Providence's "Three-Dog Limit" is Fiscal Tyranny: Guest MINDSETTER™ Espinal
Amy Espinal, GoLocalProv Guest MINDSETTER™
Providence's "Three-Dog Limit" is Fiscal Tyranny: Guest MINDSETTER™ Espinal
You meet the love of your life. You plan on buying a lovely home in our capital city to enjoy the fruits of your labor and contribute to society as members of the tax-paying community. Oh, but hold on there, Sparky, not so fast!
You see, our capital city has just proposed a limit on the number of furry family members that you may house. Since both you and the love of your life have two canines apiece, this means you must either remove one or pay up $250 for a special license to keep your family intact.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTNo, this is not fiction, this is the new proposal set forth by the city council. It’s being peddled as a way to combat unlawful breeders and puppy mills, but it’s another form of infringement upon the rights of city residents.
Sounds Like a Shakedown
Current statute dictates that dogs be vaccinated against rabies and registered with the city’s Animal Control office. I have complied, as have my friends and neighbors. Now, would it not be more sensible to update these current regulations to ensure that dogs are not being used for breeding purposes?
Additionally, the new proposal states that all canines must be fixed by the age of 6 months without any input from the family veterinarian; this is contrary to the guidelines set forth by the American Veterinarian Association (i.e., as appropriate per breed specifications, larger dogs like German Shepherds shouldn’t be fixed until at least 12 months of age).
Furthermore, as a tax paying citizen, who is city council to tell me how many healthy, vaccinated dogs I am allowed to have on my property, provided that they are in proper standing and registered with the city? This feels like a shake down to me. In a city known worldwide for its corruption and mob connections, the idea that a responsible pet owner should pay a fee to have more than three dogs is ludicrous. “You want to keep Fido with his friends, then pay up!”
Good Intentions Versus Homeowners' Rights
While I understand the good intentions behind the proposal, I believe there must be a better way to ensure the proper care of man’s best friend without infringing on the homeowner rights of residents. We are not merely tenants, beholden to a Cruella de Vil landlord who dictates how many furry companions you can legally possess. This is yet another law that will be rendered unenforceable, taking up room on the day’s calendar during precious assembly time.
Why don’t we focus on the rampant gun violence and pollution in our city instead? Really, Providence? You expect neighbors to police each other, reporting those with more than 3 dogs? This idea is laughable at best. I hope the rest of my community can see the pointlessness of this proposal and work to amend the current regulations on the books to keep the best interest of our canine companions at heart.
Amy Espinal is a lifelong Providence resident.
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.
