Voters approve $227.5M in borrowing, ethics question passes

VOTERS APPROVED ALL seven ballot questions Tuesday.  / PBN GRAPHIC/LISA LAGRECA
VOTERS APPROVED ALL seven ballot questions Tuesday. / PBN GRAPHIC/LISA LAGRECA

PROVIDENCE – Voters on Tuesday approved $227.5 million in bonds, funding housing creation, expansion of veterans services, construction of a new innovation center affiliated with the University of Rhode Island, improvements at the ports of Davisville and Providence, and parks and recreation upgrades, according to results posted on ri.gov.
The housing opportunity bonds, at $50 million, had the closest margin, with 57.6 percent voting in favor, and 42.4 percent voting against.
The Housing Resources Commission will use $40 million to develop affordable-housing-opportunity programs, through development of new construction or redevelopment of existing facilities, while an additional $10 million will be used for blight remediation and urban revitalization.
The question on the veterans home in Bristol received the most favorable votes at 83.6 percent, with 16.4 percent voting against. A total of $27 million will be used to cover a projected shortfall for the Veterans Home, a project underway to renovate existing facilities and create new housing for the state’s military veterans. The project is expected to be completed next fall.
The question on “leveraging higher education to create jobs” passed 59 percent to 41 percent. URI requested $45.5 million to fund two initiatives – $25.5 million for a renovation and new addition at Bliss Hall, and $20 million to establish an innovation center, which would bring industry into partnership with the university at a shared facility.
The $70 million port infrastructure bonds passed 62.8 percent to 37.2 percent; $50 million would be used at the Port of Davisville, at Quonset, to modernize and repair its facilities, and $20 million would go to the Port of Providence to acquire up to 25 acres on the Providence waterfront, north of the existing ProvPort footprint.
A total of $35 million on green economy bonds passed 67.4 percent to 32.6 percent. The funds will be used to improve existing state parks, preserve open space, develop new dedicated bike paths and clean up contaminated “brownfields” sites.
Another question, to restore the ethics commission’s authority over the General Assembly, passed 77.7 percent to 22.3 percent.
John Marion, executive director, Common Cause Rhode Island, weighed in on the passage of question 2.
“By saying ‘yes’ on Question 2 today, voters said ‘yes’ to ethics, transparency, and a better Rhode Island. Because of this victory once again our lawmakers will be held accountable for any conflicts of interest, and citizens will know that legislators are serving the public interest, not their own self-interest. We send our sincere thanks to everyone involved with this effort. Whether you put up a yard sign, passed out literature, or filled in the bubble on Election Day, you helped make Rhode Island a better place to live and a better place to do business,” Marion said in a statement.

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