Political Profile: Deb Ruggiero, Candidate for Lt. Governor
GoLocalProv Political Team
Political Profile: Deb Ruggiero, Candidate for Lt. Governor
1. What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign cycle?
One of the biggest political issues is the reversal of ROE v WADE by the U.S. Supreme Court after fifty years. This decision has angered and activated many people, and rightly so. This decision by six people on the highest court has upended the lives of hundreds of millions of women and men in this country. Thankfully, as co-sponsor of Rhode Island’s Reproductive Privacy Act in 2019, we have secured the right to safe and legal reproductive healthcare in this state.
Our campaign for Lt. Governor is talking about how we create policy to help our parents age in place at home. This is under the purview of the Lt Governor’s Office. I will work with the Long-Term Care Coordinating Council and introduce legislation for our seniors. This office has not introduced any legislation or policy around this issue in the last decade. It’s time to look at the state’s Medicaid spending for home care. Most states spend 50% of Medicaid dollars on home care; RI spends 26% with a rank of 42nd in the nation. We need aging policy for the 1 in 4 people who will turn 65+ in the next several years. We must do better.
2. What do we need to do to improve Rhode Island's economy?
Inflation is hurting all of us. We need to support our local businesses, farmers, restaurants, and retailers and buy local as much as possible. Policy decisions in the budget will help put more money into people’s pockets. For seniors and retirees, the first $20,000 of pension and social security incomes will not be taxed; and military pensions of the men and women who’ve served our country will no longer be taxed in this state. For families with kids, they’ll see a check this fall for $250 per child if they filed taxes and make less than $100,000. There is so much more work to be done to help our working families, seniors, and small businesses.
3. What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state?
We need a world-class education system in this state. It’s the first thing parents who are relocated here look at for their children. Education should be about developing potential and not just test scores. Teachers want to be innovative with more hands-on learning that relates to real-world experiences. Another challenge is the graying of our state. Many people are in the ‘sandwich generation’ taking care of an aging parent and struggling with how they pay for college for their kids. The state needs to better communicate the resources that are available to families for services ranging from home care to mental health to affordable housing.
4. Why are you running for office? What makes you uniquely qualified?
The office of Lt. Governor has so much potential with the right leadership. It’s a separate, independent office with statutory responsibility for establishing policy for our older citizens, supporting small businesses, and implementing emergency management from resiliency to cybersecurity. We haven’t seen any meaningful policy come out of this office in over a decade.
As a small business owner and a 14-year legislator, I’ve spent my career turning ideas into action. From writing many of our state’s renewable energy laws that generates thousands of good paying green-energy jobs to securing tax relief for seniors to establishing broadband governance to access federal dollars for the first time in seven years, it’s about turning ideas into action. Results not rhetoric. I’ll be a Lt. Governor that writes legislation and serves as a bridge between the Governor’s office and the state legislature. Hopefully, the next Governor will value my eight years on House Finance framing the state budget. I will work with whomever the people of Rhode Island elect as their next Governor. Experience matters, readiness matters, and I’m ready on Day One. I ask for your vote as Lt. Governor on Sept 13th. Let’s put the office to work!
5. Who is your inspiration?
It’s not just one person. It’s so many people that I encounter who have vision, passion, and care deeply about their families, community, and this great state. I would say my parents are pretty inspirational. They married out of high school, never went to college, and provided tremendous opportunity for me and my sister. Their parents came here from Italy. And like so many families in this state, they came from another country, worked hard, and build these communities in Rhode Island. We are standing on their shoulders. We owe our parents and grandparents a debt of gratitude. That’s why I’m working so hard to become your next Lt. Governor. I want to work with the Long-Term Care Coordinating Council, which is under the purview of the Lt. Governor’s office to provide more senior services and home-based care. We need a champion that will be a consensus-builder, write legislation, and work on behalf of all of our families. We’re all getting older, but it doesn’t mean we’re getting old! Aging with dignity.
Website: https://debruggiero.com/
BIO: Deborah Ruggiero, Candidate for Lt. Governor
Rhode Island State Representative Deborah Ruggiero represents Jamestown and Middletown (District 74), first elected in 2008.
She is Chairwoman of the House Committee on Innovation, Internet, and Technology. Rep. Ruggiero has been a champion for broadband legislation for residents, small business, and municipalities to access fast, reliable, and affordable high-speed fiber optic internet.
As chairwoman of the Small Business Renewable Energy Commission, Rep. Ruggiero sponsored many of the renewable energy laws in Rhode Island promoting good economic and environmental policy. She has chaired the House Committee on Small Business helping small business access affordable healthcare coverage. For the past 8 years, Rep. Ruggiero has served as a member of the House Finance Committee framing the state budget.
Deb is the president of DR Communications Group, a marketing and advertising firm that helps small business and non-profits with branding, media placement, and marketing communications.
She is the host and creator the award-winning radio show, AMAZING WOMEN, which highlights women in Rhode Island who make a difference. It airs on 4 radio stations in the market and online.
Deb is a founding member of the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island. She’s an avid golfer, tennis player, and loves to garden and cook!