Side of the Rhode: Who's Hot and Who's Not

HOT

Frank Williams

Let's face it: when all is said and done, former Chief Justice Frank Williams--who was appointed Special Master in the state pension lawsuit case--got it done. You don't have to like it, but the settlement of the case will save taxpayers (and union members) millions of dollars in legal fees, and years of frustration as the case travels up and down the court system, and eliminate any risk of taxpayers losing out on pension reform as a whole.

HOT

Lincoln Chafee

The former Governor was always a staunch proponent of settling the pension lawsuit case by negotiating a settlement as opposed to litigating it, and he was right to angle for that resolution. And Chafee should also receive credit for supporting pension reform in the first place, which for some reason, he never seems to get.

Plus, he's running for President!

HOT

Providence Police Department

The Providence Police Department conducted a sting that arrested 22 people attempting to engage in the act of hiring prostitutes. The message is clear: it's illegal to directly pay for sex in Rhode Island.

HOT

Shelby Maldonado

The state representative from Central Falls has submitted a bill that would have the state increase its library aid to distressed communities, which would help children from the poorest communities in our state.  "Access to libraries is the single most important learning tool available to impoverished children," she noted. It would be a relatively small investment for the state, but would pay large dividends over the long term. 

HOT

25th Least Obese

GoLocalProv reported earlier this week that the city of Providence is the 25th least obese city in the nation. The city has a relatively active population that eats comparatively healthy, and this should help lower our health care costs going forward.

HOT

Ocean State Job Lot

The retail giant held a massive food drive earlier this week to benefit the least fortunate in our state and region. It's always nice to have corporations that are also good corporate citizens, like Ocean State Job lot, in our state.

NOT

Nicholas Mattiello

We've heard some very large talk about "jobs and the economy" from the House Speaker. But here we are 4 months into the legislative session, and the state legislature has done hardly anything to improve the economy. Talk is cheap, and the honeymoon is over, and it's time for results.

NOT

Car Taxes

Wallethub.com reported this week that the state of Rhode Island has the highest car taxes in the country (an average of over $1,100). That's no surprise to the people paying the taxes. But while much has been made about the valuation process of cars, please keep in mind that even if the valuation changes, the rates will simply be increased to make up for lost revenue. It's a spending problem here.

NOT

April 15

Don't take it out on the messenger, but next Wednesday is the day taxes must be paid. Does anyone out there think we get a good return on investment for our tax dollars?

NOT

Gina Raimondo

Just like Mattiello, Raimondo is great at paying lip service to improving our state's economy. But then why hasn't she attended any Economic Development Commission meetings since she's become Governor?

NOT

Streetcar Proposal

As GoLocalProv MINDSETTER Brian Jencucas so eloquently points out in his recent column, the proposal to build a streetcar in Providence would be a complete waste of taxpayer dollars for a city that is extremely short of cash and facing huge liabilities. Let's fill potholes before we start spending cash on streetcars.

NOT

City and Town Political Parties

About half of the city and town political parties, both Democrats and Republicans, have failed to file the necessary paperwork with the state of Rhode Island. The political parties should know better and must do a better job setting an example.