EDITORIAL: Here Is One for the Veto Pile
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
The idea of making Peter Alviti, the Director of Rhode Island Transportation, the Chair of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority Board by law is analogous to giving Dracula oversite of the blood bank.
Alviti has been anti-public transportation at every turn. We will review his overall performance in a moment.
The legislation authored by Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and passed by the legislature is flawed on so many levels. The usually level-headed Senate President has a blind spot on transportation strategy and has been plagued by a desire to empire-build under Alviti.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTFirst, let’s look at this from a constitutional standpoint. The director of DOT is a cabinet-level position — nominated by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.
RIPTA is a quasi-public agency, and again the appointment of the chair is at the discretion of the governor and receives advice and consent from the Senate. It seems implausible that a governor would want one person to oversee both agencies.
Simply put, unilaterally forcing the public transportation agency to be chaired by the DOT director is bad public policy.
Second, it has been clear over the past few months that Rhode Island’s public transit strategy is outdated and misaligned with needs. An independent review is needed of the agency, but in all likelihood, RIPTA is underfunded. Putting the myopic Alviti in charge is to ensure outdated thinking.
Third, the legislature interfering in the management of executive branch functions is and always has been a terrible idea. The legislature has the power of oversight, rarely uses it, and then complains. They should stick to their constitutional lane.
The bullying has been caught on video. The lying has been proven by his comments.
It is time for the governor to protect the independence of the executive brand and veto this dreadful legislation before Director Dracula bleeds RIPTA dry.
An editorial is the opinion of a publication — specifically, the ownership.
While based on facts and news reporting, it is an opinion intended to discuss critical community issues. Often, the opinion is written with the intention of positive change.
GoLocal editorials have sparked conversations, change, and even the naming of a bridge.
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