Guest MINDSETTER™ Russ Hryzan: Why I'm Running for State Senate

Guest MINDSETTER™ Russ Hryzan: Why I'm Running for State Senate

Plain and simple: I’m running for State Senate because the people of Rhode Island pay far too much money into our bloated state and local governments and get far too little in return. We deserve better, and I will fight to make that happen. I have a thorough understanding of the problems facing our state, and I will work hard representing Providence to try and address those problems with sound reforms and common-sense solutions that will put our state on a new path of prosperity and sustainable economic growth.

Our state is on an out-of-control spending spree. The state budget increased by 70% between 2000 and 2010, despite massive reductions in state personnel and less than a 1% increase in the state population.

Most of our legislators are (or at least act like they are) out of touch with the problems facing Rhode Islanders, and too few even attempt to address the systemic problems facing our state. Instead of addressing unfunded mandates and local pension problems, many legislators are too busy passing legislation benefiting special interest groups or their own self-interests. My opponent (Sen. Harold Metts) fully supported a “binding arbitration” law, despite pleas from multiple mayors, including his own city’s mayor and fellow Democrat Angel Taveras, who testified “This is not good for the city, state or the taxpayers”.

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Our elected officials also waste too much time passing unneeded and unnecessary nuisance legislation, which is not only turning Rhode Island into a “nanny state”, but also interferes with our personal freedoms and liberties. The recently-enacted “seat belt law” (advocated by another Providence legislator) is a prime example. The seatbelt law, which is nothing more than a revenue generator for the state, wasted already-limited police resources, and also resulted in military state-style roadblocks being set up around Rhode Island. Those roadblocks led to our residents and visitors to be unnecessarily harassed by police, and our visitors and our financially-strained residents are now being fined $85 for harming nobody and for doing nothing wrong.

Our out-of-touch elected officials have turned Rhode Island into a state burdened with unnecessary and out-of-control spending, failed programs, and too many self-serving career politicians. Instead of being a state known for freedom, prosperity and opportunity, we are a state that is amongst the highest in unemployment, highest in tax burden, and ranked the worst to do business in (according to many sources, CNBC most recently). If elected to the Senate, I promise to push for more transparency and accountability in the budget and in the budgeting process, legislative term limits, and an end to excessive taxation and job-killing regulations. I will advocate for taking back our freedoms and liberties by working to repeal as many unnecessary laws and regulations as possible. I will fight to make Rhode Island a better place to live, a better place to raise a family, and a better place to work and to do business.

Russ Hryzan is a Republican candidate for State Senate in District 6.