McKee on RI’s Projected Half-Billion Dollar Budget Deficit, Coronavirus Response, Marijuana

Thursday, January 14, 2021

GoLocalProv News Team and Reynaldo Almonte for Latino Public Radio

Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Dan McKee said Thursday he plans to have a Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal to the General Assembly as early as March 10.

McKee's remarks come following the report this week by the RI Public Expenditure Council projecting more than a half-billion-dollar budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2021.

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In a wide-ranging press conference Thursday morning, McKee -- expected to take over as Governor if and when Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo is confirmed as President-Elect Joe Biden's Secretary of Commerce -- said his focus continues to be on the coronavirus response.

His slogan? "Stay positive and test negative in 2021."

McKee on the Issues

Below are some of the key takeaways from McKee's press conference

FY 2021 Budget -- Still Looking to Feds

"The first thing...you have to make sure the numbers are accurate," said McKee, who said when he first became Mayor of Cumberland, he faced a difficult budget landscape. "We reversed deficits [there] into surpluses."

"If you recall there was a 900 million dollar [number] that was thrown out as a deficit in this budget -- that turned out [not to be true]," said McKee. "We’re fortunate to have an [incoming] President and Congress that know our municipalities need help. I’m not responding with a knee-jerk [reaction] to any number right now. We’re talking with the budget office."

"Are we going to make cuts? Of course we will -- if we need to, but if not, we have to provide services," said McKee.

Coronavirus Response -- Bottom-Up

"As a Mayor, I remember 9/11. The community response was organic and rallied around the enemy — we have an enemy right now," said McKee of the coronavirus. "Clearly I believe in organic response — we can do more of a grassroots strategy with municipal leaders, churches, little league groups, and what role they can play. We’re also seeing a need for central messaging, from not just the state and federal [government]."

"The focus for the coming weeks and months is to beat COVID-19 — with a successful response and vaccine distribution," said McKee, who noted he had "one" private conversation with Dr. Nicole Alexander Scott, the Director of Health, last weekend. 

McKee has stated publicly he plans to keep the state's current coronavirus response team.

Governor's Staff -- and RI's Schools

"We’ll make a decision based on conversations — I don’t expect a major turnover," said McKee of who from the Raimondo administration he will keep -- and who he won't. "We’re definitely going to be talking to every single department head and make sure there’s a good understanding of what we’re going to do."

McKee, who's been a strong supporter of charter schools, said he won't be pushing for an expansion. 

"I’m not going to get into detail on charter schools [right now]. My experience is that you need both district [schools] and charters — the kids are the most important thing," said McKee. "Relating to the unions, we’ll talk to everybody. I’m not looking to expand charters, I’m looking to improve schools."

Marijuana

"I think it’s time that it happens — legalizing marijuana," said McKee. "I’m leaning toward an entrepreneurial [approach]."

Raimondo had proposed legalizing marijuana in her most recent budget, which was rejected by the General Assembly. 

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