Gencarella: RI Has Its Own October Surprise
Thursday, October 13, 2016
When’s the last time any RI Speaker of the House held a press conference? Can’t remember? Well here we are, just 5 weeks before the general election, and Speaker Mattiello holds a press conference to unveil his legislative agenda for next year. And for 3 years, Democrats boycotted WPRO, but lo and behold, 5 weeks before the election, Mattiello, Democrat-in-Chief, is on the air with WPRO’s Gene Valicenti!
Like The Song Says…Some Like It Hot And Some Sweat When The Heat Is On
Do you think Speaker Mattiello is feeling the pressure of his Republican challenger, Steve Frias? Do you think he is feeling the pressure of his leadership team’s unethical behavior, or the pressure from refusing to provide an independent investigation into the 38 Studios debacle, or maybe Truck Tolls was the last straw that pushed people over the edge and he is feeling the pressure. It’s hard to know, but there is certainly something that has led to this sudden need for the Speaker to communicate with the general public.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMattiello is taking these opportunities to talk about all of the wonderful things he will do if he is reelected, first to his house seat and then to his position as Speaker.
But do his words mean anything to you? Or are his actions for the last three legislative sessions speaking louder than his words? Do you think he has improved the business climate in the state or do you think he has continued the minimalist agenda that nibbles at the edges?
His leadership team was plagued by so much corruption - Majority Leader DeSimone not paying his taxes, House Finance Chair Gallison under investigation by the Feds, and House Finance Vice Chair Carnevale lying about his residency - that he had to reverse his original stance of opposing ethics reform, to proposing his own bill for ethics reform. Additionally, Mattiello thought moving the PawSox to Providence, with its incumbent tax dollar giveaways was a good idea, until public pressure mounted and he reversed course. Should the electorate have to work so hard to actually get our representatives to represent us?
According to WPRI, when Mattiello became Speaker he wanted to place a “much greater emphasis on collaboration in the decision-making process among everyone in the room”. How collaborative was it when his own Finance Chair called for shutting off Representative Patricia Morgan’s microphone? Was it a show of collaboration when he removed Representative MacBeth from her Oversight Committee chairmanship immediately upon becoming a Republican? And how collaborative was the decision making process when he put another nail in the coffin of RI’s education system, reversing the last vestiges of Commissioner Gist’s reforms?
“The Speaker Doth Protest Too Much, Methinks”
In what can only be seen as a desperate attempt to deflect criticism of his lack of leadership and opposition to unraveling the 38 Studios debacle, Mattiello tried to tie his opponent to Carcieri, in an advisory capacity, to the 38 Studios deal. Frias has adamantly denied this link as has the RI GOP. It would seem that yet again the Speaker refuses to take responsibility for the 38 Studios mess considering he was in the General Assembly and actually voted for the additional funding to the loan guarantee program. That vote in support of the program increase in spite of a number of house members standing on the floor raising the issue that it didn’t seem kosher to add $75 million at the last minute with no information as to why.
No Where To Cut
In the Speaker’s own words regarding the RI economy,“we’re not doing phenomenally great”. While that is an understatement, what did the Speaker lay out in his legislative agenda for next session that addresses the economy as a whole?
When asked about cutting expenses, the Speaker turned to social services and denied that there was any place to cut expenses. This in spite of Ken Block’s report that found significant fraud in the system. This in spite of the recent dismal rollout of the social service IT system that cost taxpayers $364 million and for which Governor Raimondo has requested over $100 million more from the federal government to address the problems.
Couple that with the problems plaguing the DMV IT system that still hasn’t been fixed after more than a decade, and a nearly $500 million DOT budget that rivals the Massachusetts budget when looking at cost per mile, as well as a complete tin ear to the financial consequences of allowing unfettered illegal immigration in this state, and the question remains, why aren’t any of these issues part of his legislative agenda?
Are Local Voters Clamoring For Change?
If we can assume that Trump voters represent those demanding change from the status quo, can we draw any conclusions from the signs in the Speakers district? In the areas I drove through I saw 42 Trump signs and only 2 Hillary signs. Will that prove to be a referendum for change at the local level as well?
According to the Providence Journal,Hasbro chairman Alan Hassenfeld has donated to Frias’ campaign explaining that he is frustrated with Mattiello’s leadership style. He summed up his reasons for wanting Mattiello gone like this - “The way anyone who voted against the tolls [was] removed from their committees or denigrated”; the end-of-session pile-up of bills; ….the people with whom he surrounded himself; the legislative grants;…and slamming The Journal for “unfair” coverage of the House Finance Committee’s hearings on the controversial grant program. Mr. Hassenfeld’s final word, “All I want is good government”.
So, for House District 15 (Cranston) voters, the weight of Rhode Island is on your shoulders this November 8th. Will you be the voice of change or will you submit to the status quo?
Note: You can see the Mattiello (D)/Frias (R) debate on Friday, November 4 on WPRI 12’s Newsmakers. While Frias had accepted an invitation, Mattiello declined the Oct 13th debate to be sponsored by Common Cause.
Related Slideshow: Mattiello and Frias - June 2016
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