Stop the Statehouse Endurance Test

Stop the Statehouse Endurance Test

Citizen Advocates wanted: Ability to stand long hours in a confined corner in a crowded, stuffy room; decipher long speeches often delivered through poorly functioning microphones; be amused by a guessing game as to when your name will be called to testify to your viewpoint. Be prepared to walk many blocks on dark city streets to reach your car for the weary drive home.

A rite of spring has been in evidence in the state this week but I’m not referring to things blooming out of the ground or budding on trees. Hundreds of Rhode Islanders have been converging on their Statehouse to exercise their right to speak to their government about the budget they fund for the operation of their state.

This year there are hundreds, and likely thousands participating in this process for possibly the first time as Governor Chafee’s proposal to implement the largest ever expansion of the state sales tax has drawn widespread opposition. But shamefully, as these novices to the state’s General Assembly legislative hearing process are fast learning, the process for voicing your views on the tax bill or any other bill is an arduous task meant only for the most physically and mentally fit, prepared for standing marathons and hours of waiting.

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In other words, the small business owners and ordinary taxpayers-- who in many cases have had to forgo their own business or work obligation for several hours or even the whole day to exercise their civic duty, have discovered the so-called “people’s house” is hardly welcoming to the people.

Though the hearing focus this particular week is on the 6 percent tax plan, there have been numerous other hearings on bills with equally significant implications to the taxpayer before committees in recent weeks.

A hearing a few weeks ago before the House Committee on Labor stands out for the brazen indifference and outright disrespect which was shown the more than 50 citizens who showed up to testify.
On March 29-March 30th, the House Labor Committee was taking testimony on legislation proposing Binding Arbitration for teachers. There were many veteran citizen activists there to testify, including many in elderly age categories.

Among that group was Harry Staley, the chairman of the non-partisan taxpayer advocate group, RI Statewide Coalition (RISC) who has testified for many years at the statehouse. Despite now being 80 years old, Harry does not hesitate to exercise his right to speak for the individual taxpayer’s perspective.

This particular hearing was held in a smaller committee room which seats roughly 15 people in chairs around the perimeter, with the committee seated around the conference style table. It officially got underway at 5:30 p.m., though most of the crowd, numbering 60-70, had arrived at the customary 4 p.m. Staley, among the early arrivals, was the twelfth name listed “in line” to testify on the standard sign-up sheet. However, because committee Chairwoman Anastasia Williams disregarded the sign-up order, arbitrarily deciding who would testify when, Staley ended up standing for close to three hours in the crowded, overly warm hearing room, waiting his turn long past the twelfth slot.

Furthermore, despite there being vacant chairs in the room, no committee member offered or would even permit Staley to utilize one of the empty chairs, claiming they have to be “reserved” in case any of the six absent committee members should suddenly show up. This was hardly the first time Staley—and frankly, legions of others—experienced this kind of arrogant disregard for the public’s right to an efficiently run and respectful testimony portion of the hearing, adherence to a sign-up sheet order process, etc.

RISC has a well-known, forthright public posture that challenges many of the public employee union laws and contract provisions. It’s no secret RISC is out front in staunchly opposing binding arbitration and all its implications down the road for local taxpayers. However, that doesn’t mean a Chairperson and certain members of the committee have the prerogative to blatantly disrespect an advocates’ right to participate in a respectful and physically accommodating testimony process, nor frankly, the right to disregard common courtesy of allowing the use of a vacant chair to an 80-year old person standing hours on end awaiting their moment of testimony.

As the now heated debate over certain raises to staff members of Legislative leadership prompts a new scrutiny on the management and operations of the General Assembly, the practices allowed in those hearing rooms need their own inquiry.

As long as endurance keeps trumping enlightenment as the prevailing characteristic of the hearing rooms, the Rhode Island public is not going to be properly heard.

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Donna Perry is a Communications Consultant to RISC, the RI Statewide Coalition www.statewidecoalition.com.