Judge Michael Silverstein will allow the first state shut down day to occur on Friday, September 4th.  Of course, the state employee unions aren't happy, and they plan on appealing the decision to the State Supreme Court. 

     There has been a lot of anger directed at Governor Carcieri on this issue.  In my opinion, it is misdirected.  The General Assembly passed a budget calling for savings, and the Governor's powers are rather limited in comparison.  They knew full well that furloughs or layoffs were a distinct possibility, yet I hear hardly a soul criticize them on ...<< MORE >>

     Providence Mayor David Cicilline has proposed an ordinance which would address indoor prostitution in the city.  If passed, those arrested for prostitution would face fines of up to $500 and 30 days in jail.  In my opinion, it's just David Cicilline's way of making it look like he's doing something, while deflecting attention from the city's pitiful financial situation.

     I have taken the opportunity to send an e-mail to my Councilman.  The full e-mail is below:



Dear John,

     I've been following the prostitution debate very closely.  In light of the ordinance being proposed by David Cicilline, I would like ...<< MORE >>

     Republican Maurice Green, a member of the Providence Police department for 20 years, has announced that he will be running for the vacant  House seat in District 10.  If necessary, a primary will be held on October 6th, with  the election following on November 10th.  ...<< MORE >>

     Rhode Island Governor Don Carcieri has ordered 12 "shutdown days," along with cuts in municipal aid.  These actions are needed to secure $67 million in savings.  The 12 "shutdown days" will involve all nonessential state employees, and will include days when little business is conducted, such as Christmas Eve and the day after Thanksgiving.

     I work in a state building (but I'm not a state employee), so I can attest to the empty halls on those days.  These particular days will ensure necessary savings while having the smallest possible impact on public services.  As for state employees, I ...<< MORE >>

     For the life of me, I don't know how Donna Hughes, co-founder of Citizens Against Trafficking, is able to get her distortions published so frequently in newspapers.  Her most recent article focuses on all the girls from Massachusetts who have been trafficked into Rhode Island.  Ms. Hughes then goes on to make the link between one case of a girl dancing at a strip club, and seemingly appears to link it to the legalization of indoor prostitution.

     Most sensible people would agree that no one under the age of 18 should be working in a strip club.  With ...<< MORE >>

     Unfortunately, I'm not able to attend tonight's town hall meeting with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed (I had surgery Tuesday), so I'm trying to follow it as closely as I can from home.  At 6pm, channel 10 news reported that the capacity of the room where the meeting will be held is just 175, and that approximately 100 people were not allowed inside. 

     Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this?  Why wasn't a larger venue chosen?  Almost any high school or college in the state would have an auditorium or gym with a larger ...<< MORE >>

     In an attempt to make it look like he is doing something to improve the City of Providence, mayor David Cicilline has formed a group to explore drafting a city ordinance aimed at curtailing indoor prostitution, which is legal in Rhode Island.  Of course, the entire idea seems to be questionable.  City Councilman John Lomardi questions the ability of the city to address indoor prostitution by ordinance, stating that state laws supersede city ordinances.  I'm not a lawyer, but that fact seems rather basic and commonly accepted to me.  David Cicilline should also recognize this, but of course, ...<< MORE >>

     I just received this e-mail from the Rhode Island Tea Party:


Colleen Conley sent a message to the members of RI Tea Party.

--------------------
Subject: Call to Action ALERT!!!

Organizing for America (an organization affiliated with the Obama campaign) is going door to door to promote attendance at Congressman Langevin's and Senator Whitehouse's Public Forums this week. If you want to make sure YOUR voice is heard in the debate on healthcare, please be sure to show up ...<< MORE >>

     Sheldon Whitehouse and Jim Langevin have each scheduled two town hall meetings to meet with constituents.  I don't support either one, but I am glad to see they are doing their jobs.  Some town hall meetings in other states have become rather raucous.  It's anyone's guess how Rhode Island's meetings will go, but at least Sheldon Whitehouse and Jim Langevin are meeting with their constituents, like they're supposed to.  Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Jack Reed and Patrick Kennedy.

     Jack Reed is full of excuses.  It appears the Senator thinks town hall meetings are "theatrical," ...<< MORE >>

     I recently received an invitation to a fundraiser for Councilman John Lombardi, who will likely be running for mayor of Providence in 2010.  I usually don't advertise fundraisers, and you might think it is unusual to be mentioning a fundraiser for a Democrat on this blog.  If you are confused, allow me to explain: David Cicilline needs to go.

     It would be nice to see a fiscally conservative Republican in City Hall, but I'm not getting my hopes up.  Their hasn't been a competitive Republican in the mayoral race since Fred Lippitt ran in 1990, ...<< MORE >>

     While visiting Mexico, Barack Obama mentioned immigration reform.  He hopes to see legislation drafted this year, but doesn't expect to see it addressed until 2010.  The President wants to be sure health care and immigration reform are not competing for attention, so that they don't  "...just crash at the same time."  

     What can we expect from an Obama-backed immigration reform bill?  It's hard to know for sure, but a quick look at BarackObama.com offers some guidance as to what comprehensive immigration reform would look like.  Here are 5 points from the site:


Create Secure Borders
Obama and ...<< MORE >>

     House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer authored an editorial in USA Today which criticized conservative protesters for being "un-American."  Evidently, they feel that getting carried away and asserting a differing opinion makes you less of an American than someone who remains calm, or better yet, favors our country being dragged closer toward socialism with each passing day.

     I'm not a fan of shouting and screaming.  I prefer a calm, intelligent discussion.  With that said, I can understand how people's tempers flare.  Think about this: Congressmen who probably haven't read the health care bill are ...<< MORE >>

     If you've been following the news lately, you've probably heard about the behavior at some of the town hall meetings held by members of Congress.  Many of these meetings have featured shouting, and a few have required a police presence.  This has led some Democratic members of Congress to criticize the behavior of protesters, while mischaracterizing their reasons for participating. 

     To hear some Democrats tell it, no one should be upset about healthcare reform, except for insurance companies.  If someone does oppose the plan, then that means they must be affiliated with the insurance companies.  They must be ...<< MORE >>

     The government's "Cash for Clunkers" program was supposed to give the auto industry an economic boost, and increase the average fuel efficiency of the country's vehicles.  If you are looking solely at the fact that the original $1 billion for the program was used up quickly, you might come to the conclusion that the program is a success.  You might also consider it a success if you feel that each vehicle traded in for a more efficient vehicle will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and improve the environment.  The problem is that things don't always seem as they ...<< MORE >>

     The following letter was forwarded to me by professor Ronald Weitzer and sent to members of the General Assembly, along with several members of the local media.  The letter makes some important distinctions between indoor and outdoor prostitution, while addressing the tendency of opponents of the current law to equate prostitution with human trafficking.  Please read it with an open mind.




PRESS RELEASE

July 31, 2009

LETTER TO MEMBERS OF THE RHODE ISLAND STATE LEGISLATURE
RE:  PROSTITUTION LAW REFORM BILLS, 2009
BY:  Professors << MORE >>

     As  you might know, Rhode Island is currently the only state where prostitution is legal if it occurs indoors (along with some counties in Nevada).  The current law is effective, but some representatives, namely Joanne Giannini, have been working hard to have the same ineffective laws shared by the other states.  I'm not sure if State Representative Joanne Giannini intentionally twists the truth when discussing legislation to close the prostitution loophole, or if she is genuinely misguided.  To hear her tell it, she doesn't want to punish prostitutes by putting them in jail, she wants to ...<< MORE >>

     After underestimating the popularity of the "Cash for Clunkers" program, it appeared the program was heading for a quick end.  The program was supposed to last into the fall, but after just a few days, it seemed the $1 billion set aside for the program had already been used.  It isn't surprising that the money was used so quickly.  What is surprising is that government officials seem shocked that so many Americans are scurrying to get their rebates.  They don't want to leave any "free" money on the table.

     Now, it looks like the "Cash for Clunkers" ...<< MORE >>

     It looks like the government may suspend the "Cash for Clunkers" program.  The problem?  It's so popular, that there might not be any money left.  Many dealerships have a backlog of cars waiting to be approved, which means the money might be gone much quicker than anticipated.  Although, consumers may have another chance.

     Republican Representative Candice Miller wrote a letter to House Leaders asking for an expansion of the program.  She had this to say:


"This is simply the most stimulative $1 billion the federal government has spent during the entire economic downturn," Miller said Thursday. "The federal ...<< MORE >>

     Once again, Rhode Island has made national headlines.  The state recently sent out 3,949 warning letters to businesses who were behind on their quarterly sales tax payments.  Out of these 3,949 businesses, all but 1,248 paid their taxes, which amounted to $3,072, 500.  The  1,248 businesses that did not pay have lost their sales tax permits and have been shut down.  If the businesses reopen, they face fines of up to $5,000 and up to 1 year in prison.

     This move has generated a lot of criticism, but it shouldn't.  We're talking about sales tax that ...<< MORE >>

     North Providence mayor Charles Lombardi has done a lot of misguided things since taking office.  Just look at his handling of the town's budget, or his potentially inappropriate use of stimulus funds.  Finally, the mayor seemed to do something right.  In order to raise money, he decided to auciton off town property that wasn't being used, including police cruisers and an office trailer.  The Ebay auction brought in some much needed extra money for the town. 

     There's just one small problem: The trailer the town sold doesn't belong to them.  It turns out that the trailer was owned by a company ...<< MORE >>

     Many Americans are having difficulty paying their mortgages due to the tough economy and high unemployment rate.  Some of these individuals have an additional problem: A mortgage with onerous terms.  High interest rates, adjustable rates, and other difficult terms can eat away at one's earnings.  For many Americans, having a mortgage with advantageous terms can mean the difference between easily making your monthly payment, or struggling to make ends meet.  There are many ways to assure that mortgages have favorable terms: A large down-payment, high credit score, solid work history, or for some, being a United States ...<< MORE >>

     According to Rasmussen's Presidential Approval Index, just 29% of likely voters strongly approve of Barack Obama's performance, while 40% strongly disapprove.  The 11 point differential is the largest negative rating he has had since becoming President.  In total, the President's approval rating is just 49%.  The percentage of those who disapprove has risen 5 percentage points since Wednesday's nationally televised press conference.

     Once more details of the Healthcare bill become known, the ineffectiveness of the stimulus plan is fully realized, Cap-and-Trade raises energy costs, and deficits continue to skyrocket, the President's approval rating will fall even further.  Unfortunately, ...<< MORE >>

     Earlier this week, a Harvard professor named Henry Louis Gates Jr came home to find his front door jammed.  While trying to get in, a neighbor mistook him for a burglar and called the police.  This is a simple error which should have been quickly resolved.  The police should have explained their reason for being there, Mr. Gates could have explained who he was, identification could have been checked, then each party could have gone their separate ways.  Instead, a misunderstanding of monumental proportions took place, which resulted in Mr. Gates being arrested and charged with disorderly ...<< MORE >>

     The state-run pension fund performed miserably over the last year, losing 19.18% of its value.  The loss amounted to $1.5 billion.  Losing 19.18% in one year is terrible, but this amount does need to be examined in context.  General Treasurer Frank Caprio points out that Rhode Island's fund turned in a better year than California (24%), Harvard' endowment (at least 24%), and the S&P 500 (26.22%). 

     If you look at Frank Caprio's numbers, Rhode Island didn't fare too badly.  Of course, he selected certain funds.  What would be interesting is a comparison of Rhode Island's performance in comparison to all states who release their fund's returns.  That would provide a true indicator of Caprio's performance over the last year.

     In response to those numbers, former Cranston mayor Steve Laffey had this to say: 


"It seems that only the General Treasurer is happy about losing billions of dollars of hard-working pensioner’s assets over the last couple of years. … This is unconscionable … Rhode Island, under Frank Caprio, has the worst-funded state pension system in the United States of America.”

“I have said many times that the only way to save the pension system is to end it and give everyone their money and go to a 401(k) plan ... like the people in the private sector.”


     Again, before I pass judgment on the performance of the fund, it's tough to make comparisons without seeing how other states fared.  Of course, the fund could have invested all of it's money in treasury bills and government bonds.  This would have greatly increased the likelihood of capital preservation, but then it likely wouldn't have earned enough of a return in good times, which also would have raised criticism.  The state's asset allocation seems appropriate, but the market has been difficult. 

     I disagree with Steve Laffey's analysis on this point, but it would certainly resonate with voters if he decides to run.  Accuse the other guy of "losing" $1.5 billion, and people will pay attention.  It isn't the best line of attack, but I could see it being used.  What does make sense is Laffey's idea about giving employees their contributions to invest in a 401k.  This wouldn't be an option for everyone, but it is an option that should be considered for the majority of employees in the pension system.

        

     Here's an interesting article about medical marijuana in California.  Since Rhode Island just passed a law allowing marijuana dispensaries, it's interesting to see how the situation is being handled in other states.  Some legislators, like those in California, have discussed decriminalizing or legalizing marijuana.  Without a change at the federal level, I don't see how it could be legalized, but decriminalization should be pursued.  With all the serious crime occurring, should we concern ourselves with marijuana use while law enforcement has more important priorities? ...<< MORE >>

     In today's Providence Journal, columnist Edward Fitzpatrick interviewed state Republican Party Chairman Giovanni Cicione.  The column included opinions of the GOP at both the state and national level.  There really wasn't anything interesting until the conversation turned to the 2010 Gubernatorial race:

State Rep. Joseph A. Trillo, R-Warwick, has put together an exploratory committee. But can Trillo win? Cicione argued he could, noting the state has had a Republican governor for 20 of the last 24 years. “And the one Democrat we had was Bruce Sundlun — pro-business, former CEO, looked like a Republican and honestly fought the General ...<< MORE >>

     As part of the recent budget, Governor Don Carcieri will need to cut more than $57 million from all state departments and $5 million from consultants.  The Governor is looking at several options  One part of the plan involves unpaid furloughs for state employees.  It isn't known how many state employees will be afffected, how many unpaid days are being considered, or when an announcement will be made.  The only thing that is certain is that furloughs will be in the mix.  The Governor had this to say:

“We’re meeting intensely on that right now …. We’re ...<< MORE >>

     Heading into the election, Barack Obama seemed like a candidate who would support major increases in spending and a major government expansion.  In six short months, his administration has supported a $787 billion stimulus spending bill, a bailout of the auto industry, and a continuation of the Bush administration's misguided TARP scheme. 

     In the present, the administration and Congress are working hard on a healthcare bill that will likely cost well over $1 trillion, and an energy bill which will raise energy costs for consumers and businesses while we are experiencing a major recession.  Then, we have the unemployment rate, ...<< MORE >>

     Two months ago, David Cicilline proposed a budget which wouldn't raise property taxes.  With the dire local and national economy, it seemed too good to be true.  Apparently, it was.  The mayor has released a revised budget which would raise property taxes by 2.6%.  As far as tax increases go, it is a small, but still troubling.

     The mayor said it was a difficult decision to make, and a "last resort," but that seems unlikely.  David Cicilline claims the increase was necessary to maintain essential city services.  It's hard to believe there wasn't anything that could be ...<< MORE >>