Political Profile: Helena Foulkes, Candidate for Governor

Monday, August 22, 2022

GoLocalProv Political Team

 

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Helena Foulkes is the Democratic candidate for governor of Rhode Island. Here is what she has to say.

 

1.  What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign cycle? 

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There’s no question that the biggest issue facing Rhode Islanders today is our economy, especially the cost of living in our state. People are feeling squeezed, and not without reason: Rhode Island was just ranked as one of the ten most expensive states to live in. 

We need a governor who understands how to create great-paying jobs. As a former business leader, I know what companies need to grow and hire. That’s why I’ve proposed universal job training so that anyone in Rhode Island can get the skills they need to get a great job here. I’m also committed to putting money back in Rhode Islanders’ pockets. Earlier this year, I called on Governor McKee to use a portion of the state's budget surplus to give a $500 tax cut to anyone earning less than $100,000. As governor, I will make targeted investments to expand childcare options, create more housing and lower the costs of healthcare.  

 

2.  What do we need to improve Rhode Island's economy? 

In order to make our economy thrive, we have to embrace the blue economy, support our small businesses, and invest in public schools. 

Under my leadership, Rhode Island will lean in to our biggest strength: our ocean and 400 miles of coastline. The University of Rhode Island and Naval War College are already providing strong leadership in undersea exploration and technology, but to fully realize our potential in the blue economy, we need dedicated leadership. Similar to what Massachusetts did with life sciences in 2006, I’m proposing a $250M Blue Economy Bond to create jobs here in Rhode Island. 

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and will be a major focus of my economic plan. As governor, I will transform the way state agencies interact directly with the public, focusing on convenience and ease of use. My administration will accelerate the rollout of convenient online services, but also ensure Rhode Islanders can talk to trained, specialized customer service agents without exasperating hold times. 

Finally, I believe that investing in our public schools is one of the most important ways we can create a vibrant economy. 

 

3.  What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state? 

The single greatest challenge threatening Rhode Island’s future is the state of our public schools and specifically COVID learning loss. Our public schools were struggling before COVID, but the challenges of the last two years have pushed them into a full-blown crisis. Last year, only 33% of Rhode Island public school students were meeting grade-level expectations in reading. Our results in math are even more alarming–only 20% of Rhode Island students are meeting grade-level standards in math.

We’ve never had a governor who has committed to be personally accountable for the results of our education system–it’s time to change that. I’ve promised a single term as governor if school test scores don’t improve. Our kids are our future, and we have a moral and economic responsibility to give them the amazing education they deserve. My plan calls for more teaching assistants in K-8 classrooms, universal PreK, expanding the RI Promise Scholarship to cover four years of tuition for education majors, adjusting the funding formula to provide more support for special education and MLL students, and dramatically increasing the number of mental health providers in schools. You can read my full plan to address public education at helenafoulkes.com/education. 

 

4.  Why are you running for office? What makes you uniquely qualified?  

I'm running for governor of Rhode Island because I'm tired of seeing career politicians make promises but then fail to deliver results. I have experience overseeing a large budget and being a trailblazer in a field where only 15% of CEOs are women. At CVS, I led teams that built the groundbreaking ExtraCare customer discount program and created digital programs to make prescription drugs more affordable. I was responsible for 200,000 employees and managed an $80B budget–I had to deliver for my team and the people I served every single day. 

I also have experience working with government. I worked with the Obama administration to boost insurance enrollment after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, and later with the Raimondo administration to strengthen healthcare in Rhode Island. As governor, I will deliver for the people of Rhode Island and will be ready to make the hard decisions needed to make our state thrive. 

 

5.  Who is your inspiration? 

My biggest inspiration will always be my mom. My mom passed away from lung cancer 13 years ago, but her kindness, compassion, and strength guide me to this day. She was a driving force behind the decision I got to lead to stop selling tobacco products at CVS–one of my proudest accomplishments. 

Before she passed away, my mom brought my siblings and me together and implored us to look out for one another. Her foundational belief that we should care for and lift each other up influences not only how I think about my family, but also how I think about politics. I’ve always been proud to be a Democrat because I see the Democratic Party as one of opportunity. In this election, with so many Rhode Islanders still hurting from the pandemic, it’s more important than ever that we have a governor who knows her number one responsibility is to ensure that everyone in this state can have great future here. 

 

Website: helenafoulkes.com 
Facebook: facebook.com/helena4ri
Instagram: instagram.com/helenabfoulkes
Twitter: twitter.com/helenabfoulkes

GoLocal is featuring the candidates running for office in Rhode Island. 

This is a public service.

If you would like to answer our questionnaire - please send an email to [email protected]

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