2020 Election Profile: Pat Cortellessa, RI Senate District 27
Monday, October 05, 2020
Pat Cortellessa is running for election in Senate District 27 (Cranston).
Read what he has to say about why he is running for office.
This is part of an ongoing series by GoLocal featuring each of the candidates for House and Senate.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST1. What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign season in Rhode Island?
No question, the biggest political issue for Rhode Island is the economy. It has been one of the biggest political issues for the past five election cycles, all every election cycle has been all talk and no action.
According to CNBC’s annual state-by-state ranking, Rhode Island has once again been ranked as “The Worst State For Business” - now its fifth time in last place, never higher than 45. This is due to numerous bad policies relating to taxation, the budget, and business regulation.
On unemployment, Rhode Island Currently ranks 17%, with the state losing over eighty-eight thousand jobs this April. Although this is largely due to the COVID-19 crisis, RI’s unemployment is always above the national average.
Additionally, our infrastructure is historically ranked as poor. Under RhodeWorks, the state collected tolls on tractor-trailer trucks traveling on Interstate 95. But according to the results of the first-ever infrastructure report car, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation has pegged more than $378 million in road repairs for which it currently has no funding.
Which leads to another economic problem, the state budget. In June, the General Assembly used federal funds and RI’s rainy day account to close a deficit for fiscal 2020 due to collapsing tax revenue. In order for cities and towns to be properly funding, the General Assembly needs to consider budgeting for the state long-term so that people don’t bear the brunt of our state’s economic pains.
2. What do we need to do to improve Rhode Island's economy?
Rhode Island can do several things to improve our economy: lower taxes and cost of living, control spending, and reduce business regulation.
First, we need to cut taxes to ensure Rhode Island is not only an attractive place to live, but a place people want to stay for the long term. According to the United Van Lines National Movers Study, which reveals the business data of inbound and outbound moves, Rhode Island is the second worst state in the country to retire. This was mostly driven by factors like job growth, lower costs of living, and state budgetary challenges. To improve this, the General Assembly needs to overhaul Rhode Island’s current Estate Tax to encourage our senior population to remain in Rhode Island, grow the state’s tax base, build an estate that endures for generations.
Regarding our business climate, Rhode Island being a border state, needs to find a way to negate the impact of people shopping in Massachusetts and Connecticut. For the past five years, Rhode Island budgets have seen new taxes burdened on Rhode Island consumers. Such examples include 2015’s “minimum use tax,” 2016’s “bed & breakfast” tax, and a slew of new tax proposals that came out of Governor Raimondo’s 2020 budget.
To remedy this, the General Assembly needs to not only repeal these stealth taxes, reject all new tax proposals, but lower the state’s sales tax so that we will be the most competitive pro-business state in all of New England and attract consumers from across the region.
3. What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state?
The greatest challenge facing our state is ensuring transparency, promoting ethics in government, and turning the page on RI’s ‘Culture of Corruption.”
Issues such as: the IGT ‘No-Bid’ extension, where IGT will retain exclusive rights to run traditional lottery games and provide slot machines at Twin River’s casinos until 2043; the recent announcement by Auditor General Dennis Hoyle that the Joint Committee on Legislative Services (JCLS) authorizing an audit of the Rhode Island Convention Center without a meeting could be in violation of state law; and The Rhode Island Ethics Commission refusing to investigate a fundraising deal that Gov. Gina Raimondo struck with Patrick Ward, then the head of the Providence City Democratic City Committee, after her administration hired him for $71,608 job as ‘chief of program development’ in the Department of Human Services.
To combat this systemic blind eye to corruption, the General Assembly should craft new ethics reform legislation to ensure all levels of government are in check and working for all Rhode Islanders 24/7. No longer should Rhode Island be defined by it’s history but instead have our lawmakers ensure the power given to them by voters puts them first and with the highest level of transparency.
4. Why are you running for office? What makes you uniquely qualified?
I am running for office because I love my state and my community – and we need effective representation now. For far too long the Rhode Island Legislature has been represented by the same people, with “business-as-usual” to show for it. Our General Assembly does not properly represent their districts and they do not put the needs of their constituents first. Collectively, many votes that come out of the general assembly hurt the average voters and – the very people they are elected to represent - and by the time they find out, it is too late. So, whether it be new taxes that raise the cost of living, new regulation that continue to make Rhode Island business-unfriendly, or no new efforts to ensure government transparency, “business-as-usual” is not working for my district any longer – therefore it is time people have effective representation for District 27.
Regarding my qualifications, as a lifelong Rhode Islander and 30-yeaer resident of Cranston, my involvement in the community and good relationship with the general public will help build a bridge directly to Smith Hill – so that the needs of the people of Cranston and West Warwick are always considered first. Additionally, as a former small business owner, I know what it takes to run a business and will work with that knowledge to ensure RI becomes optimal for small businesses.
5. Who is your inspiration?
My inspiration is my maternal grandfather Cavaliere Vincenzo Lentini, who was Founder of the Italian War Veterans of World War I. After serving Italy during WWI, he came to the United States to make a new life for himself in 1922. Once he moved to America he was heavily involved in politics in Providence, Rhode Island, and became deeply involved with the Italian-American community – so much so that he became a local historian on Italian Americans who migrated to The Ocean State. His deep ties to the community, love of his country, and civic engagement always inspired me to do the same and make a positive impact for people today.
Politically, my inspiration is President Ronald Wilson Reagan. The last Republican Rhode Island voted for, his eternal optimism, great patriotism, fiscal discipline, and message of “Morning In America” was always a rallying call for me to do the same in The Ocean State. President Reagans, through his words and actions, demonstrated that conservative beliefs and effective governing can happen in everywhere- even in Rhode Island
Bio
Pat Cortellessa is a proud lifelong Rhode Islander. Born and raised in Providence, he is a 30-year resident of Cranston. Pat works as Chief Security Officer (CSO) at TPG Hotels & Resorts and was former owner of Cortellessa Properties, a local real estate company. He graduated from Central High School and attended the Providence College JROTC program and has a Liberal Arts Degree from CCRI. Pat has a long involvement with local politics, including working on the 2016 Presidential Campaign of current President Donald J. Trump. Pat is married to his wife of 25 years and has three children and one grandchild.
