RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity Urges General Assembly to Stay on Leave
Tuesday, July 04, 2017
The Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity is urging the General Assembly to officially close the General Assembly’s 2017 legislative session.
As GoLocal reported on Friday, June 30, Speaker Nicholas Mattiello made no promise to bring the House back, after it opted to recess when it heard that Senate President Dominick Ruggerio was tacking on an amendment to the House budget at the 11th hour. Mattiello said they two had "shook hands" on what was approved by the House.
"This Democrat power struggle demonstrates the utter lack of leadership and strategic thinking of our state's political class. There was no rational rhyme or reason to the advancement of the many progressive bills that were about to become law, but that now have fortunately been put in limbo. Further, this bad-government tradition of a final-days cattle-call of legislative votes, against a summer deadline, leaves zero room for negotiation or compromise. This is a clear case of self-inflicted, administrative malfeasance. Our legislative process is clearly in dire need of reform,” said Mike Stenhouse, CEO of The Center for Freedom & Prosperity.
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The Center says that if the General Assembly stays home this summer and fall, “Rhode Islanders would benefit from continued independence from the actions of their elected officials.”
The Center lists the following ways in which the General Assembly staying out would benefit Rhode Island.
- Almost $300,000,000 in new budgeted spending will not legitimately be extracted from the pockets of families and businesses
- New wage and benefit mandates that dramatically increase the cost of employment will not be imposed on employers
- Over $32,000,000 in new Internet taxes will not be fully imposed
- Constitutional 2nd Amendment rights will not be denied without due process based on frivolous Internet-related and other accusations
- Big-brother type surveillance on our highways will not infringe on our right to privacy
- Immoral free college tuition will not lessen the value of a college degree and personal responsibility
Regunberg Says to Go Back To Work
The Center’s urging for the General Assembly to stay away comes just after State Representative Aaron Regunberg said the General Assembly should go back to work.
“This session had the potential to be the most successful year for the passage of significant progressive policy of any I can remember. Then, on Friday, insider politics got in the way. I refuse to give up on the issues - earned sick time, disarming domestic abusers, increasing the minimum wage, and more - which can make such a concrete difference in the lives of our constituents.
And I think the vast majority of Rhode Islanders agree, and want the General Assembly to put people over politics and return as quickly as possible to finish our job. I have committed to doing everything I can to push for that end, and - after taking a day to regroup from an exhausting and frustrating week - am fired up and ready to begin that work,” said Regunberg.
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