Political Profile: Sharon Ahern, Candidate for State Senate, District 38

Political Profile: Sharon Ahern, Candidate for State Senate, District 38

Sharon Ahern is running for State Senate in District 38 -- here's what she has to say. 

 

1. What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign season in Rhode Island?

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It should be the State Budget. All other issues flow from the allocation of funds, be they R.I. taxes or Federal allocations. For the first time in recent memory, the state had a surplus. However, we cannot rely on COVID surpluses, American Rescue Plan Act and Federal Infrastructure monies to supplement programs and capitol expenses in the future. Nor can we address the “hot button” issues of affordable housing, access to health care, quality education, childcare, the minimum wage, enforcement of gun control laws, sustainable agriculture, retention of open space, climate resiliency or anything else without addressing fiscal policy and return on investment while crafting a sustainable budget.  

 

2. What do we need to do to improve Rhode Island’s economy?

First, it’s nice to think that Amazon is coming to R.I., but to attract a large corporation we would need to partner more closely with Connecticut and Massachusetts in a regional capacity.  R.I. seems to keep getting beat out by its neighbors, despite the constant refrain that they have taxes that render them non-competitive. Perhaps that is true on a national level, i.e. they are not economically competitive with Texas or North Carolina, but as to New England, clearly they are so we should consider haw to use that to our advantage. Second, and at the other end of the spectrum, we should focus on microbusinesses (generally defined as those businesses with 10 or less employees).  Microbusinesses make up the bulk of the economy, even more so than small businesses (generally defined as 100 or more employees).  The problems faced by a 100 employee manufacturing company are rarely addressed by regulations and zoning issues for a 10-person business.
What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state?

Figuring out how to fund a quality, equitable Education System without breaking the bank. While providing elementary and secondary education is a local exercise, financing education is the respective role of federal, state and municipal governments. According to the R.I. Department of Education, R.I. invests $2.3 billion annually in public schools. Yet, some reports indicate R.I. ranks 39th in educational outcomes. The state education funding formula was changed in 2010 with the plan to phase in changes over the next 10 years starting in 2012. Here we are, those 10 years later, with several lengthy reports on the outcome of that legislation. Those reports need to be analyzed in detail to discern the equity and success/failure of the funding formula, across the state, including as to District 38. 

3. Why are you running for office? What makes you uniquely qualified?

The combination of education and work experience are a good match for the State Senate, and having grown up in and subsequently returning to Westerly (now in District 38), I hope to apply that upstate. The Senate focuses on law, with both a J.D. and a Masters in Environmental Law, this is second nature to me. Also, R.I. is leading the country in offshore energy. Also having  practiced Maritime Law, I understand the Coastal Zone Management Act and other laws & policies related to the ocean and shoreline - fundamental to District 38. As part of an Environmental Law practice, I worked on issues of hazardous and other waste issues, leading to the need to address the Johnston land fill, which will reach capacity, so alternatives must be found. Equity issues such as access to job training, health care providers and a decent place to live all need ongoing consideration by state leaders. Sitting as President of the Westerly Town Council and having worked in various other capacities in Westerly, I can definitively state that even in District 38 there are many needs that are going unaddressed, though many don’t necessarily see it.

4. Who is your inspiration? 

Diana Urban, who served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 2001-2019. Representative Urban was one of the state’s most prominent and successful advocates for children, the environment and animal welfare. Specifically, she drafted and got passed “Desmond’s Law”, which creates a clinical program for law students to bring to completion cases against violent abuse against animals. If elected, it is my ambition to get similar legislation passed because not only is such abuse horrifying, but it is a crime of escalation and almost every perpetrator of mass shootings has an incident of violent abuse against animals in their history. I am currently pursuing a full Certification as an Animal Abuse Investigator.  Representative Urban also introduced Results Based Accounting as a tool to review programs in the budget for efficacy before automatically refunding them on a yearly basis.