Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?
Friday, May 24, 2013
Every Friday, Dan Lawlor breaks down who's rising and who's falling in the world of Rhode Island politics. Check out who made the lists this week.
Who's Hot
Angus Davis: Named one of America's most promising CEOs under 35 by Forbes Magazine, Davis' Swipely, a start-up involved with analyzing shopping payments for data trends, has announced plans to grow to 125 workers by 2014 due to $12 million in venture capital financing. It's good news to have a fast-growing tech company in the capital city.
Teresa Paiva Weed: Minimum wage is $8.00 in Massachusetts, $8.25 in Connecticut, and $7.75 in Rhode Island. The Senate President is working to raise minimum wage in Rhode Island to $8.00 an hour. Now we just need to help cities and towns cut property taxes.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTHousing Works RI: Housing Works has found that "...a quarter of all Rhode Island renter households pay over 50 percent of their income on housing costs." We need to find a way to drive housing costs down. As the report states, "Rhode Islanders who spend more than half their incomes on housing cannot fully participate in their local economies."
Gina Raimondo: The Treasurer continues to come out strong against payday lending, and has been an advocate for Anastasia Williams' great new legislation to aid victims of domestic abuse. Unfortunately, alongside her good issue advocacy, she's paying millions to hedge fund managers.
Amy Bartlett Wright: Providence is full of blank, brick walls. It's great to see an artist like Bartlett Wright get support to produce an exciting, multi-story mural on one. (Thank you AS220 and Coastway Community Bank!) Maybe its time to spruce up the sides of public high rises like Dexter Manor and Carroll Tower.
Michael Marcello, Joy Hearn, Ray Hull, Antonio Giarrusso and Brian Newberry: These state representatives all sponsored H5072, the bill to eliminate the confusing "master lever" line on the ballot. No other New England ballot allows votes for political parties alongside people. Common sense doesn't need to languish in further study— it's time to bring H5702 up for vote.
Participatory Budgeting: Vallejo, CA has gained from bankruptcy a process to actively engage citizens with how money is spent. Providence shouldn't wait to hit rock bottom before more deeply involving the community in making the city budget, an idea first argued for by the late Miguel Luna.
Who's Not
Sen Juan Pichardo and Rep John Edwards: Pichardo and Edwards are lead sponsors on two bills, S520 and H5617, which would allow schools to be built on polluted sites where there is possibility for toxic vapors to harm students, faculty and staff. A big proponent of this crazy law change are the folks at Rhode Island Mayoral Academies, eyeing a questionable site in Pawtucket. Even with new ventilation technologies (which can break) and the promise of higher reading and math proficiency levels (which is great), it's safer to simply not have a school on a polluted site (like existing law states).
Deborah Gist: As Stephen Beale reported, the Rhode Island Department of Education, at the behest of Gist, set 33 targets for statewide student performance. In 2012, the state reached one out of 33.
Gordon Fox and Teresa Paiva Weed: The Superman building is empty, historic mills are decaying, the deficit is projected to be around $30 million, and the state's youth unemployment is around 17%. Some good bills are being debated, but we need serious reform and re-thinking, not just a re-shuffling.
Lifespan: Despite the good news of its health center partnership in South Providence, the health company announced a cut of 107 jobs.
RIPTA Re-Routing Plan: The re-design plan is not bold enough. People need a reliable, affordable bus system with predictable pick-ups. Do all buses need to go Kennedy Plaza?
The Procaccianti Group: The real estate investment and management group—operator of the Renaissance Hotel, the Downcity Hilton and Fox Point's Wyndham Gardens—is vigorously against fair pay for its workers.The Biltmore and Omni Hotels have recognized unions for their workers—why is Procaccianti a hold out?
Related Articles
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?
- Side of the Rhode: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in RI Politics?
