The Biggest Stories of 2011: A Sneak Peek
Don Roach, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™
The Biggest Stories of 2011: A Sneak Peek
The question of marriage
With the election of Lincoln Chafee, marriage and how it is defined will be at the forefront of this coming legislative cycle. Chafee has said “it is long-past time for Rhode Island to pass a marriage bill granting same-sex couples the rights they deserve.” You’ll be hearing from these two groups: Queer Action of RI and National Organization for Marriage-RI. They aren’t on the same side but I expect in the spring of 2011 they’ll become household names.
Can Chafee and team bring the budget under control?
No offense, but Don Carcieri and the General Assemblies of 2003-2011 could not get the budget and/or economy in Rhode Island back on track. While there does appear to be some economic recovery in 2010, one local economist believes it has hit it a snag. Nonetheless, the RI economy and its affects on all of us will be a significant issue in 2011. Chafee ran under of the banner of being the right man, at the right time, to right the ship – battered as it is – of the Rhode Island economy. We’ll have to wait and see.
Angel Taveras – Hero or Goat?
Let’s go back to 2002 when Mayor Cicilline entered office. Here’s a look at what one news organization saw as priorities facing the city:
The top challenges include: applying an ethical cleansing to the practices of municipal government, putting city finances on a better footing; modernizing the police department; improving the beleaguered schools; and extending the benefits of the nationally celebrated Providence Renaissance to the neighborhoods.
Sound familiar? If it does, these same issues will still be facing the city in 2011. What’s also interesting is that Mayor Cicilline’s election was hailed as a victory for equality. He was to be a stark difference from recently convicted Buddy Cianci. Eight years later - and I’m not sure about you - but I certainly preferred the Buddy years than the Cicilline ones bar none. Enter Angel Taveras, Providence’s first Hispanic mayor. Will he meet or exceed the expectations his supporters have for him? Or, like Cicilline, will we look back on his administration and pine for someone who may have skirted the legal system but always seemed to put Providence first?