Guest MINDSETTER™ Larry Girouard: RhodeMap RI, A Wrong Turn for RI

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Larry Girouard, GoLocalProv Guest MINDSETTER™

 

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The Rhode Island brand continues to be mired in a national reputation of business unfriendliness, high unemployment and a “pay to play” ethics culture that is driving people and businesses away from her borders.  Let’s not forget that Rhode Island is in jeopardy of losing a US House seat by 2020 if this trend continues.

If you believe that a strong business community is essential for a healthy economy, then raise a big red flag at the statehouse. 

Taxes and Tolls

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Last year Speaker Mattiello began to lay the foundation for change with the lowering of the corporate tax from 9% to 7%, and making significant changes in the estate tax.  This year there is talk about modifying the social security tax. These initiatives are all designed to retain one of our State’s most valuable assets, our retirees, and preserve the intellectual capital and spending power they represent.

We can all relate to the emotional debates regarding the toll on the Sakonnet Bridge, the gambling question in Newport, and the fire district issues in Coventry. These emotionally charged issues were polarizing in nature and pulled us all away from the discussion concerning the severe strategic position Rhode Island finds itself in relative to other states.  

RhodeMapRI

RhodeMapRI, while on the drawing board for more than a year, has emerged from the shadows less than a week after the elections. Coincidence? The Rhode Island electorate knows very little about this statewide program, and the press, with the exception of some talk radio shows, have paid little attention to it.

Gary Morse’s recent OpEd in the ProJo presents the debate clearly:

"Strip away all the happy talk about walking communities and bike paths, and what RhodeMap RI is really all about is HUD’s demand that low-income housing, particularly low-income rental housing, be implemented side-by-side with existing housing in every neighborhood across America. And HUD means it when it says 'every' neighborhood."

Recent videotaped meetings have been laced with racially charged statements against those that oppose the RhodeMapRI program. While more information is slowly coming to the fore regarding the mandates that this program will demand on our state’s communities, the RI Taxpayers asks that the electorate step away from the emerging details for a moment and look at the implications that this presents to each community. 

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What the Taxpayers Want

With all the serious challenges that currently face Rhode Island, the last thing we need is a major statewide issue that is emotionally charged and offers the serious potential of derailing any of the much needed reforms that leadership will be addressing in the upcoming session to create jobs and improve the economy.

The RI Taxpayers strongly suggests that the governor stop this ill conceived campaign and allow Governor-elect Raimondo time to study this initiative in detail, and how this fits into her overall economic development vision.  Based on the data collected thus far, RhodeMapRI would be a significant diversion on the road to Rhode Island’s recovery.

Larry Girouard is President and Co-Chairman of RI Taxpayers. RI Taxpayers is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization whose mission is  to advocate for honest, effective, and fiscally sound government on behalf of Rhode Island taxpayers.

 

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