best and brightest to work for and run their companies. In fact, their success depends on hiring excellent employees. Excellent schools = excellent teachers = excellent students = excellent employees.

As a former school committee member, business person and interested parent, I was an early supporter of Race to the Top and Commissioner Gist when she came on board in 2009. I also signed off for my district on the RTTT application. The goals sounded promising. Who wouldn’t want every child to receive an excellent education? Many of the numerous high profile goals of RTTT, especially those that have appealed to the business and political community, have been vigorously addressed. These include areas such as funding reliability, increase in charter schools, elimination of seniority-based promotion, teacher evaluation systems, data gathering, progress monitoring, accountability, etc.

However, with all of these accomplishments, the one thing that has not improved is the outcomes for our most vulnerable students. The original goals of both No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top were not about turning schools into businesses or testing companies into a cottage industry. They were about improving the educational outcomes for those students on the fringe - those who are economically disadvantaged, have limited English proficiency and special needs. These students generally don’t have powerful lobbyists. Businesses don’t necessarily line up to hire these students, and even schools even know that these are the students who bring down their test scores.

With 83% of the state’s special needs students and 90% of the state’s limited English students scoring substantially below proficient on the last NECAP math test,* even with remediation many of those students will likely not graduate in 2014. Even more troubling is that the gap between these students and ‘average’ students has actually increased over the past 4 years; as has the gap for low income students.** Let’s be honest, many people, including several in the business community, aren’t that concerned whether these kids graduate or not. These aren’t the young people they will want to hire. Those who do care, the students and their parents, are confused, bewildered and genuinely afraid for their future – and many are close to giving up. Teachers who work with these students have been so overwhelmed with data reporting, effectiveness ratings, outcomes, forced curriculum, test prep and standardized tests (which they know are not valid or reliable assessments for these students***), are close to giving up, too.

So, while everyone is rallying around the Commissioner and the current policies, I’d like to ask that someone think about what is happening to these particular children. And, not just what is happening to them right now, but what will happen to them in the future. Schools can’t send back defective ‘raw materials’ nor do they only get the best and brightest to work with. I guess that’s the difference between businesses and schools.

Everyone always says ‘it’s about the kids.’ But, apparently it isn’t about “all” the kids. Maybe someone in the business community will write a letter of support to the Governor for them. Someone. Anyone.

Jean Ann Guliano served as School Committee Chair, East Greenwich, served on the Rhode Island Special Education Advisory Committee, and is proud parent of a special needs child.

Sources:

*Fall 2012 - Beginning of Grade 11 NECAP Tests, Grade 11 Students in 2012-2013 Rhode Island

Disaggregated Mathematics Results

**Rhode Island’s NECAP Math, Reading, and Writing Results for Grades 3-8 & 11

October 2012 Test Administration, Table 14. Student Group Achievement Gaps by Grade Level on the NECAP MATHEMATICS Test: 2005 to 2012

***Digital Test Delivery: Empowering Accessible Test Design to Increase Test Validity for All Students, Michael Russell, Vice President of Innovation, Measured Progress, Inc. www.measuredprogress.org/test-accessibility

***Reaching students in the gaps: A study of assessment gaps, students, and alternatives www.measuredprogress.org/rhode-island-enhanced-assessment

Rhode Island Enhanced Assessment Instrument 2004-2006, provided with the consent of the New England Compact (2003-2007)

While the City recently lowered its projected rate of return from 8.5 to 8.25 percent, it is still significantly higher than the state's recently adjusted rate of return of 7.5 percent, which when lowered in 2011 saw a dramatic increase in the unfunded liability which General Treasurer Gina Raimondo addressed in comprehensive pension reform measures.

In light of the significant municipal pension fund concerns, the state required in 2012 that cities and towns with pension funding ratios of less than 60 percent to submit "Funding Improvement Plans" with projections both at their current actuarial rate of return level, as well as a half a percentage point below, for comparison.

Regarding the numbers reported, a source involved with pension funds in the state told GoLocal, "I was surprised to see the projected unfunded liability level increases to be at the levels shown, especially in light of what occurred with the drop in interest rate at the state level. The fact that projected municipal unfunded liabilities didn't appear to go up that much at all [on a half a percentage point decrease] surprised me."

"An additional lowering of fifty basis points (as required by the state to be reported) would be expected to be much higher, I would think," the source continued. "It's based on actuarial assumptions, which I can't speculate on, but that did stand out to me."

Last week, in a segment on BondBuyer.com entitled, "Why Moody's Changed Pension Analysis," Tim Blake with Moody's, which provides credit ratings for its investor clients, said, "The accounting and reporting of pensions in the government sector is very different than the private sector. It's not standardized, and we believe it under reports liabilities for the balance sheet perspective."

State Reporting Shows Similarities, Discrepancies Among Municipalities

In the Funding Improvement Plans required by the state in 2012 from municipalities with funding ratios of less than 60 percent, the FIP for Providence -- as well as a number of other municipalities -- showed only modest increases in unfunded liability projections with a lower rate of return assumption.

A look at the City of Providence's FIP, or "Critical Status Emergence Plan," shows that prior to making pension fund improvements, the City's unfunded pension liability would have been over $925M for FY13, and over $937M for FY14.

With a rate of return of 8.25 percent, along with COLA freezes and other measures taken to increase funding of the pension system, the unfunded pension liability for FY13 was reported to be $739M, and projected to be $749M for FY14.

As required by the state, a look at a reduction in the rate of return from 8.25% to 7.75% saw an increase of unfunded liability to $742M for FY13, and $754M for FY15, by comparison.

Other municipalities reported significant changes in unfunded pension liability in light of reducing their interest rate assumption, however.

The actuarial valuation for its police pension fund provided by Bristol to the state in November 2012 indicated a drop in interest rate assumption from 8% to 6.75%, and the net impact of the assumed changes, which included other factors besides the rate of return change, was an "increase in the unfunded accrued liability of $4.2 million" -- on previously unfunded liability of only $9.25 million.

With the rate of return decrease of 1.25%, the increase of nearly 45% in unfunded liability would correlate to roughly 9% per quarter percent. By comparison, if the City of Providence were to decrease its rate of return by another half a percent based on these assumptions, a correlating 18% increase in unfunded pension liability would be over $133 million.

In its Funding Improvement Plan, however, Bristol showed that for the police pension fund, a further drop of a half a percentage point in rate of return, as required for analysis, would only yield an increase in FY13 of unfunded liability from $14.25 million -- to $14.3 million.

Bloomberg Contributor Critical of RI Municipal Pension Structure

In an article on Bloomberg.com on February 8, 2013 entitled, "Why Municipal Pensions are a Terrible Idea," contributor Josh Barrow wrote, "Pension systems are complicated, and overseeing them properly takes time and expertise. This is a heavy lift for municipalities overseeing small pension plans".

Citing states total unfunded municipal pension liability as being currently at more than $2.3 billion for 36 municipalities, he writes, "This lack of attention has meant that local plans are much more likely than statewide plans to have become deeply underfunded."

Barro advocates for closing municipal pension plans having one system for municipal workers to be overseen by state government, citing Rhode Island's improvement of its funding ratio from 48 to 61 percent with recent reforms.

"The biggest challenge with closing local pension systems is one of fairness: making sure that it doesn't become an opportunity for irresponsible towns and cities that underfunded their pension plans for decades to dump their liabilities into a statewide pool. In some places, municipal officials and unions might also resist the loss of local autonomy, but in Rhode Island they would likely be grateful to have a problem off their hands," wrote Barro. 

City Council Moving Forward With Assumptions

Providence City Councilman Luis Aponte said he thought that that the City's proposed ARC for FY2014 of $62 million was in line with the most recent projections available, as part of the recent settlement that the city fund the amount required at at least 90%.

"We're confident that this number is accurate in light of current assumptions," said Aponte. "My hope is that we'll continue to move forward to get the fund up to where it needs to be."

Aponte did acknowledge however that a new actuary could change assumptions -- and that the City has narrowed down a list of potential actuaries to three, after firing its previous actuary, Buck, earlier in the year for miscalculations.  

"We're hoping that the number still holds true," said Aponte. "We won't know until we get a new actuary if this is an accurate number."

The City Council will be holding a public hearing on the budget this coming Wednesday. 

The minority population of the region is heavily concentrated in its traditional urban core. Providence and Pawtucket alone account for over half the state’s minority population. About 75% of the state’s minority population lives in one of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Cranston, or Woonsocket.

Looking over time, Providence scores better on diversity measures. Its minority population share grew by almost six percentage points from 2000-2011. This puts it in the middle of its large metro peer group. By contrast, other heavily white cities like Pittsburgh and Cincinnati were at the bottom of the charts in minority population change.

Minority population growth actually bailed out the entire region. During that 11 year period metro Providence actually lost over 81,000 non-hispanic white residents. Without minority population growth, the region would have actually shrunk in population.

Non-hispanic white population loss is not uncommon, however. Quite a few larger metro areas did. New York lost almost 700,000 non-Hispanic whites, Los Angeles 450,000 and Boston 135,000.

Speaking of Boston, our more supposedly cosmopolitan neighbor to the north shows us why we shouldn’t beat ourselves up too badly about not being as diverse as some other regions. Boston is by far the whitest of America’s tier one metro areas. It’s 75% white, not much less than Providence – and of its peers only Chicago has even 50% non-Hispanic white population.

The reality is that New England historically never had a huge minority population, unless you could European immigrants. It was the part of historic America furthest from the black slaveholding states of the South. It is next to Canada, not Mexico. And by the time non-European immigration took off, New England was already economically troubled and so was not as attractive for newcomers looking for economic opportunity. Even today Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire are among the top five whitest states. Rhode Island is actually in the middle of the pack.

However, there are implications for the region. We are living in a global economy. This requires global perspectives and global connections. One way you get that is through diverse populations, and ethnic diversity is clearly part of the mix. I’ve observed here before that Rhode Island is dominated by “inside the four walls of the state” type thinking, and a greater percentage of outsiders and more diverse populations would help provide more global perspective.

Given that migration is network based, the fewer minorities you have, the fewer inbound networks you have, making it more difficult to build up over time. Clearly Providence is demonstrating reasonably good performance in increasing minority population share versus some other heavily white post-industrial cities, which is good news.

The concentration of minority populations in the urban center is not unusual. However, given the jurisdictional fragmentation that exists in New England, you’ve got some places like Providence that are in effect minority dominated whereas many other places are almost entirely white. This can potentially create difficulties in trying to work together as a state and region on common problems. Given that minority populations are decentralizing over time just as the white population has, this gap may start to close itself over time as more outlying towns become more diverse.

Aaron M. Renn an opinion-leading urban affairs analyst, entrepreneur, speaker, and writer on a mission to help America’s cities thrive in the 21st century. In his blog, The Urbanophile, he has created America’s premier destination for serious, in depth, non-partisan, and non-dogmatic analysis and discussion of the issues facing America’s cities and regions in the 21st century. Renn’s writings have also appeared in publications such as Forbes, the New York Times, and City Journal. Renn is also the founder and CEO of Telestrian, a data analysis platform that provides powerful data mining and visualization capabilities previously only available in very expensive, difficult to use tools at a fraction of the cost and with far superior ease of use.

Obligation

Now we in RI find ourselves dealing with the bankruptcy of Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios and its aftermath. The RI Economic Development Corporation funded the scheme by issuing 5, 6 and 10 year moral obligation notes with interest rates of 6, 6 ¾, and 7 ¾%, respectively, and is on the hook for $75 million in principal and $37 million in interest...maybe.The underlying principle of moral obligation bonds is that the issuer is under a moral, but not a legal, obligation to honor the terms of the guarantee and repay the debt. That is spelled out in black letter on the first page of a moral obligation bond offering.The EDC bonds principal and interest are insured by Assured Guaranty Municipal Corporation. The buyers are not at risk and will be made whole one way or another.

This is the key question for our decision makers. What was the credibility and integrity of the underlying process which resulted in the bond? Is the obligation legitimate and should we honor it? What are the consequences to the state from non-payment?

It seems the proprieties were observed. The Board of the EDC voted 11-1 to authorize the deal. Enabling legislation was passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Carcieri. A several hundred page bond agreement was prepared by bond counsel and underwriters, and the issue was sold in a private placement to informed, sophisticated investors. There are no widows and orphans among the bondholders. There is scuttlebut that some buyers never executed and returned a pro forma risk disclosure statement, or if they did it has been lost or misfiled. This is a procedural technicality which might support some negligence or malpractice claims among the parties, but it is unlikely to call into question the validity of the issuance.

Moral Claim

So we turn now to the moral claim. Rhode Islanders have grown all too familiar with situations where the political tail wagged the public policy dog. The 38 Studios debacle aptly demonstrates a bi-partisan political culture of cronyism and connection. The idea was hatched by Governor Carcieri and Curt Schilling, two socially conservative republicans who bumped into each other at a fundraiser at Schilling’s home. Speaker Fox’s friend and supporter, attorney Mike Corso, who hoped to profit from eventually brokering tax credits, was in on the deal from the start. Senate President Paiva-Weed was a long time friend of fellow Newporter and EDC Executive Director Keith Stokes, and gave him political cover to push the deal..

To be fair, the deal had its supporters, mostly people who hoped it would stimulate game development and ease the dire unemployment situation in RI. Even many supporters of this theory were troubled by the size of the deal and the concentration of so much risk capital in one start up company, which had been passed on by numerous venture capital firms and Schilling’s home state of Massachusetts. Gubernatorial candidates Linc Chafee and Frank Caprio, and Treasurer candidate Gina Raimondo all voiced objections and reservations about the deal to the EDC staff. Treasurer Caprio going so far as to request that the rating agencies delay issuing a rating, and thus prevent the offering until a new governor had taken office. Among many others, an open letter from Tech start- up veteran Angus Davis detailed the many problems with the deal.

If the legislature does not appropriate the funds as required by the EDC guarantee, what will be the fallout. Our leaders tell us that an act of default would impair RI’s creditworthiness and lower our rating by the credit agencies, increasing the difficulty and cost of future borrowings. Maybe, but we will probably have some company. Kevyn Orr, the newly appointed receiver for the city of Detroit, commented just this week that Detroit’s several billion in municipal debt was insured and if he had to restructure it he would. As a practical matter, even the musings of default are noticed by raters and issuers. As far as they are concerned, our default cat may already have jumped out of the bag. No one is suggesting any default on our general obligation bonds. To the contrary, in the run up to the Central Falls municipal receivership, the legislature passed somewhat controversial legislation which gave bondholders preference over other creditors, including workers and retirees, in municipal bankruptcies.

Marketability and credit accessability could be an issue in the short term, but the broader world wide financial situation is one of trillions of dollars of investment capital desperately seeking a place where it can earn a decent return. If RI has a genuine reason to tap the debt market again, I believe there will be willing lenders. In September 2012, Zambia, just six years after being unable to pay 6 billion in debt, borrowed $750 million for ten years at a rate of 5.625% in the sovereign bond market. Personally, it wouldn’t bother me if we were shut out of the moral obligation market for a time. After this experience, does anyone want to jump back in that pool?

Taking into account all these arguments, I believe the best course for our leaders would be an offer of settlement to the insurers of $37 million. This represents ⅓ of the total amount at issue. That is 49% of the $75 million principal loan amount, an extraordinary recovery in bankruptcy which often does not amount to even 10 cents on the dollar. It may be possible to negotiate with the insurer and avoid a formal default action, and whatever consequences might flow from that, if the insurer is anxious to settle the matter with as little trouble as possible and we can act with some dispatch.

Someone else could look at this and come up with a different number. After all is said and done, we must grudgingly admit that this deal was put together by our duly elected representatives and their appointees. $37 million is a lot of money, but it’s $75 million less than $112 million, which is what we will pay over the life of this bond to honor a questionable moral obligation if we do nothing.

C. Kevin McCarthy is a Guest MINDSETTER™. He is a resident of Lincoln, Rhode Island.