Should Governor and Lt. Governor Be Linked?

Should Governor and Lt. Governor Be Linked?

In Massachusetts the Governor and Lt. Governor run as a team - a constitutional, political and management structure similar to the President and Vice President of the United States. They are functionally linked.

In addition to 40 percent of Rhode Island voters last November, former candidate for Lieutenant Governor Bob Healey has at least one supporter on Smith Hill. Representative Stephen R. Ucci (Cranston/Johnston) has introduced legislation that would ask voters to amend the state constitution and place the Governor and Lieutenant Governor on the same ticket.

The question would appear on the 2012 ballot and if approved, the candidates for each office would run together in 2014. Ucci, a three-term Democrat, hasn’t found a co-sponsor in the Senate to support the bill, but said he believes now is the time for the General Assembly to take action.

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“After the last election, we know 40 percent of the state agreed with Bob Healey,” Ucci said. “This is the right time to put in because we’ll have a year to discuss it and get it on the ballot in two years. I want to make sure to use the committee process to have to talk about it.”

Ucci said his proposal had nothing to do with the performance of Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts or anyone who has held the office. He said talking with his constituents and some of his colleagues was what made him introduce the legislation.

Still A Waste Of Money

Healey centered his campaign on eliminating the office altogether, which he claimed would have saved the state $1 million each year. The perennial candidate said Ucci’s plan might make things a little better, but that it would change much when it comes to the constitution.

“I think you need a constitutional change to grant power or else you’re just spinning wheels,” Healey said. “There’s still a lot of problems. Everyone think it’s going to work by putting them on the same ticket, but you’re still wasting taxpayer money.”

Healey managed to win 39.2 percent of the vote against Roberts last November despite spending very little money. Many were surprised how wide the final margin was because Healey’s message appeared to resonate with voters leading up to the November showdown. At the time, Healey blasted Roberts for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on negative in the weeks leading up to the election.

Response From Current/Former Office Holders
Governor Lincoln Chafee’s office had no comment regarding Ucci’s proposal while former Lieutenant Governor and current DLT Director Charles Fogarty’s spokesperson said he wanted to concentrate on his current role.

Roberts Response

But Roberts’ spokesperson Maria Tocco responded by saying the Lieutenant Governor is open to having a conversation about combining the ticket in the future.

“There have been several pieces of legislation introduced and Lieutenant Governor Roberts has always said the same thing,” Tocco said. “It’s the people’s choice. Clearly she’s proven to be an effective leader independent of the Governor’s office, but she’s open to the discussion and willing to be an active participant in it.”