GoLocal Voter’s Guide - AG Candidates: Chris Little
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Chris Little
Moderate Candidate for Attorney General
Born:
January 5, 1949 in Morristown, NJ; lives in South Kingstown
Education:
Duke University (BA)
Georgetown University Law Center (JD)
Career Highlights:
• Served as President of Save the Bay
• Served as RI Chair of Common Cause
• Elected to serve as Councilman to the South Kingstown Town Council
• Served as Chair of the South County Hospital Board of Trustees
• Appointed to a leadership position with the South Kingstown School Committee, the South Kingstown Land Trust and the South Kingstown Education Foundation
• Works as an attorney at law for Little Medeiros Kinder Bulman & Whitney, a Providence law firm which he helped create
• Worked as a clerk for a federal judge in Washington, DC
• Recognized for over 20 years as highest peer recognition by Martin Dale Hubbell
• Recognized as “New England Super Lawyers” for dispute resolution, 2007-2010
• Recognized by Chambers USA 2007-2010 for dispute resolution
Personal Information:
Little was named one of the “Best Lawyers in America” for his specialties in construction law in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Views on Key Issues:
• Do you favor the expansion of casino gambling in RI to include table games in Lincoln and Newport?
This is an issue to be determined by the voters of the state. Casino gambling is clearly a substantial portion of our state budget and any decision to expand it must be considered carefully.
• Do you think RI is culturally too accepting of public corruption?
No, but our political system is. Rhode Islanders do not like or accept it. Unfortunately our political system seems to embrace it. The Attorney General should be independent and free of relationships that interfere with his or her ability to effectively carry out this important part of the job. The AG needs to reallocate resources more effectively to deal with the challenges of public corruption prosecutions and to strengthen state law to provide better tools to enforce the state’s corruption laws. I have a proposal that addresses these matters.
• Do you support the Deepwater Wind Project as a way of helping RI become a hub of the new energy industry? Do you think it is a viable method of economic development here?
I am on record in testimony to the PUC as being against the Deepwater wind project in its current form. While I am in favor of wind power and economic development, the costs of this project will drive up utility rates and harm our families and businesses.
• Do you think RI effectively spends its education dollars?
No. I applaud the efforts of Commissioner Gist and her efforts to lead Rhode Island in the Race to the Top and to improve the effectiveness of our educational system.
• Do you favor a state law to allow gay marriage?
Yes. But as Attorney General I must defend the state’s laws in the event of a challenge.
• Do you think RI should enact restrictive immigration legislation?
No. I believe we need more effective implementation of federal immigration law. And I pledge to work effectively with all law enforcement agencies including ICE.
• Do you think municipal government has done enough to cut spending?
In light of the pain that the private sector is going through in this economic downturn, and the limits on public resources, I believe we must find additional ways to cut local spending.
• What specifically do you propose to change in the state pension system, and how much will your changes save in annual costs to the pension system?
The Attorney General should do an effective job in stamping out pension abuse by lending his resources to local, state and federal agencies to enforce pension law. I also support cutting back pension costs by raising the minimum age for eligibility and be reducing COLAs order to make the system more sustainable.
• What is your strategy to address the state's budget deficit? Please be specific, i.e. what cuts or revenue enhancements you are proposing.
As Attorney General, I will do my part and make significant changes in the AG’s office, bringing more effective management tools to the office and ensuring that we spend our money more wisely. And through a much more effective Medicaid fraud enforcement program I will be returning much more money to the state through that program.
• What specifically will you do to improve employment for Rhode Islanders?
In this current recession, we have to make sure we get by with less, and that includes our utility and health insurance companies. Too many employers in Rhode Island cannot even consider hiring new employees because of the cost of health insurance. The AG has to be vigilant in keeping these costs down.
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