Has RI’s First Gentleman Thrown Himself Into the Political Fray?
GoLocalProv News Team and Kate Nagle
Has RI’s First Gentleman Thrown Himself Into the Political Fray?
Has Governor Gina Raimondo’s McKinsey-employed husband, who until now has made public appearances on behalf of the office for causes such as education, the environment, and social services, officially entered the political fray?
“Gina and I were proud to stand today with so many Rhode Island to reaffirm our commitment to the values of religious freedom and tolerance on which our state was founded by Roger Williams, a refugee himself. Everyone is and always will be welcome here,” Moffit posted on Sunday, after thousands rallied at the Rhode Island State House.
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Moffit’s public appearances as recently as December have included giving the opening remarks at the 2016 Health Equity Summit, and emceeing the Rhode Island Outdoor Recreation Council’s Final Report presentation.
“There's always been a thin line between political activism and social activism,” said veteran Rhode Island political pollster Vic Profughi. “If you get involved in social issues you're concerned about, it doesn't take much to push you from that. If you feel strongly, the tenor of the times can put you over those lines. It’s not that unusual.”
Profughi said however, that once a Governor’s spouse moves in that direction, it opens them up to increased scrutiny.
“Not everyone [who] moves in that direction decides to get involved in a political office. They might be looking to make a dent in things going on right now, or they might get swooped into the political fray,” said Profughi, who warned of the consequences. “The scrutiny is inevitable, once you start doing that, and taking a stance."
From Back of the Pack to Front
Moffit had often taken a proverbial backseat during Raimondo’s gubernatorial run, when Raimondo’s children were prominently featured in the ad, “Bike Ride" - with Moffit trailing behind.
Moffit, however, stepped forward to make a make a very public political pronouncement on Sunday. Raimondo’s office did not respond to request Monday about any changes in Moffit’s role -- or political involvement.
“Given the nature of today's politics, the spouse of any political candidate or office holder is open to scrutiny in terms of their business and political advocacy. The public sentiment has evolved more and more into one that needs to seed the entirety of what an officeholder brings to the table,” said Rhode Island College Political Professor (Emeritus), Kay Israel. “With the growing role of candidate's spouses being involved with the process, some limited examination is fair game. I would hope, when doing so, that the all media would maintain good journalistic judgment and practices in the process.”
Recently, Saturday Night Live writer Katie Rich was suspended for a Tweet about Donald Trump’s son Barron, in which she said he might be the country’s “first homeschool shooter.”
"The growing political divisiveness we're seeing in America appears to be demanding an "all hands on deck" approach. It becomes essential that those in the public eye play a more active and less passive role. It would appear that the rational for Moffit's activities are consistent with the growing public demand for everyone having greater involvement in resolving the difficulties we are now facing," said Israel. "Just because he's married to the Governor, doesn't mean he has forfeited his right to speak for or against the issues that are now a part of the public's dialogue."
Roger Williams University Professor of Political Science June Speakman, who has served as Democratic President of the Barrington Town Council, gave her take on Monday.
"If you trace the coverage of first ladies and the few first gentlemen we’ve had, both at the national and state levels, you’ll find that political spouses have always been fair game for the media whether or not they take public positions on the issues of the day," said Speakman.
"Of course, only Mr. Moffit knows his own motivations, political or otherwise. Because his public profile has been relatively low-key, it’s difficult to imagine that his appearance was a tactic aimed at helping the Governor’s approval rating," added Speakman. "Her own statements do that—or they don’t. What she said at the rally was loud and clear enough to stand on its own, without her husband’s help."
SLIDES: Raimondo's FY18 Budget Proposal -- Winners and Losers
Winners and Losers in Raimondo's FY18 Budget Proposal
Winner
Criminal Justice Reform
Per recommendations from the Justice Reinvestment Working Group, the Governor is proposing nearly $1 million in investments such as the public defender mental health program ($185,000), improved mental health services at the ACI ($410,000), recovery housing ($200,000) and domestic violence intervention, in her FY18 budget.
Winner
English Language Learners
Under the heading of “promoting 3rd grade reading,” Raimondo proposed adding $2.5 million to make English Language Learning (ELL) K-12 funding permanent. The Governor’s office points out that RI is one of four states that doesn’t have permanent funding.
The suggestion was one made by the Funding Formula Working Group in January 2016, who said that “in the event that Rhode Island chooses to make an additional investment in ELLs, the funding should be calculated to be responsive to the number of ELLs in the system and based on reliable data, and include reasonable restrictions to ensure that the money is used to benefit ELLs — and promote the appropriate exiting of ELL students from services.”
Winner
Car Owners - and Drivers
Governor Raimondo wants to reduce assessed motor vehicle values by 30% - a change that would reduce total car tax bills by about $58 million in calendar year 2018. Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello, however, has indicated that he might want to go further in its repeal.
In her budget proposal, Raimondo also put forth adding 8 staffers to the the Department of Motor Vehicles to "address wait times."
Winner
T.F. Green
The “Air Services Development Fund” would get an influx of $500,000 to “provide incentives to airlines interested in launching new routes or increasing service to T.F. Green Airport.” The Commerce Corporation set the criteria at the end of 2016 for how to grant money through the new (at the time $1.5 million fund).
Also getting a shot in the arm is the I-195 development fund, which would receive $10.1 million from debt-service savings to “resupply” the Fund to “catalyze development & attract anchor employers.”
Tie
Minimum Wage Increase
An increase in the state minimum wage is part of Raimondo’s proposal, which would see it go from $9.60 an hour to $10.50 an hour. Raimondo was unsuccessful in her effort in 2016 to bring it up to $10.10 — it was June 2015 that she signed legislation into law that last raised Rhode Island’s minimum wage, from $9 to 9.60.
The state's minimum hourly wage has gone up from $6.75 in January 2004 to $7.75 in 2013, $8 in 2014, and $9 on Jan. 1, 2015. Business groups such as the National Federation of Independent Business however have historically been against such measures, citing a hamper on job creation.
Tie
Cigarette Tax
Like the minimum wage, Raimondo is looking for an increase - in this instance, the cigarette tax, and revenue to state coffers. Raimondo was unsuccessful in her effort to go from a tax of $3.75 to $4 last year. Now she is looking for an increase to $4.25 per pack, which the administration says would equate to $8.7 million in general revenue — and go in part towards outdoor recreation and smoking cessation programs.
The National Federation of Independent Business and other trade groups have historically been against such an increase, saying it will hurt small businesses - i.e. convenience stores. And clearly, if you’re a smoker, you’re likely to place this squarely in the loser category instead.
Loser
Hospitals
As often happens in the state budget, winner one year, loser the next. As GoLocal reported in 2016, “the Rhode Island Hospital Association immediately lauded the budget following its introduction, and addressed that while it is facing some reductions, that it "applauds" this years budget after landing on the "loser" list last year.”
This year, it falls back on the loser list, with a Medicaid rate freeze to hospitals, nursing homes, providers, and payers — at FY 2017 levels, with a 1% rate cut come January 1, 2018.
Loser
Online Shoppers
The taxman cometh — maybe. Raimondo proposed an “Internet Sales Tax Initiative” — which would purportedly equate to $34.7 million in revenues.
"Online sales and the fact that online sellers do not collect sales tax has created a structural problem for Rhode Island's budget — our sales taxes have been flat," said Director of Administration Michael DiBiase, of the tax that Amazon collects in 33 states, but not Rhode Island. "We think mostly due to online sales, we’re able to capture the growth. The revenue number is $35 million dollars — it improves our structural deficit problem. It’s an important fiscal development."
Loser
Long Term Care Funding
The Governor’s proposal recommends “redesigning the nature” of the State’s Integrated Care Initiative, by transferring long-term stay nursing home members from Neighborhood Health to Medicaid Fee-for-Service and repurposing a portion of the anticipated savings (from reduced administrative payments to Neighborhood Health) for “enhanced services in the community.” “The investments in home- and community-based care will help achieve the goal of rebalancing the long-term care system," states the Administration.
Cutting that program is tagged at saving $12.2 million; cuts and “restructuring” at Health and Human Services is slated to save $46.3 million.
