“It’s Rain, Not Pee” Should be Rhode Island’s Official Motto - Raymond Two Hawks Watson
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“It’s Rain, Not Pee” Should be Rhode Island’s Official Motto - Raymond Two Hawks Watson
It never ceases to amaze me how brazenly the leadership of this State will push a terrible project but try to sell it as beneficial to Rhode Islanders as a whole. Now I get it; it’s because “It’s rain, not pee.” Here, let me share a few examples with you.
It's no secret that the financial powers of the state have not been happy with all the commoners frequenting the “downcity” streets daily. Such a situation is quite challenging when trying to impress out-of-town friends who have come to visit Providence. How can the City possibly reach its full potential if it appears that there are people in need of help walking around everywhere? So here comes the rain.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIn 2020, with the support of former Governor Raimondo, RIPTA proposed a plan to break up the Kennedy Plaza bus hub. The plan was proposed with goals of “uniting ongoing and planned transit investments, enhancing intermodal access and connectivity, plus supporting economic development.” It was further suggested that “the proposal builds on the vision state leaders and voters had in 2014 of developing an intermodal network that improves connectivity and expands access to transit throughout Rhode Island.”
What was the community’s response? Widespread opposition and the filing of a Title VI Civil Rights complaint asserting that the proposal violated the objectives of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and citing concerns that the proposal would disproportionately and negatively impact people of color and low-income populations across the State and would “lead to worse service, greater inconvenience for users and less use of public transportation.” (https://upriseri.com/2021-01-18-kennedy-plaza/). The proposal was ultimately scrapped due to the community’s widespread opposition. Yet the question must be asked; how did such a terrible proposal ever see the light of day in the first place? “It’s rain, not pee.”
In 2019, after a report was released highlighting the 30-year failure of the Providence public school system to adequately educate Providence school children, the State took control of the Providence Public School Department. A new commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education was hired, a new Providence Public School District Superintendent was appointed, and a “Turnaround Action Plan” was set to be the 5-year roadmap “for working with students, families, school leaders, teachers, support staff, and the entire community to create a world-class school system that prepares every student to succeed.” Unfortunately, such was not to be the case.
The process was persistently opposed by the Providence Teachers Union. After two years of active engagement, the Providence community was kept in the dark about the final contract negotiations until after the contract was formalized. The Providence School Superintendent was forced amidst roiling controversy. How did Superintendent Infante-Greene, who initially touted herself as a champion for Providence school students, respond to these failures? By getting removed from the negotiations, not actively oppose the final contract, and instead accepting a three-year contract extension including a 3% annual raise on her $245,837.00 annual salary, and a $10,000 bonus. Imagine having the gall to accept a six-figure salary of public dollars under the auspices of being an advocate for children who have been generationally failed by a public school system, only to duck out on the fight at the last minute and then take a salary increase and bonus from the same people you were supposed to be advocating against. SMH. “It’s rain, not pee.”
Now, Rhode Islanders are presented with the Superman building “opportunity” which is being touted to revitalize the downcity area. Of course, the public is going to have to foot the bill for the private development; $220 million to be exact. Of course, there has been widespread criticism that the development estimates are way too low, and that it will eventually cost the Rhode Island taxpayer more when the funds allocated run out and the project is declared too big to fail. Of course, there are concerns about whether using funds from the housing trust managed by the Providence Redevelopment Agency to fund a private development project of this nature is appropriate. But this can all be overlooked because this project includes “affordable housing” units; a whopping 20% or 57 of the total 285 units proposed in the project.
Now the Rhode Island public is to believe that affordable housing is key in determining whether to publicly support a private development project. This, despite a report published by Senator Sam Bell showing that between 2014 and 2020 Rhode Island turned away a total of $1.381 billion dollars in federal funding for affordable housing. Ignore this inconvenient fact; the powers that be want the Rhode Island public to believe that affordable housing is a determining factor and was instrumental in their decision to give this private development project $220 million in public funds. SMH. “It’s rain, not pee.”
That’s it Rhode Islanders. It’s rain, not pee, it’s good for you, and you should all be honored that your leadership would even take the time to rain on you. Truth be told, who can blame them? It’s common knowledge that Rhode Islanders love to complain about how terrible things are, and then when election season rolls around vote to keep the same leadership in office, so the whining process can start all over again. #TheRhodeIslandWay
It’s rain, not pee . . . and it seems like most Rhode Islanders love dancing in the rain.
That’s my three cents.
Raymond Two Hawks Watson