RIREPUBLICAN.COM - Individual Liberty, Fiscal Conservatism, and Self-Reliance

The General Assembly's time should be put to better use

Damien Baldino — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 22:07:00 GMT

     Once again, RIFuture is bashing local Republicans. This time, it is for submitting a resolution which would make February 6th "Ronald Reagan Day" in Rhode Island. I hate to say it, but RIFuture is correct about this one.

     If you follow the General Assembly, you'll see that most of the work they do is unnecessary. We have the Ronald Reagan resolution, a resolution to use the word "Christmas" rather than "holiday", changing Halloween to the last Saturday in October, and various other bills and resolutions that are useless. Typically, the early part of the session seems to be dominated by this sort of nonsense, while the important business is crammed into late-night sessions at the end of June. Can't they make better use of their time?

     If you are a General Assembly member, please stop the pointless resolutions, and worthless bills. Use your time to accomplish important goals, not meaningless statements. If not, your presence in the General Assembly is as useless as the legislation you propose.

"All You Need is Gov"

Damien Baldino — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 22:36:00 GMT

Remember to vote for Bob Healey!

Do you "Trust Chafee"? I don't

Damien Baldino — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 21:46:00 GMT

     Lincoln Chafee is looking forward to becoming Rhode Island's next Governor so he can increase our taxes. Since he's so anxious to impose taxes on Rhode Islanders, you would think he would be fine with paying them as well. It turns out that isn't the case.

     Lincoln Chafee owns 3 houses , which are located in Exeter, Providence, and Warwick. He owns 11 cars, which are all registered at the Exeter address, he receives a homestead exemption on his Providence home and claims to live there, and he is registered to vote in Warwick. If Lincoln Chafee really lived in Providence, wouldn't he keep at least one or two of his cars at that home? Of course, Exeter's tax rate is substantially lower than Providence's rate, so he's saving a bundle. Also, by claiming the homestead exemption in Providence, he's saving quite a bit more.

     There's also one other thing. If Chafee signed a legal document stating that he lives in Providence, then why does he vote in Warwick?   If he votes in Warwick because he really lives there, then why is he claiming a homestead exemption in Providence, and why are all of his cars kept in Exeter? To me, it looks like Lincoln Chafee is dodging taxes.

     I haven't heard Chafee respond to these allegations, but if the past is any indication, he would probably feign ignorance and tell us he doesn't handle the family finances. If I remember correctly, he also had difficulty keeping an eye on his federal campaign account and had to pay back taxes. I know a lot of people "Trust Chafee", but I certainly don't.

We have questions, I have answers

Damien Baldino — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:44:00 GMT

     On Election Day, Rhode Islanders will have the opportunity to vote on 4 questions . Here's a look at each question:

Question 1: Getting rid of Providence Plantations

     Voting yes will change the name of the state from Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to just Rhode Island. I plan on voting no, since I refuse to surrender to the P.C. police. The word "Plantations" has been in use since the 1600's when it was just a reference to farms, with no relation to slavery. Supporters of the effort to change Rhode Island's name readily admit this, but still want the name changed for no reason.

     By the way, Rhode Island is a pretty stupid name for a state that isn't an island. Of course, when you find out that the actual name is Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and that Rhode Island referred to Acquidneck Island, while the Providence Plantations referred to the area on the mainland, it makes sense. One more reason not to abandon our history.

Question 2: Higher Education

     This is actually a tough one for me. I graduated from Rhode Island College (1998 and 2001), and want to see both institutions excel. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to vote no on this one. With high levels of debt and a poor economy, I'd like to see this on the ballot in 2012. Hopefully, things will be better then.

Question 3: Transportation Bonds

     This one is easy: An emphatic no. I know you might think I'm crazy, since the money is needed to match federal funds, and the infrastructure needs to be repaired and maintained. I agree with the goals of the bond, but I disagree with the way it is being funded. It seems like we have a massive transportation bond on the ballot every two years. We're being asked to borrow money to maintain this infrastructure, then in two years, we'll be asked to borrow more money. Of course, this question will end up costing us substantially more than $80 million once you add in fees and interest. Wouldn't it make more sense to add these transportation expenses into the annual budget? If we did, we would save money on fees and interests, and the reduced debt levels would ensure higher bond ratings for the state's debt. It makes sense to me.

Question 4: Open Space

     I'm voting yes on this one. Rocky Point is a historic location that should be preserved for future generations.

Thoughts on the 2010 election

Damien Baldino — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:30:00 GMT

     It's Election time, I own a blog, and I enjoy politics, so I figured I would offer my thoughts on some local races. Here's a quick summary:

Governor

     For the life of me, I don't know how anyone could vote for Lincoln Chafee or Frank Caprio. Chafee admits he will raise taxes, and says one of the first things he will do is repeal e-verify. With Chafee at the helm, Rhode Island's taxes will go up and we'll become a sanctuary state. Frank Caprio would also be bad, but in different ways. He says the right things (cut taxes and spending), but I don't trust him. He seems highly scripted, and to be honest, I'm not sure what we would be getting. I have no doubt he would say anything to get elected.

     You might not be surprised to find out I'll be voting for John Robitaille. We're certainly not in 100% agreement on the issues, but he does seem credible when he talks about reducing the size of government. He also seems far more trustworthy than Frank Caprio. Honorable mention goes to Ken Block, who would be getting my vote if John Robitaille weren't in the race. I also give him credit for consistently bringing up the waste and fraud in the social service spending. It's an area that certainly needs to be
addressed.

Lieutenant Governor

     I usually vote for Republicans, but this is one race where any Republican would have had to work hard to get my support. Bob Healey is the only candidate for the Lieutenant Governor who consistently points out the lack of responsibilities for the office, and how this absence of duties cost us $1 million per year. Think about it: Elizabeth Roberts wants to focus on health care, and Bob Venturini wants to focus on open government. Can you think of one other job where you would apply and tell your boss what you plan on doing? I'm voting for Bob Healey, and if we ever need him, I'm confident he could step in and govern.

Secretary of State

     This one is easy: Catherine Taylor. This race will be much closer than a lot of people expect, and hopefully, it will end with Catherine Taylor defeating Ralph Mollis.

Attorney General

     From what I've seen and heard from Peter Kilmartin, I think he would essentially be equivalent to a third term for Patrick Lynch, which is not a good thing. Robert Rainville hasn't set himself apart, and Keven McKenna is lacking in so many ways. I will be voting for Erik Wallin because of his qualifications, along with the feeling that he would be a tough prosecutor. As for Chris Little, I like what I heard from him, and he seems particularly strong on white-collar crime. The problem for him and Erik Wallin is that they are in a five-way race for AG. In a two-way race with Kilmartin, I think either one would be the favorite.

General Treasurer

     Gina Raimondo or Kerry King? I plan on voting for Kerry King, but I'm not as enthusiastic about his campaign as I am about some of the other Republicans. With that said, I believe Kerry King is more likely that Gina Raimondo to make tough decisions when it comes to handling the pension problem.

Congress, First District

     This is a tough one. Rhode Islanders could support a man who is running Providence into the ground, turned it into a sanctuary city, didn't know about his brother's $125,000 bad check to the city, didn't know he was being paid too much, and is an ultra-liberal free-spender...or they could choose John Loughlin. By the way, did you ever notice that when things go wrong, like John Cicilliine's bad check or being paid too much, he doesn't know? Many people might be tempted to call him a liar, but it could also be due to gross incompetence. Which is it Dave, incompetence of dishonesty?

Congress, Second District

     Here, we can choose between Jim Langevin or Mark Zaccaria. Langevin was a rubber stamp for Nancy Pelosi, while Zaccaria believes is limited government. Mark Zaccaria gets my vote.

Mayor of Providence

     In this race, we have Democrat Angel Taveras and Independent Jon Scott. I have no doubt Angel Taveras will be a continuation of David Cicilline's administration. I'm expecting he would have little interest in budget cuts, and would be far quicker to raise taxes. He would also drive us further down the road to sanctuary city.

     Both Angel Taveras and Jon Scott want to give tax breaks to owners of unoccupied residential property, basically extending the homestead exemption to absentee landlords. Here's the problem: In order to make up for that lost revenue, you would either need to raise taxes or cut spending. I'm pretty sure Angel Taveras won't cut spending. If cuts don't happen, doesn't that mean the exemption would be paid for by increasing taxes on owner-occupied property and businesses? As far as I've seen, neither one has addressed
this point.

     To both their credit, each one said they would hire a public safety commissioner, but only Jon Scott said he would fire Esserman. Both also have some rather foolish ideas. Taveras wants to expand early childhood education, which is odd considering we can't afford what we already have. He also wants to put bike lanes on all major streets in the

city. I have a better idea: Fix the pot holes and sidewalks! Scott also has some odd ones, which include turning the former Perry middle School into a homeless shelter, taxing city employees who don't live in Providence, and having our financially challenged city create a transit authority.

     I think I'll cast a write-in vote for this one.

General Assembly

     Here's my advice: Vote for Republicans. I know there are a few Democrats and Independents with common sense, but if you were too lazy to do your homeowrk before heading to the polls, this is solid advice. I've had the opportunity to meet several General Assembly candidates over the past few months, and I'm confident the overwhelming majority would do a better job than the incumbent Democrats.

     There you have it, my picks for Election Day. If only half are successful, the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations will be a far better place.

Frank Caprio tells Barack Obama to 'shove it'

Damien Baldino — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 13:32:00 GMT

     Political views aside, today's comments from Frank Caprio are bad on many levels. After finding out Barack Obama wouldn't be endorsing him, he said the President could "shove" his endorsement. He then went on to criticize him for not visiting Rhode Island during the floods earlier this year, and said Obama sees us as an "ATM machine." That sound you just heard was Caprio's poll numbers dropping.

     Whether you agree or disagree with Caprio's view on Obama's failure to visit Rhode Island, it's hard to respect his opinion. If the criticism had come months ago, I could respect his view. The fact that it comes after he finds out he isn't getting an endorsement makes him look like a petulant child having a temper tantrum. Plus, we have him telling the President to "shove it". Party aside, I want a Governor who is principled, knows how to act, and can keep their composure. Today, Frank Caprio showed he is badly lacking in these areas.

     The lack of an endorsement shouldn't have come as a surprise. Did Caprio forget that Lincoln Chafee endorsed Barack Obama during the 2008 election (after he supported Hilary Clinton)? Why should he get an endorsement for merely being a member of the same party? Isn't this the same guy who shopped his candidacy to the Republican Party?

     If another poll is conducted in the next few days, I wouldn't be surprised to see Caprio drop to third place behind Lincoln Chafee and John Robitaille (hopefully, not in that order).   Frank Caprio has shown that he lacks the common sense and demeanor to be Governor.

John Loughlin leads David Cicilline

Damien Baldino — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 22:10:00 GMT

     According to CQPolitics, the Congressional race between John Loughlin and David Cicilline may be too close to call. A recent poll found that Cicilline and Loughlin are tied at 41%. When just the most likely voters are considered, Loughlin took the lead 45% to 41%.

     It's only one poll, and it has a relatively small sample size, but it is encouraging. Let's not forget that David Cicilline received just 39% in the Democratic primary. That's not exactly an overwhelming sign of support. Plus, John Loughlin's campaign seemed stagnant up until two weeks ago. Now that he has started advertising and debating, it looks like support is going his way.

     This change of fortune raises an interesting question: Will the National GOP start spending money on the District 1 race? If John Loughlin is within striking distance, or better yet ahead, it seems like a strong possibility.

David Cicilline denies findings of auditor's report

Damien Baldino — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 21:40:00 GMT

     James Lombardi III, Providence's Internal Auditor , has released a report which illustrates how poorly the city is run. The report shows that the city's rainy day fund is down to $4.6 million, rather than the recommended $30 million, and the city failed to make $24.7 million in payments to the pension fund.

     What was David Cicilline's reaction to the report? Denials. He claims the payments are being made according to the usual schedule. Of course, James Lombardi has only been the Internal Auditor for 11 years. What does he know about Providence's finances? By the way, David Cicilline also claims the report is politically motivated.

     The fact that he would deny the findings of the report and chalk it up to being "political" shouldn't come as a surprise. After all, this is the same guy who claims he didn't know he was being paid too much, and didn't know anything about his brother's bad check. Plus, poor financial management seems to be characteristic of his tenure. Don't forget, this is the same person who essentially mortgaged decorative streetlights and fire stations to fill a hole in the budget. Lombardi's report shouldn't surprise anyone.

The Republican Governor's Association comes to Robitaille's rescue

Damien Baldino — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:12:00 GMT

     According to the Associated Press, the Republican Governor's Association has purchased $411,000 in ads for John Robitaille's Gubernatorial campaign. It's about time.

     Over the past few weeks, Frank Caprio and Lincoln Chafee have done an excellent job of showing the electorate why we shouldn't vote for them. Through it all, John Robitaille has stayed above the fray and seems like the most likable and competent candidate. His big problem was the lack of money. Now that the RGA has become involved, I would expect the race to get much closer. As a matter of fact, this might have already happened.

     According to John Robitaille's Facebook page, the RGA conducted a poll which has him at 28%, Frank Caprio at 28%, and Lincoln Chafee at 27%. The poll was conducted after his ads started running on TV, which probably contributed to his increased popularity. For those who doubt the poll, ask yourself this question: Would the RGA have poured over $400,000 into the gubernatorial race if they didn't believe John Robitaille had an outstanding chance of winning? If Caprio and Chafee aren't nervous, they should be.

Some teachers can't read, write, or speak English well

Damien Baldino — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:43:00 GMT

     Can your child's teacher read, write, and speak English well enough to be an effective teacher? You would think teachers would have the necessary language skills, since they have at least a BA, a state certificate, have taken the Praxis, and gone through an interview process. Of course, according to Education Commissioner Deborah Gist, this might not be the case.

     Think about that for a minute. In the United States, we have people teaching children whose command of the English language is substandard. It makes me wonder how many of these teachers might also be conducting part of their class in another language. Think about it: If you have a class where 75% of the students are bilingual (English and Spanish) and a teacher who is more comfortable speaking Spanish, there could be times where part of the class is taught in Spanish because it's easier to get a point across. Well, it would be easier for those who speak Spanish, not so much for those who speak English.

     Rhode Island should follow Massachusetts' lead and require all teachers to prove they are proficient in English. What good is increased educational funding, better teacher training, or a new curriculum if the people charged with teaching aren't capable of getting their point across?

     I'm sure the unions and other groups will try to fight any attempt to find and remove these teachers. After all, the first priority of the unions are the members, not the students.

A message to Angel Taveras: Illegal Aliens should be punished, not rewarded

Damien Baldino — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:47:00 GMT

     Providence Mayoral candidates Angel Taveras and Jon Scott had a debate yesterday. Here is an excerpt from the Providence Journal where they discuss their positions ~~undocumented workers~~ illegal aliens:

One telling exchange came following a question on whether the candidates supported proposed state legislation that would allow undocumented residents who graduate from local high schools to qualify for an in-state tuition rate at state-run colleges and universities.

Scott, the 43-year-old head of a public relations and communications firm, said he supported the idea as long as it applied only to American-born children of undocumented residents.

Then, using the opportunity to expand on his views on immigration in general, he said that Providence has gained the reputation for being a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants because the current administration has chosen not to enforce the nation’s immigration laws.

“Under my administration, the city will enforce the laws of the United States,” said Scott, who has run twice for Congress as a Republican. “This does not mean that we will be deputizing people as [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents, but the Providence Police Department will cooperate with national and state law-enforcement agencies.”

Taveras, a 40-year-old Dominican-American lawyer who rode a wave of minority community support on his way to earning his party’s nomination in September, said he agreed with proposed legislation for in-state tuition, calling it “common sense.”

But he disagreed emphatically with Scott on his immigration views.

Stating he does not advocate a “sanctuary city,” Taveras said he supported comprehensive national immigration reform and believed that city police officers should not be responsible for enforcing immigration laws.

“I’m not going to have anyone in our city afraid to report a crime because they are worried about being questioned about immigration. Not going to happen while I am mayor.”

     Angel Taveras doesn't want Providence to be a sanctuary city. No, all he wants is for illegal aliens to receive a college education subsidized by Rhode Island taxpayers, the police to be powerless to identify or detain illegal aliens, and for them to happily live in Providence while draining our limited resources.

     Illegal aliens add very little to the local economy and cost us a tremendous amount of money. The education costs can't be denied. I wonder how much their presence contributes to crime and increases public safety costs? After all, if they break immigration laws, I wouldn't be surprised if they also have a propensity to break other laws.

     By the way, when you hear the phrase "comprehensive immigration reform," you can rest assured the person uttering the phrase has little or no interest in securing our borders or ridding the country of illegal aliens. Instead, they are focused on illegal aliens gaining a path to citizenship, also known as amnesty, and the extension of benefits to those who would then become legal residents. Keep this in mind when you hear Angel Taveras discuss illegal immigration.

Need a job? Try the Frank Caprio Employment Agency

Damien Baldino — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:09:00 GMT

     Do you need a job? If you do, perhaps you could get in touch with the Frank Caprio Employment Agency. It appears the judge likes to use his influence and connections to get state jobs for friends. First, he helped line up a job for the wife of former state representative Vincent Mesolella, and now it appears he helped secure a job for boxer Peter Manfredo.

     Manfredo's job as an assistant equipment manager came about after Frank Caprio sent him to a friend at CCRI who gave Manfredo a job that was never posted for the public. If that's not bad enough, it gets worse:

In referring Manfredo, Di Pasquale recalls, Caprio told him that the boxer had fallen on hard times and was looking for part-time work. During the interview, Manfredo brought up his desire for health insurance. So Di Pasquale agreed to hire him for 20 hours a week, the minimum amount to qualify; most CCRI part-timers work 19 hours or less, and don’t get health insurance.

     So, other people in Manfredo's position are limited to 19 hours, yet he gets 20 hours, which allows him to get health insurance for next to nothing. Caprio points out that he likes to "help" people, but he isn't "helping" with his money. Tax dollars are being used to support the Manfredo family, and a job that might have gone to a more deserving person is instead given to a person with connections. I wonder if Frank Caprio's son has the same view about helping friends with other people's money?

     I'm not naive about what happens in municipal and state government. When applying for jobs with a municipality or the state, the process is often long and full of hurdles. I'm not complaining about those hurdles, but I am complaining about those who use social connections to avoid them. The number of state employees who also have several relatives working for the state never ceases to amaze me. Were these people really the most qualified, or did they just know a "helpful" person like Frank Caprio?

The Rhode Island Tea Party announces its endorsements

Damien Baldino — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:38:00 GMT

     The Rhode Island Tea Party has released a list of the candidates it has endorsed. I've met many of these candidates over the last few months, and I know Rhode Island would be a better place if they were to win.

(R) Damien Baldino Rep 13
(R) David Bibeault Sen 22
(R) Pete Bonk Rep 38
(R) Don Botts Rep 16
(D) Jon Brien Rep 50
(R) Gip Cabral Sen 16
(R) Mike Chippendale Rep 40
(R) Thomas Clupny Rep 62
(R) William Connelly Sen 36
(R) Geoff Cook Sen 13
(R) Doreen Costa Rep 31
(R) Nancy Driggs Rep 70
(R) Phil Duquette Rep 33
(R) Richard Fascia Sen 25
(R) Don Fox Rep 47
(R) Sean Gately Sen 26
(R) Stephen Gerling Sen 18
(R) Dan Gordon Rep 71
(I)   Karin Gorman Rep 43
(R) Will Grapentine Rep 69
(R) Michael Grossi Rep 58
(R) Matt Guerra Rep 46
(R) Jim Haldeman Rep 35
(R) Steven Hart Rep 28
(R) Jennifer Hirons Rep 44
(I)   Deloris Issler Sen 28
(R) Gunner Kenney Sen 2
(R) Henri (Sam) Koldyk Rep 20
(R) Morry Markovitz Sen 3
(R) Patricia Morgan Rep 26
(I)   Ed O'Neill Sen 17
(R) Chris Ottiano Sen 11
(D) Michael Pinga Sen 9
(I)   Richard Rodi Rep 2
(R) Glen Shibley Sen 33
(R) Erich Sturn Rep 4
(R) Bill Surrette Rep 14
(R) David Sullivan Sen 14
(R) Joel Tirrell Rep 59
(R) John Robitaille Governor
(I)   Robert Healey Lt. Governor
(R) Kernan King Treasurer
(R) Erik Wallin Attorney General

Illegal Immigration: It's not as bad as Peter Palumbo said, it's worse

Damien Baldino — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:48:00 GMT

     Politifact recently took issue with a statement made by representative Peter Palumbo regarding illegal aliens. Here is Palumbo's exact statement:

Rhode Island gives undocumented pregnant women health insurance, plus a cash card "with $400 a month on it" and "$250 a month or $275 a month to spend on food."

     The reporters behind Politifact rated Palumbo's statement as "barely true." In fact, It should have been labeled "mostly true." Palumbo's statement had two problems: It mentioned specific dollar amounts, which are impossible to discern, and it focused solely on pregnant illegal aliens, rather than the families they start. Let me explain.

     Pregnant illegal aliens receive health insurance while they are pregnant, and three months after they give birth. They do in fact receive health insurance for up to one year. What advocates for illegal aliens don't mention is that the children of these women automatically receive free health insurance because they are American citizens. If the law-breaking mother has 2 or 3 (or more) children, this unnecessary expense is greatly multiplied.

     As for cash benefits and food stamps, Politifact said Palumbo is "wrong." He is wrong about the mothers receiving benefits, but he is 100% correct about the families of illegal aliens receiving benefits. He stated that such families receive $400 per month in cash benefits, and up to $275 per month in food stamps. In reality, these number might be much higher. In regards to food stamps :

Under the federal Deficit Reduction Act, without proof of citizenship,they can't receive the benefit. Once born, their children will qualifyto enroll in the SNAP program. According to the University of RhodeIsland's Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America, the maximum is $200a month per qualifying member. But the subsidy will not cover themother.

In regards to cash assistance :

It's important to note that, as with healthcare benefits, once the childis born, as a citizen, he or she will be eligible for welfare benefits,which would presumably be delivered to the mother on behalf of thechild. But the mother herself does not qualify for any subsidy. SoPalumbo is incorrect to say pregnant women get welfare benefits.

     In reality, Peter Palumbo's estimates might actually be quite low. If I remember correctly, around 25% to 30% of families receiving welfare benefits have more than 3 or more children. That means a family with 3 children would be eligible for up to $600 per month in food stamps ($200 X 3 children). As for cash benefits, it could end up being substantially more than $400 per month. Of course, Politifact doesn't want to criticize the illegal aliens who are trespassing and causing us financial problems.

     If we could prevent illegal aliens from coming into the United States, we would prevent them from having children here. That would reduce expenses. There's no question about that. Since the Federal government is useless when it comes to protecting our borders, states need to take the issue into their own hands. If Rhode Island were an inhospitable place for illegal aliens, they would locate themselves in other states and burden them economically rather than Rhode Island.

     Of course, this makes me wonder about other things. If the children of illegal aliens can receive food stamps, health insurance, and cash benefits, can they receive other benefits? What about Section 8 housing, heating assistance, and childcare subsidies? Since the children are U.S. citizens when they are born, and they would benefit from the housing, heating, and childcare, it's a good question.

     If you add in the expenses related to food stamps, cash benefits, health insurance, and possibly housing, heating, and childcare assistance, it's easy to see how illegal aliens are an economic drain on Rhode Island. By the way, each of the children probably costs at least another $14,000 to educate. Illegal aliens are the gift that keeps on taking.

     In conclusion, illegal aliens themselves might not be directly benefiting from our laws, but their children certainly are. To think that any taxes or economic activity generated by them would offset the magnitude by of these benefits is delusional.

Heidi Roger's decision is good news, but still troubling

Damien Baldino — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 22:10:00 GMT

     A few months ago, there was some talk about the GOP supporting Robert Healey for Lieutenant Governor. Some in the party disagreed, since he wasn't a Republican, even though he was running to eliminate the office. If elected, he would save money, reduce government, and finally bring some reality to the office. I'm a Republican, but as soon as I found out Robert Healey was running, I knew he would receive my vote. That didn't change when Heidi Rogers and Kara Russo decided to run.

     This past Tuesday, Heidi Rogers defeated Kara Russo by a wide margin in the Republican Primary, which wasn't surprising. What is surprising is that Heidi Rogers decided to drop out of the race today . You can read the letter explaining her decision here .

     I must say that I feel conflicted. As someone who supports Robert Healey's campaign, I'm glad to see that someone with similar views has dropped out, improving his chances of being successful. I have no doubt this race will get more attention than past years, and that this attention will help the Healey campaign. With that said, this situation bothers me.

     Ms. Rogers says she spoke with Mr. Healey about the possibility of one of them dropping out. She knew she might have left the race, she knew Mr. Healey was more closely identified with the plan to defund the Lt. Governor's office, and she knew their positions were similar.   As I stated, she knew she also might leave the race. As a well-informed voter, I never recall her communicating this to the electorate. The thousands of voters who chose her wanted her as Lt. Governor. Maybe they will gladly support Healey, like I will, or maybe they won't. At any rate, their votes were obtained under false pretenses.

Primary predictions

Damien Baldino — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:18:00 GMT

     With the Rhode Island primaries less than 24 hours away, I feel like making some predictions. Here we go...

Mayor of Providence

     This one will be close. It's funny how everyone I talk to seems to feel like at least one of the major candidates has absolutely no chance of winning. This will definitely be a close race. With that said, I predict John Lombardi will win a close race, with Steven Costantino finishing second, and Angel Taveras finishing third.

Congress, 1st District

     John Loughlin will walk away with this one for the Republicans. For the Democrats, I'm expecting David Cicilline to win, followed by William Lynch, David Segal, and Anthony Gemma. The only good thing about David Cicilline winning, is that he will be prominently mentioned in headlines on November, 3rd when he's defeated by John Loughlin. "Republican claims seat held by Kennedy" would be a great headline.

Congress, 2nd District

     Unfortunately, it looks like Jim Langevin will be victorious against Betsy Dennigan. I don't like Dennigan's politics, but I would like to see Langevin defeated, especially since it would likely help the Republican candidate.   Speaking of the Republicans, there are four running in District 2. If Mark Zaccaria gets less than 60% of the vote, I'll be shocked.

Governor

     I'm really not thrilled with any of the candidates for governor. It seems like each candidate, regardless of party, seems to lack bold ideas to improve the state. With that said, the best candidates are the two Republicans. I like both Victor Moffitt and John Robitaille, but I think Robitaille will win this one easily.


Lieutenant Governor

     On the Republican side, Heidi Weston should win by a comfortable margin, along with Elizabeth Roberts for the Democrats. The most surprising thing about this campaign was that Jeremy Kapstein ran such a lackluster campaign. It seems like he did almost nothing to raise his profile.

Secretary of State

     I hope I'm wrong about this one, but it looks like Ralph Mollis is heading for victory for the Democrats.

Attorney General

     You probably won't be surprised to know that I plan on voting for Eric Wallin in November. As for the Democrats in tomorrow's primary, I think it's going to be Kilmartin with Archambault finishing second and Fernandez third.

     There you go, my predictions for tomorrow's primary. I'll be voting in the Republican primary, and I hope you'll take a few minutes to cast your vote.

New Zogby poll has John Lombardi in the lead

Damien Baldino — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:42:00 GMT

I just received an e-mail from John Lombardi's campaign citing a new Zogby poll which has him leading the race for Mayor over Angel Taveras, Christopher Young, and Steven Costantino. Here's the full text of the e-mail:

PROVIDENCE, RI - John Lombardi holds the lead in the Democratic race for Providence mayor. Zogby International, a highly respected polling organization, reported today (September 2), that the veteran City Council member tops the field as the September 14 primary approaches.

The results of the survey, taken over the past ten days, support the claims of many Lombardi backers who have scoffed at some media reports of unnamed polls to the contrary.

"People are looking for experienced leadership to run the city," said Ramon Martinez, Lombardi's Campaign Manager. "The next Mayor needs to hit the ground running, with a vision to lead the city out of crisis. John Lombardi is that man and it’s obvious that the people of Providence know that."

Zogby International has been tracking public opinion since 1984.

Lincoln Chafee's 10 point plan could be reduced to 1 point

Damien Baldino — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:19:00 GMT

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of hearing about 10 point plans (or some other amount) being talked about by politicians. The latest example is Lincoln Chafee , who to his credit, opposes the $75 million loan guarantee being given to 38 Studios. Here are some of his ideas:

AsChafee sees it, the state-run loan guarantee program should targetsupport for “50 or more new or existing businesses,” and with a“possible equity stake and board position” for the state in each targetcompany being supported by the program.

To limit risk of taxpayer money, his plan also states that: “No singlebusiness would be eligible to receive a guaranty in excess of 5percent — or $6.25 million — of the $125-million fund, absentcompelling business and job creation reasons to exceed thatgeneral cap.”

Don't you just love the last part about guarantees being limited to $6.25 "absent compelling business and job creation reasons to exceed that general cap." Basically, we would be in the same situation with Chafee's plan. There would be a cap, but it could be ignored if certain government officials saw fit. I don't know about you, but I have a feeling that a World Series Hero who owns a video game company and promises 400 jobs might be bale to convince some people. That's the problem. Chafee might not have been impressed by Schilling, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't agree to an equally stupid deal.

I'm running for state representative, not governor, but I'd like to throw out my 1 point plan: How about leaving the lending to banks and venture capitalists, and keep the state focused on its actual duties?

Why did Frank Caprio change his mind about 38 Studios?

Damien Baldino — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:58:00 GMT

      I've been rather critical of the plan to offer $75 million in loan guarantees to 38 studios, which is a video game company owned by former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. Why am I opposed? Rhode Island's taxpayers will be taking on a lot of risk for what I perceive to be a small chance of success. We also need to be realistic. Would a company that never had a product receive $75 million if it weren't headed by a World Series hero? I doubt it.

     Despite all these issues, General Treasurer Frank Caprio thought it was a great idea. Here are Frank Caprio's thoughts at the time:

“I’m optimistic about it. The [EDC] board knew more than anybody. They voted almost unanimously for it. So now, in my role as a candidate and future governor, I’m going to be a cheerleader for it.”

     That was then, this was now. It looks like Frank "The Cheerleader" Caprio has put his pom poms away and jumped to the other side:

“When the details of the transaction became known, the deal became totally unacceptable,” he said. “That’s why I’ve taken these steps. It’s all about the details of the transaction, which were held very close to the vest.”

I would love to know which details "became known" that changed Caprio's mind. Is it that 38 Studios has never sold a product? That the company is operating in a risky industry? That the company is using up a majority of the $125 million in funds, at the expense of the small businesses Caprio is constantly talking about helping? Is it the lack of an equity stake? How about Rhode Islanders being on the hook if the company goes bankrupt?

It could have been any of these things. Of course, all of these facts have been known for quite some time, Did Frank Caprio not understand the risk? As the General Treasurer, why is he learning about the financial aspects now? Shouldn't this have happened before? There are lots of questions I would like to have answered, but I wouldn't expect an answer any time soon.

Robert Healey challenges straight-party voting

Damien Baldino — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:39:00 GMT

Robert Healey, a candidate for Lieutenant Governor, has filed a lawsuit to end straight-party voting. Healey's suit makes many good points.

"The use of the party lever in conjunction with optic scanning technology has created several discernable and distorted voting patterns," the lawsuit alleges. "Using the optic scan ballot, no marks are visible as to the vote cast in each race. As a result, communities that hold non-partisan elections demonstrate a marked decline in civic participation, showing that voters often fail to cast votes in non-partisan municipal contests, mistakenly believing that the party lever has triggered votes in all races."

With the older voting machines, an "x" would appear indicating to the voter that the party lever had cast a vote in a particular race but with the newer technology, this doesn't happen, the lawsuit says.

In addition, the lawsuit alleges, the newer optic scanning technology does not allow a person who votes a straight ticket to abstain from casting a vote in a particular race.

"Plaintiffs allege that the existing Rhode Island ballot format [for straight ticket voting] causes great ballot confusion to the extent that it denies voters the right to vote guaranteed under the United States Constitution," the suit says. it also alleges that "the established political parties are the sole beneficiaries of the straight party ticket voting" and "are favored over Independent candidates."

I'm glad to see someone challenge this archaic system. From the name of this blog, you probably wouldn't be surprised to find out I'm a Republican. Despite this, I have never used the straight-party option, and there have been occasions when I haven't voted for a Republican. I consider each race individually, then cast my vote. Is asking voters to actually take a few extra seconds to address each race really that much to ask?

I'm currently running for State Representative in district 13 (Providence/Johnston), and I would certainly benefit from the absence of straight-party voting. With that said, I would much rather have votes cast for or against me based on me as a candidate, rather than who is running at the top of the ticket. Removing this option does nothing but force the most intellectually lazy in our society to spend a few extra seconds fulfilling their civic duty.

Say what you mean Linc!

Damien Baldino — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:46:00 GMT

Lincoln Chafee disagrees with the $75 million loan guarantee Curt Schilling's company will be receiving. I happen to agree. As I've written before, Schilling's 38 Studios has no products, not much of a track record, few assets, and Rhode Island taxpayers would be on the hook if the company defaults. Some would argue that the plan to loan the money in phases mitigates the risk to a degree, while penalties for missing job creation targets will protect the state. I disagree, since two of the targets involve announcing a move to Rhode Island, and actually moving to Rhode Island. These milestones indicate nothing about the companies growth. As for the penalties, they are so small that they are essentially meaningless.

As you can see, I disagree, but like many people, I presented a reasoned argument. Lincoln Chafee? He seems to oppose the project because he feels Curt Schilling is a liar. Here's what Linc had to say about Curt Schilling:

"My own feeling, I just remember his teammates didn't like him. They thought he was a bit of a salesman," incorrectly recalling an example of a teammate claiming the pitcher had "painted" the bloody sock.

A Baltimore Orioles broadcaster claimed in 2007 that Sox catcher Doug Mirabelli said it was faked, but Mirabelli denied it, and the broadcaster later apologized. A doctor also said it was blood.

I could be wrong, but it looks like Lincoln Chafee is taking personal shots at Schilling and calling him a liar. It seems that way, but Linc says we didn't quite understand, so his campaign clarified his statements for us:

"We don't trust Curt Schilling in that he doesn't have a track record of running a business of this size, and as such we're putting the taxpayers' money in jeopardy," Pagliarini said. "He's not questioning Curt Schilling's honesty and sincerity. He's just questioning whether he can produce what he says he can."

This is absolute nonsense, and anyone with an I.Q. over 38 (Schilling's number) can see it. Chafee absolutely questioned Schilling's honesty and sincerity. He did everything but flatly state "Curt Schilling is a liar". By bringing up the false rumor of the bloody sock, Chafee wasn't calling his business acumen into question, he questioned his integrity. The worst part is that by releasing that explanation, Lincoln Chafee assumes we are as intellectually challenged as him.

Can Gina Raimondo send out more invitations?

Damien Baldino — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:34:00 GMT

Democrat Gina Raimondo , who is running for General Treasurer, will be holding a money school for Rhode Islanders. The school will focus on "strategies for saving money, setting and meeting financial goals, understanding credit and debt and knowing where to access resources."

This sounds like an interesting idea. As a Providence resident, I hope she sent invitations to Mayor David Cicilline, along with members of the General Assembly. I can't think of anyone more in need of financial education than them.

Curt Schilling the hypocrite

Damien Baldino — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:22:00 GMT

If I remember correctly, former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling supported Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown during the election. One reason was because Senator Brown supports smaller government. I wonder if Curt still feels the same way.

Schilling opposed Obamacare, which I agree with, because it expanded the role of government. Isn't it funny how he opposed that bill, yet sees nothing wrong with risking taxpayer dollars on his risky company which still has no product? I guess Curt is against government expenditures, unless he gets to benefit from them. Thanks to the EDC, Governor Carcieri, and others in state government, Schilling finally gets a chance to feed at the trough.

Message to Curt Schilling: You're out!

Damien Baldino — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:12:00 GMT

     Rhode Island has $125 million which it plans on loaning to businesses. The goal is to use this money to create jobs and improve the economy. Those are great goals, although I'm concerned when the government is entrusted with money in the hopes of it doing the right thing. A perfect example is the state's pursuit of 38 Studios, which is based in Maynard, Massachusetts.

     38 Studios is a video game company which is currently developing 2 games and one day hopes to have 400 employees. They don't currently have a product for sale, no major assets to speak of, and they are fighting for survival in a highly competitive field. Despite all these question marks, the state is planning on giving 38 Studios a $75 million loan guarantee, which would come out of a $125 million fund. For those of you who skipped math class one too many times, that's 60% of available funds for one company with a risky future. By the way, did I mention that Rhode Island tax payers would be liable for loan repayments if 38 Studios defaults?

     Why would Rhode Island officials be in such a hurry to commit so much money to a questionable company? If you ask them, they will probably mention the promise of 400 jobs, fostering Rhode Island's tech industry, or creating a probusiness climate. In my opinion, I think it boils down to them having stars in their eyes: 38 Studios was founded by former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilliing. I truly believe this proposal would have never gotten off the ground based solely on its financial merits if a big name hadn't been behind it. I might be wrong, but I doubt it.

     Now, there is a chance that 38 Studios could end up becoming successful, creating 400 jobs, and contribute to a growing knowledge based economy. It's certainly possible, but I don't think it's that probable. The worst part is that Rhode Islanders will be responsible for any default, and current small businesses will be prevented from accessing inexpensive capital.

     Think about that last point again. While Rhode Island is trying to lure a multimillionaire to the state, established small businesses who have made a commitment to growing here will be ignored. How can that be? Perhaps these small businesses owners could improve their chances if they had spent more time playing a child's game rather than working.

Praying at Cranston West? How dare they!

Damien Baldino — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:01:00 GMT

     With all the serious problems facing cities and towns in Rhode Island, I'm amazed at how a rather small "problem" can garner so much attention. In Cranston, a parent was appalled when she entered the auditorium at Cranston West High School and found a prayer . She was so troubled by this incident, that she contacted the ACLU, which then contacted the city, trying to find a solution. Of course, while this is going on, important matters (like education) aren't being addressed.

     As someone who has little use for religion, I don't take much interest in prayers, but also don't find offense in them. This is particularly true of the prayer on display at Cranston West. Here's the full text:

“Our Heavenly Father,

Grant us each day the desire to do our best,

To grow mentally and morally as well as physically,

To be kind and helpful to our classmates and teachers,

To be honest with ourselves as well as with others,

Help us to be good sports and smile when we lose as well as when we win,

Teach us the value of true friendship,

Help us always to conduct ourselves so as to bring credit to Cranston High School West.

Amen.”


     How dare "they" make an attempt to indoctrinate those children by telling them to be good sports and do their best! How dare they! Ok, I'm finished. No matter how hard I try, I just can't get worked up about this prayer, and I use that term loosely. Get rid of "Our Heavenly Father" and "Amen", and there's nothing at all religious about the statement being made. Plus, by eliminating the reference to "Heavenly Father", you also avoid legal action from the National Organization of Women (just kidding ladies).

     My solution is a simple one. Put white tape over the first and last lines, then purchase a book about hobbies for the parent who filed the complaint. She obviously has too much time on her hands.

Follow my campaign on Facebook

Damien Baldino — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:54:00 GMT

If you want to follow my campaign for State Representative in district 13, the best way is to join my Facebook page .

Providence city council mortgages the future

Damien Baldino — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:14:00 GMT

Let's say you are paying your bills one month and you notice that you are $300 short. What do you do? Most responsible people would look for a way to cut their expenses, or perhaps find a second job. An irresponsible person might take a $300 cash advance from their credit card to balance their monthly budget. There's no doubt this will work for the month. The problem is that nothing was done to address the root cause of the deficit, it was just pushed into the future, with the debt causing an even bigger problem. Now, next month's deficit might be $315 instead of $300. Now what do you do? Borrow again?

This fictitious scenario is a perfect example of how the City of Providence is handling the budget. Last night, they approved a package of 3 loans which total $50 million. The city will use fire stations, vacant land, Providence Water's headquarters, and decorative streetlights as security for the loan. The sale-leaseback program for the streetlights will raise $14.5 million, but will cost $16.4 million once it is repaid in 7 years. Another $2 million out the window.

David Ciciline and the City Council passed this disgraceful plan because it is an election year, and they didn't want to be seen raising taxes. Many of the council members are facing reelection in November, and Davd Cicilline will be running for Congress in the first district. Of course, some people just don't get it. They feel the only way to balance a budget is by raising taxes to match expenditures. It never occurrs to them that they could actually cut spending:

“I’m not happy with the proposal, but we’re facing extreme circumstances. It’s a terrible time to raise taxes,” said Councilman John J. Igliozzi.

“It’s a difficult and unpopular decision,” said Councilman Luis A. Aponte. “But there is not a lot out there. We’ve been dealt a bad hand. This is the right thing to do to move this city forward.”

     Luis Aponte's comment is particularly shocking. He talks about the "bad hand" Providence has been dealt, which I assume is a reference to cuts in state aid. Mr. Aponte has been on the council for quite some time, so any "bad hands" were dealt mailnly by him and his colleagues. The state has been cutting aid gradually over the past few years, and warnings have been given. Why not begin planning for the worst case scenario earlier? Of course, we all know the reason why.

     One third of the Council isn't seeking reelection, and the Mayor is a lame duck, so they're just content to make it look like they're doing they're job, and they'll push it onto the next administration and Council members.

     These people aren't leaders. Leaders aren't afraid to make tough decisions, and will put the well-being of the City before their own. The Mayor and Council are littered with self-interested cowards who take the easy way out and mortgage the future for a quick fix.

Join us at the 2nd meeting of the Providence/East Providence Tea Party

Damien Baldino — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:43:00 GMT

You are cordially invited to the second meeting of the Providence/East Providence Tea Party. Guest speakers include Republican gubernatorial candidate Victor Moffitt, Congressional candidate Mark Zaccaria, and many more. This is a great opportunity to meet like-minded fiscal conservatives, and local, state-wide and federal candidates.

We had a great crowd at our first meeting, and we're looking forward to expanding in the future. It's important for us to organize in order to keep track of what's happening at the municipal level, and when necessary, present our point of view to elected officials. Please Join us on Thursday July 1st, and bring some friends!

Providence/East Providence Tea Party

Where:
Holy Rosary Band Society
157 Gano St
Providence, ri

When:
Thursday July 1, 2010 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm

A raise for a job poorly done

Damien Baldino — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:26:00 GMT

     I, like many Rhode Islanders, haven't had a raise in over 3 years. The economy is terrible, many businesses are experiencing problems, and the State seems to be facing constant deficits. It's understandable that the typical worker wouldn't see a raise. What is unbelievable is that members of the General Assembly will be receiving a raise .

     In the grand scheme of things, the amount of money isn't much when compared to the annual budget. In total, the amount is a bit over $50,000, but that is beside the point. The General Assembly had to make many difficult cuts, and I would frequently hear lawmakers talk about "sharing the pain". From what I can see, there isn't much sharing going on in the State House. What's worse is that raises will be given for a job poorly done!

     There are many who believe we should move to a full-time legislature. I have an even better idea: Let's strip the General Assembly of all monetary compensation and health benefits? Since many of them spend substantially more on their reelection than they make, it shouldn't be a big deal. Plus, we're talking about dedicated public servants working for the good of the state, so I'm sure the compensation shouldn't matter.

     It sounds like a good idea to me, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to happen. Such a move would set the tone for reducing government expenditures. Unfortunately, the typical legislator doesn't think along those lines.

Rhode Island Republicans: What's wrong with you?

Damien Baldino — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:37:00 GMT

     I just received this e-mail from Providence Republican Chair Dave Talan. I think every Republican in Rhode Island should read it, especially those of you from Providence:

ULTRA-LIBERAL DEMOCRAT STATE LEGISLATOR RE-ELECTED UNOPPOSED; R.I. REPUBLICANS FAIL TO PUT UP CANDIDATE !!

On Thursday morning of this week, that is the headline you might be reading in your local newspaper. UNLESS somebody comes forward to run in the next few days.

All candidates for State Legislature must file their Declaration Of Candidacy, at the City or Town Hall in the community where they are registered to vote, on Monday to Wednesday (until 4 P.M.). After that, it is too late . If no Republican has filed to run by 4 P.M. on Wednesday, then the Democrat is automatically elected on November 2nd. Even if he gets indicted before election day (something which always seems to be a possibility in this state).

There are a number of Districts where we have not been able to identify any possible GOP candidate; not even a place-holder candidate (we will explain what that means a little later).

In 2010, Republicans are going to win in some very unexpected places, where they would never stand a chance in other years. Voters all over the nation are very angry, and are throwing out incumbent office-holders, just because they are incumbents. Look what happened recently in South Carolina's Democratic U.S. Senate primary, where a total unknown, who did not campaign or spend any money, won only because his opponent currently held an office. This same sort of thing can happen in Rhode Island. But ONLY if the Republicans have a name on the ballot.

Many people have been assuming that someone else will come forward to run, and they do not need to do anything. Every election year, after the deadline has passed and no Republican filed to run in a District, we have people come up to us and say, "I wish I knew that you did not have a candidate in my District. I would have filed to run, just to keep the incumbent from being re-elected unopposed". Well, in the Districts listed below, we do NOT have a candidate, and you know about it now. If you live in one of these Districts, will YOU do something about it, and file to run before the Wednesday deadline? Reply to this E-Mail right away if you would consider putting your name on the ballot. (Please, no E-Mails saying "I agree, and I hope you find somebody, but it will not be me").

Now, the explanation of a place-holder candidate. If a candidate files to run, and gets enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, but then withdraws from the race; the state GOP Chairman has the authority to appoint a replacement, up until September 17. But if nobody files to run by this Wednesday at 4:00 P.M., there is no way under R.I. election law for us to have a candidate on the ballot. (At that point, we are totally out of the race.)

Here are the Districts where we need a candidate in a hurry:

House 1 (Providence - Rep.John McCauley)

House 3 (Providence - Rep. Edith Ajello)

House 7 (Providence - Rep. Joanne Giannini)

House 9 (Providence - Rep. Anastasia Williams)

House 10 (Providence - Rep. Scott Slater)

House 11 (Providence - Rep. Grace Diaz)

House 12 (Providence - Rep. Joe Almeida)

House 14 (Cranston - Rep. Charlene Lima)

House 19 (Warwick, Cranston - Rep. Joe McNamara)

House 20 (Warwick - Rep. Al Gemma)

House 21 (Warwick - Rep. Eileen Naughton)

House 22 (Warwick - Rep. Frank Ferri)

House 42 (Johnston,Cranston - Rep. Stephen Ucci)

House 49 (Woonsocket - Rep. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt)

House 51 (Woonsocket - Rep. Chris Fierro)

House 56 (Central Falls - Rep. Agostinho Silva)

House 57 (Central Falls,Cumberland - Rep. Ken Vaudreuil)

House 64 (East Providence - Rep. Helio Melo)

Senate 1 (Providence - Sen. Mary Ellen Goodwin)

Senate 3 (Providence - Sen. Rhoda Perry)

Senate 4 (Providence,North Prov. - Sen. Domenic Ruggiero)

Senate 5 (Providence - Sen. Paul Jabour)

Senate 6 (Providence - Sen. Harold Metts)

Senate 7 (Providence,North Prov. - Sen. Frank Ciccone)

Senate 8 (Pawtucket - Sen. James Doyle)

Senate 15 (Pawtucket - Sen. John McBurney)

Senate 16 (Central Falls,Cumberland,Pawtucket - Sen. Elizabeth Crowley)

Senate 25 (Johnston - Sen. Chris Maselli)

Senate 28 (Cranston,Warwick - Sen. Josh Miller)

Senate 29 (Warwick - Sen. Mike McCaffrey)

     If you're one of those people who complain about the General Assembly, and the problems facing Rhode Island, I have one question for you: What are you going to do about it? I'm tired of hearing excuses about a lack of time, money, or name recognition. I'm not currently blessed with any of the three, but I am running for state representative in district 13 against John Carnevale. What will you do? Complain that more people should run? Complain about the lack of people who "get it" in the General Assembly? Talk is cheap. Get up and do something about it.

     As far as Republicans in Providence, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Seven House seats and six Senate seats could very well have no Republican opposition. Someone needs to run in each of these districts and challenge the incumbents. If not you, then who?

Looking for a real tax overhaul? Me too

Damien Baldino — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 17:10:43 GMT

     I know Governor Carcieri and many members of the General Assembly are thrilled with the new tax law , but I'm having difficulty getting excited about the changes. I like how it has been simplified, and it's nice to see that in comparison to other states, our upper rates have gone from one of the highest to the middle of the pack. We took a huge leap from bad to mediocre. Aren't you proud?

     In many ways, this tax law is the equivalent of putting a fresh coat of paint on a condemned house. The house will certainly look better when the paint job is completed, but have the underlying problems been solved? The two problems facing Rhode Island are a need to increase economic activity, then find a way to collect the same amount of taxes from more people, so that current tax payers are paying less. Will the new tax structure accomplish these goals. I'm not so sure.

     In many ways, it reminds me of Victor Moffitt's plan to lower the state sales tax from 7% to 5%. Mr. Moffitt feels it will increase retail sales and create jobs, but I'm doubtful. We don't need to reduce taxes, we need to eliminate them. Not all of them obviously, but enough to encourage economic activity. For example, let's look at a family from Massachusetts who wants to buy a $1,000 television. If it's purchased in Massachusetts, they will pay $62.50 in sales tax, since they have a rate of 6.25%. If Rhode Island's rate drops to 5%, they will pay just $50. Will this family travel an extra 15 or 20 minutes to save $12.50? Maybe, maybe not. However, if our sales tax was 0%, that same family would save $62.50. It's a lot more likely they will travel 20 minutes to save $62.50 than $12.50.

     This example illustrates would could happen with the elimination of the sales tax. Rhode Island families will have more money to spend, and families within a short drive of the Massachusetts or Connecticut border will be likely to shop here for big ticket items. Stores will have more sales, resulting in increased tax payments, more employees will be hired, resulting in more consumer spending. The economic multiplier would appear to be substantial, but since I'm not an economist, I can't say for certain.

     Now, back to the income tax. Rhode Island's tax code has been flattened slightly and simplified substantially. These are both good things, but are they game changers? I doubt it. Having a tax rate that is 0.1% lower than another state isn't a big deal, but having no income tax is a substantial improvement, one that would garner attention. If Rhode Island were able to eliminate the income tax, it would likely result in more businesses and more employment. More businesses, more jobs, more spending? It sounds good, doesn't it?   While we're at it, why not even eliminate the corporate tax?

     At this point, you might like the idea of eliminating the income tax, sales tax, and/or the corporate tax. Although, you're probably wondering how the state would survive if it were to eliminate two or three large sources of revenue. That could be accomplished by instituting a new tax: The gross receipts tax.

     The gross receipts tax is a tax on a business' gross receipts (hence, the name). For example, if a business earned $1 million in gross revenue, you could exempt $600,000 then tax the remaining $400,000. At this point, you might be criticizing another tax on businesses. While it is a new tax, it would also be replacing what they pay in corporate taxes, what owners and employees pay in income tax, and what businesses pay in sales tax on supplies and equipment. Plus, since consumers would have more money in their pocket, they would have more money to spend, not to mention those who would shop here from out-of state due to the nonexistent sales tax.

     I first wrote about the gross receipts tax last year . The idea appealed to me, since it would simplify taxation, likely draw people into the state, increase economic activity, and reduce the ways in which citizens are taxed. The importance of this last point can't be stressed enough. The state currently has a multitude of ways to reach into our wallets. If we can reduce their options, it'll be harder for them to increase rates, since citizens would be more focused on the taxes that remain. When things are simple, it's harder to hide changes.

     As I stated earlier, I'm not an economist. A plan like this would need to be studied carefully, but make no mistake, a plan like this is what we need. A new plan which will bring in new taxpayers, requiring less money from more people. A bold plan such as this might not be the answer, but there is no doubt that a bold plan is needed.

It's official: I'm running for state representative in district 13

Damien Baldino — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 01:51:00 GMT

     I have an announcement to make: I'm running for state representative in district 13 (Providence and Johnston). I've been planning this for a while, but since I filed a notice of organization and opened a campaign account, I figured I would make it "official".

     If you read this blog regularly, you know I support small government. I'm a fiscal conservative, and a strong supporter of individual liberty. I will support legislation to legalize gay marriage, strengthen 2nd Amendment rights, decriminalize marijuana, and protect a woman's right to choose. In addition to these issues, I will support e-Verify, and any other legislation which will prevent illegal aliens from taking jobs away from citizens and legal residents.

     If you agree with my goals, I would appreciate your support. Please check out my Facebook page, attend my Bowling with Baldino Fundraiser, or consider making a donation to my campaign. If you would like to volunteer or would like a yard sign, you can e-mail me at election at damienbaldino.com.

When will more parents start taking responsibility for their children's education?

Damien Baldino — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:13:00 GMT

     As I was watching last week's Gubernatorial debate, I was troubled by the candidate's ideas on how we should fix education. Education is a complex, important topic that many people care deeply about. Unfortunately, candidates at all levels tend to to give answers that are cowardly and simplistic.

     As of 2006, Rhode Island was 6th in per pupil spending ($12.478). Maybe I'm wrong, but if you are one of the biggest spenders and you still aren't accomplishing your goals, maybe the solution has nothing to do with money. That's right, I said it. Throwing money at the problem won't make things better. That leaves us with one question: what will make a difference?

     I've been teaching for 9 years in a private school that is quite diverse. In that time, I've noticed a tendency for students to excel when their parents emphasize the importance of education and spend time reinforcing this view by engaging their children in meaningful activities. The parents who allow their young children to watch R rated horror films, ignore homework, have an unstructured home life, and little quality time, often have children who lack motivation. Those who do have a structured routine at home, turn in homework and read with their children tend to be far more successful. Are there exceptions? Certainly, but the relationship between parental involvement and academic success has been rather apparent to me over the years.

     Just once, it would be nice to see politicians put responsibility on parents. Education is a partnership between families and teachers. If one partner isn't doing their job, it will be harder for the endeavor to succeed.

Update: Advertising and writers needed

Damien Baldino — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:01:00 GMT

It's been a while since I've done an update, so I figured now was as good a time as any. First, I'd like to announce that I'm selling advertising on the left sidebar. If you're interested in purchasing a text link or a banner, send an e-mail to info at RIRepublican.com. Your ads will be placed above the Google ads, so it will be rather visible. I'll also consider ads within posts. The blog has a Google Page Rank of 4 and thousands of backlinks, so it would likely be well worth your money.

Some of you might have noticed that I went a few months without posting much. I went through a very difficult time, and my heart really wasn't in maintaining the blog. Now, I've started to post more frequently, and I expect that pace to pick up substantially. I just need one thing: Help. If you would like to post, feel free to e-mail me: info at RIRepublican.com. You're free to post as little or as much as you like. As you have probably noticed, I'm a fiscal conservative with a libertarian streak. You certainly don't need to mimic my views, but blogging with like-minded people would be nice.

Tea Party Providence/ East Providence

Damien Baldino — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:14:00 GMT

As someone who appreciates the work done by the Rhode Island Tea Party, I was glad to hear that a local version has been created for residents of Providence and East Providence. If you would be interested in joining, please come to our first meeting on Thursday June 17th at the Santa Maria Cultural Center at 846 Broadway, East Providence, RI. The meeting will begin at 7pm, and you are encouraged to bring friends. For more information, check out the new group's Facebook page and the meeting's event page .

RIGOP press conference on June 10th

Damien Baldino — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:43:00 GMT

The RIGOP will be having a press conference tomorrow to address the budget and introduce its 2010 legislative candidates. Here's a copy of the press release:

RI GOP Chair to Address Rhode Island State Budget Issues at

State House Press Conference

Republican Legislators and Prospective Republican Legislative Candidates to

Stand in Support of Chairman Cicione on Budget

Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Giovanni Cicione will address the media tomorrow, June 10, 2010 to discuss the Rhode Island State budget enacted this week by the General Assembly. Cicione will challenge the General Assembly to show the courage to enact a balanced budget, as opposed to the current plan to anticipate a windfall of cash from the federal government to balance the State's books. Cicione will also call on Democrat Leaders in the Assembly to free cities and towns from the unfunded mandates that make it nearly impossible to balance their own budgets without raising taxes. Participants will also get a glimpse of some of the candidates who will stand up and challenge Democrat control over the General Assembly in the next election.

WHO: RIGOP Chairman Giovanni D. Cicione

Republican Legislators and Legislative Candidates

WHAT: Press Conference to Address State Budget Issues

WHEN: Thursday, June 10, 2010; 12:30 p.m.

WHERE: RI State House, South Side (facing Downtown Providence)

A tale of two mayors

Damien Baldino — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 01:12:00 GMT

     When Cranston Mayor Allan Fung wanted a new slogan and logo for the city, he started a contest. Local high school students were offered $500 for the winning entry. Victor Roman of Providence and Kerri Salerno of Cranston will split the prize for coming up with the best slogan, while Alexx Gonsalves of Providence took the top prize for best logo. It's a great situation, since several local high school students who participated engaged in a creative activity, a few made extra money, and Cranston received a high quality product for just $1,000.

     Now, let's compare Cranston with Providence. While Cranston spent just $1,000, Providence spent $100,000 on an out-of-state consulting firm which came up with the name "Creative Capital", and an orange "P". If we're the Creative Capital, then why couldn't David Cicilline hire someone from Providence, or at least Rhode Island, to design the slogan and logo? He probably would have had some excellent entries from the cities students and artists, but he decided to over-spend on a lousy product.

     So here we have it: Two mayors, one spends $1,000 for a good product, while the other spends $100,000 for an inferior product. Maybe its me, but someone with judgement like that shouldn't be in Congress.

www.projo.com/education/content/CRANSTON_CITY_LOGO_06-04-10_0GIOCA9_v24.115bba7.html />

Casino question raises questions

Damien Baldino — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:43:00 GMT

     Over the years, we've had some dubious gambling proposals. The worst was Harrah's attempt to win approval for a Rhode Island casino in 2004. I'm not opposed to casino gambling, but I was opposed to Harrah's plan. They essentially walked into Rhode Island and attempted to dictate their tax rate. When other casino operators came forward, they received criticism for their late entry. I can't blame them for their tardiness, since the official start of negotiations was likely announced in a smokey back room.

     The best way to proceed with a casino is to announce a request for proposals. The state should set the tax rate, outline the potential casino's reponsibilities, such as environmental impact statements, then have a public bidding process for the license. The deal with Harrahs seemed to smell from the beginning, and I'm starting to detect a similar odor with Twin River.

     The General Assembly is poised to place a question on the ballot asking Rhode Islanders to expand Twin River into a full casino. There still seem to be plenty of legal questions including the State's role. Rhode Islanders still don't know who the next owner of Twin River will be, and we have Rep. Donald Lally sponsoring a bill which would allow Apollo Global Management to buy up Twin River's debt, which seems questionable, to say the least. By the way, Apollo Global Management is also an owner of Harrah's. Do you get the feeling that Harrah's is favored in this situation?

     In light of these developments and the State's poor decision to help with marketing costs at Twin River, I'm highly suspicious of the casino legislation. I might be completely wrong, but I doubt it.

House votes to conceal criminal records

Damien Baldino — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 00:06:00 GMT

     The House of Representatives voted 65-7 to seal the criminal records of individuals who received a deferred sentence. The records could be sealed for any crime as long as the sentence was deferred, and there were no other problems with the law. Supporters point out that the change will allow those who have committed crimes to more easily find jobs and apartments. That's exactly what I'm afraid of.

     With the records sealed, child molesters could work in daycare centers, embezzlers could become book keepers, and burglars could rent the apartment upstairs. With the law changed, who would know? Aren't you proud of your General Assembly?

     Here's a list of how the representatives voted:

Voting yes
Ajello, D-Providence
Almeida, D-Providence
Baldelli-Hunt, D-Woonsocket
Caprio, D-Narragansett
Carnevale, D-Providence
Carter, D-North Kingstown
Coderre, D-Pawtucket
Corvese, D-North Providence
Costantino, D-Providence
DaSilva, D-East Providence
DeSimone, D-Providence
Diaz, D-Providence
Driver, D-Richmond
Edwards, D-Tiverton
Ehrhardt, R-North Kingstown
Fellela, D-Johnston
Ferri, D-Warwick
Fierro, D-Woonsocket
Flaherty, D-Warwick
Fox, D-Providence
Gablinske, D-Bristol
Gallison, D-Bristol
Gemma, D-Warwick
Giannini, D-Providence
Guthrie, D-Coventry
Handy, D-Cranston
Jackson, D-Newport
Jacquard, D-Cranston
Kennedy, D-Hopkinton
Lally, D-South Kingstown
Lima, D-Cranston
Malik, D-Warren
Martin, D-Newport
Mattiello, D-Cranston
McCauley, D-Providence
McNamara, D-Warwick
Melo, D-East Providence
Naughton, D-Warwick
Newberry, R-N. Smithfield
O'Neill, D-Pawtucket
Pacheco, D-Burrillville
Petrarca, D-Lincoln
Pollard, D-Foster
A. Rice, D-Portsmouth
M. Rice, D-South Kingstown
Ruggiero, D-Jamestown
San Bento, D-Pawtucket
Savage, R-East Providence
Schadone, D-North Providence
Segal, D-Providence
Serpa, D-West Warwick
Shallcross Smith, D-Lincoln
Silva, D-Central Falls
Sullivan, D-Coventry
Trillo, R-Warwick
Ucci, D-Johnston
Vaudreuil, D-Cumberland
Walsh, D-Charlestown
Wasylyk, D-Providence
Watson, R-East Greenwich
Williams, D-Providence
Williamson, D-Coventry
Winfield, D-Smithfield

Voting no
Brien, D-Woonsocket
Hearn, D-Barrington
Kilmartin, D-Pawtucket
Loughlin, R-Tiverton
MacBeth, D-Cumberland
Menard, D-Lincoln
Palumbo, D-Cranston

Did not vote
Azzinaro, D-Westerly
Marcello, D-Scituate
Murphy, D-West Warwick

Luis Mendonca: Detained, but not deported

Damien Baldino — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:43:00 GMT

     It looks like Luis Mendonca won't be deported. You might remember that Luis Mendonca was allegedly assaulted by a Providence police officer named Robert DiCarlo, and the incident was caught on tape. I know there are several people who believe the court made the right decision, but I'm not one of them.

     Luis Mendonca has a criminal record in Rhode Island, and he was taken into custody by Massachusetts, where he is wanted on another charge. Also, let's not forget that Mendonca is accused of assaulting two Rhode Island School of Design security officers on the evening he was assaulted. From what I saw of Mendonca's assault, I don't doubt police brutality. My problem is with the decision to not detain him.

     In a perfect world, Mendonca would be allowed to testify against DiCarlo, then be deported. I don't see why we should have any sympathy for Luis Mendonca, who is here illegally and committed criminal acts..

Utility shutoffs aren't 'shameful'

Damien Baldino — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:07:00 GMT

     I think I'm a little old fashioned. I believe that when you receive a product or service, you should pay for it. Evidently, there are many people at the George Wiley Center who disagree. Some of their members are protesting in order to decrease the number of utility shutoffs. Center leader Maggi Rogers calls the shuttoffs , “the shameful, perennial termination of utility service”. I call Maggi Rogers and her colleagues confused.

     We already have very generous laws in place which prevent utility shutoffs during the winter for many customers. Many of the people Ms. Rogers is fighting for are very familiar with these rules and game the system. We could prevent the mass shutoffs by allowing utility companies to discontinue service during the winter months, although I a feeling the protesters would be opposed. We might also consider another novel idea: Expect people to pay their bills and suffer the consequences of their poor decisions. I like this solution, but it might be too sensible and fair for some of the protesters.

     My guess is they would like to see charges placed on paying customers in order to subsidize those who won't pay. After all, we don't want to burden those who make bad decisions with the abomination known as living expenses. There are so many other important, fun things to spend money on.

E-verify and the troubling lack of consistency

Damien Baldino — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:47:00 GMT

     I like consistency in politics. It's a rare quality, but I like to see politicians have a certain philosophy that guides their decisions. The only thing I value more than consistency is honesty. I might not agree with a politician's decision, but if he or she can honestly explain their rationale for making a decision, there's a good chance they'll earn my respect (but probably not my vote). That's why I find the opposition to the e-verify bill so troubling.

     Many senators and representatives claim to oppose the e-verify bill because it will place additional rules on businesses. I don't agree, but as someone who supports a business-friendly environment, I could respect that perspective...if it were consistent. The problem is that there is often blatant inconsistency with little attempt to reconcile the sudden change in thinking, which leads me to believe certain senators and representatives are liars who challenge their constituent's intelligence.

     If you look at those who oppose e-verify, many of them are the same people who favor higher taxes, additional rules and regulations, and a substantially higher minimum or living wage. The last time I checked, increasing expenses and adding red tape were bad for business. Why are some concerned about the rather small inconvenience e-verify would cause, while they are increasing labor costs and narrowing profits?

     I suspect that many of these politicians support open borders and lack the nerve to say so. If that's the case, add a lack of courage (and common sense) to their list of deficiencies.

Rod Driver doesn't appear concerned about illegal immigration

Damien Baldino — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:36:00 GMT

Here's a letter to the editor published by State Representative Rod Driver :

Fox right to block bill

Some legislators want Rhode Island to adopt Arizona’s notorious law against “illegal aliens.” The proposed law would virtually require anyone who looks like a foreigner to carry documents proving that he or she has the right to be here.

Some Rhode Islanders are attacking House Speaker Gordon Fox for his unwillingness to waive the rules and push through a bill of such dubious constitutionality.

Much more serious problems of illegal immigration don’t seem to be of concern. Millions of illegal immigrants are in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Palestine, Yemen and elsewhere. Some are Americans or other foreigners funded by U.S. taxpayers to kill people or take their resources.

Today the killing is mostly done using drones controlled from air-conditioned comfort and safety at Creech Air Force Base, in Nevada, or CIA headquarters, in Virginia. An operator watches his prey on a computer screen. Then he pushes a firing button and experiences no more pangs of conscience than a teenager killing the enemy in a video game.

Rod Driver Richmond

The writer is a state representative.

I wonder if Mr. Driver actually read the law, or like many in the Obama administration, just automatically criticized it without a proper review. As for requiring anyone who looks like a foreigner to carry documentation, that's nonsense. It's nothing but an excuse used in order to perpetuate illegal imigration in the United States. This law really doesn't add anything ground-breaking to the immigration debate. It's merely a state version of a federal law. The big difference is that Arizona plans on actually enforcing its law. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for those at the federal level.

His rambling letter finally ends by criticizing the presence of foreign troops in countries with terrorists committed to killing Americans. Although, I must say that I partially agree with Rod Driver on one thing. I'd like to see soldiers in Iraq brought home immediately. Of course, I'd like to see many of them placed on the U.S./Mexico. My guess is that Mr. Driver wouldn't agree.

The cost of illegal immigration: An example

Damien Baldino — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:45:00 GMT

     Supporters of illegal immigration like to point to the many contributions made by those who broke laws to come to the United States. They might argue that they pay some taxes and aren't a drain on state and local government. As you might guess, I disagree. With that said, I'd like to present a very basic hypothetical situation for you to consider.

     Let's assume we have a family with four members, and all are illegal immigrants. Both parents work two full-time jobs and they have two school-aged children. According to those who support illegal aliens, these individuals "take the jobs Americans don't want". Let's assume these jobs are on the books and pay minimum wage. That would mean this fictitious family earns $592 per week ($7.40 x 40 x 2), which comes out to combined annual salaries of $30,784. If they have a tax identification number, then they may pay a small amount in federal and state income tax, and let's not forget the sales tax.

     If you look at this example, it certainly seems like this family is carrying its own weight. Of course, let's not forget about the two kids. If they attend a Providence high school, it is costing taxpayers $13,782 per pupil for their education . That's a grand total of $27,564 being spent to educate the children of a family that came to the United States illegally and are burdening our taxpayers. If you wan't to be generous, you could say that our fictitious family is paying a few thousand or so per year in taxes. That pales in comparison to the $27,564 being spent to educate their children, who are the responsibility of another country. Let's also remember that this simple example focuses only on educational expenses and ignores other expenses such as medical care.

     Next time you complain about school districts cutting art or music classes, eliminating sports, or ignoring much needed repairs due to budget cuts, remember where some of that money may be going. If you are a supporter of open borders and lax enforcement of immigration laws, then you are also a supporter of resources being taken away from American citizens and legal residents.