State of the State: “The Year of the Cities and Towns”
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Rhode Island Governor Lincoln D. Chafee tonight presented his combined Budget and State of the State Address – “The Year of the Cities and Towns” – before a joint session of the Rhode Island General Assembly at the Rhode Island State House.
Throughout his remarks, Governor Chafee stressed his priorities of education funding and relief for the Rhode Island property taxpayer through state aid to cities and towns.
“I am proud to announce tonight that my budget maintains my commitment to education, while also reducing the financial burden on Rhode Island property taxpayers. My budget devotes nearly $40 million in additional education funding to cities and towns,” Governor Chafee said.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTGovernor Chafee acknowledged the difficult times many Rhode Islanders are experiencing, pointing out the state’s unemployment rate of 10.8% -- notably higher than any other New England state.
“The status quo is unacceptable,” the Governor said. “Everything good occurs when our people are working.”
Given the difficult economic times, Governor Chafee’s plan for economic success calls for going “back to basics” – what he calls the “ABCs of Rhode Island’s economic revival”:
- Assets: taking what we have that others don’t and making them work for us economically.
- Budget: being fiscally conservative but honest about paying for our basic needs.
- Corruption: having none of it.
Governor Chafee also described the extensive cuts contained in his budget, particularly in the area of health and human services.
“The budget I present to you tonight contains painful cuts,” Governor Chafee said. “Cuts that, in more prosperous times, I would never choose to make. But given where we are, where we need to be, and the difficult road ahead, the priorities in this budget are necessary.”
“But Rhode Island’s path to prosperity cannot be built on cuts alone,” the Governor continued. “We must preserve the basic, necessary services for the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders – services such as Medicaid prescription drug coverage for the poor and subsidized child care for low-income families as they get back to work.”
Governor Chafee also reviewed the past year, highlighting Rhode Island’s many successes and the committed and talented state leaders who helped make them possible, including:
- Transforming the DMV.
- Rhode Island’s $58 million level II health care grant.
- Rhode Island’s $50 million Race to the Top Early Learning grant.
- Bringing the America’s Cup to Newport.
- Progress at Warwick’s Station District with airlines and rail carriers.
- State pension reform.
The Governor concluded his remarks with a roadmap for Rhode Island’s economic revitalization: “Let’s make this the year of the cities and towns,” Governor Chafee said. “We have no shortage of leadership in this great state; the key is working together.”
The Governor’s top priorities and initiatives, as outlined in his FY2013 budget and in his remarks, include:
- Creating a climate of certainty and fiscal stability where businesses will have the confidence to invest and create jobs.
- Encouraging job creation through the establishment of a “Governor’s Jobs Cabinet” and through ongoing progress with Rhode Island’s tourism industry and in Providence’s Knowledge District and Warwick’s Station District.
- Property tax relief and K-12 education funding through state aid to municipalities.
- Measures to address Rhode Island’s municipal pension crisis.
- Proactive maintenance and improvement projects for Rhode Island’s crumbling infrastructure.
- Legislation that improves and expands veterans’ services.
