RI Legislative Grants Under Fire: Even Top Critic Requested Funding in 2016
Friday, May 13, 2016
One of the top critics of the Rhode Island General Assembly's legislative grant program is defending putting in a request for $8,000 this year.
Deputy House Minority Leader Patricia Morgan, who has been an outspoken opponent of the program since former House Chairman Ray Gallison resigned (and the nonprofit that he worked for which got the General Assembly grants has come under fire) put in a request for $8,000 for the Gaspee Days parade, that was approved in January.
"Legislative and departmental grants is spending with little accountability," wrote Morgan, a Republican, in a Facebook post on May 5. "It seems they can be used at will by Democratic leaders to give taxpayer money to insiders and political allies. No one asks questions or demands justification. Recipients don't have to demonstrate the value to the taxpayers."
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTSpeaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello said following Gallison's resignation that he is calling for a review of the controversial grant program.
Defending the Request
"It was a request by Representative McNamara," said Morgan on Thursday of her Gaspee Days request."He asked if I would put my name on it, and I said sure. In retrospect, we probably shouldn't have taken [the funds]."
Morgan defended the timing of the ask, saying it came before the increased scrutiny since Gallison's resignation -- and noted that she had made no other legislative grant requests this fiscal year.
"It was put in when no one was asking about them," said Morgan. "Remember, the Supreme Court ruled that there was no standing to challenge their constitutionality."
Read: See Who Received the Biggest Grants in 2015
House Republicans put in over $80,000 in legislative grant requests in FY16, including: Rep. Anthony Giarrusso ($3,500); Rep Michael Chippendale ($6,000); Rep. Robert "Bobby" Nardolillo ($7,500); Rep. Justin Price ($8,000); Rep. Daniel Reilly ($8,900); Rep. Robert Lancia ($12,500) and Rep. Joe Trillo ($13,000); and Rep. Doreen Costa ($14,600).
"If every other community was getting grants, is it wrong punish your community and constituents? That's up to individual legislators," said Morgan. "It's good that [legislative grants] are getting scrutiny. I think think there should be a more transparency when asking for money."
Asked if she would put in a request if asked again by McNamara, Morgan said, "Probably not."
Party Chairs on Grants
Rhode Island Democratic Party Chair Representative Joe McNamara and Republican Party Chair Brandon Bell sparred on the issue of legislative grants on a recent episode of "A Lively Experiment" on Rhode Island PBS.
"It's a bipartisan issue -- Republicans and Democrats receive these grants, which are usually the $1000 grants to the Little League or food pantry," said McNamara. "And the speaker has called a for an audit."
"I agree with Joe that they're for good purposes, they're bipartisan, but it's corrupt on its face," said Bell. "It's administered with the power of the Speaker to curry political favor. It needs to be abolished -- no one is saying that these organizations don't deserve support."
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