Boston Lawyer and Projo Writer to Challenge Speaker Mattiello
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Boston attorney Steven Frias announced on Thursday he is challenging Speaker Nick Mattiello for House District 15.
Frias is a “Rhode Island Republican leader and prize winning writer.” The press release issued said, "the race presents a clear choice between Speaker Mattiello, the chief defender of Rhode Island's failing status quo, and Frias, an articulate advocate for dramatic reforms to make Rhode Island's economy more prosperous and its government more ethical.”
In the release Frias said, "Rhode Island's most powerful politician, Speaker Mattielllo, believes Rhode Island is in 'excellent shape' and that state 'government actually works very well.' Well, I have to disagree.”
Today, Frias is a energy attorney in Boston, but for number of years he served as a Rhode Island state employee. He worked as a lawyer for the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission for two years and six-years as Executive Counsel of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission and Legal Counsel to the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“For example, Rhode Island currently has the sixth-worst business-tax climate in the nation according to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. Further, Rhode Island's structural budget deficit will grow to over $300 million dollars in a few years according to new budget projections. Moreover, in just the last two months, Rhode Island has lost nearly 4,000 jobs. To make matters worse, in less than two months, members of Mattiello's House leadership team have become mired in scandal. This is unacceptable,“ said Frias.
Frias continued, "To grow our economy, the cost of doing business in Rhode Island must be significantly reduced. For starters, we should repeal the new tolls, and implement dramatic reductions in Rhode Island's tax rates to levels below those of its neighboring states, like Massachusetts. To restore public confidence in our state government, we need reforms such as requiring legislative grants to be specifically listed in the budget, a line-item veto, restrictions on fundraising while the General Assembly is in session, requiring the General Assembly to follow open meetings laws, and term limits. It's time we clean house at the State House.”
Frias is a graduate of Brown University and Suffolk University Law School. He has been a contributor to the Providence Journal and was the 2015 recipient of The Coolidge Prize for Journalism. He is also the author of Cranston and Its Mayors: A History. Frias was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts and is the son of Portuguese immigrants.
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