opinion

Who presented a better plan for closing Rhode Island’s fiscal 2009 deficit, the House Finance Committee or Gov. Donald L. Carcieri?


By PBN Staff
Posted 4/3/09

The General Assembly is in the midst of passing the supplemental budget for fiscal 2009, and neither the plan submitted by the House Finance Committee nor Gov. Donald L. Carcieri received much positive reaction in the public eye.

With a shortfall of $370 million that must be made up in the next three months, there are no easy solutions. The question is, however, which plan offers the state the best chance of closing the deficit and causing the least harm – to the economy, to individuals, to businesses?

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Anita

I lived in RI for 20 years, and until recently had hopes of moving back to the state. But this Legislature has made me realize the high improbability of this plan. Until the State Legislature deals with the foundational problem of an absurdly generous pension system, taxes will continue to be pushed down to municipalities (which have their own pensions issues to address) and the majority of taxpayers will find that they either (1) cannot afford to live in the state), or (2) do not wish to work long days into their senior years to support state and municipal pensioners who retired before the age of 60 at "salaries" that exceed far too many of the taxpayers' working wages. So they will move.

How long will it take, and how many thousands of people must leave -- before it becomes clear that the current (lack of a) plan is simply unsustainable for a state with (now less than) a million residents? If we need a plan to keep college grads in the state, it's simple -- take Mayor Laffey's advice and address the pension issue. Everything follows from there.

That being said, to balance the budget on the backs of the poor, and especially the elderly poor who lived in the state for their entire lives, and contributed to their communities, is almost criminal. Friday, April 3, 2009|Report this

Tess2564

I agree whole-heartedly with Anita. What I find interesting is that when you look at your poll, the Governor's plan comes out way ahead. Polls are funny things - it could be that the readership is more slanted towards a conservative audience, or many other variables that are causing folks to vote that way in your poll. What I am hoping your results actually mean is that people are finally realizing that doing the same thing in the same way results in the same outcome. So, knowing that, and seeing where we are today, I have one request of my fellow RI'ers - Will the folks who voted for the criminals and self-aggrandizing buffoons that have infiltrated the RI political system, PLEASE for the LOVE OF GOD and Rhode Island, VOTE THEM OUT in the next election?????!!!!!!!!

I am a life-long RI'er and I'll tell you right now, as much as I love Little Rhody as soon as my sons graduate from college, which is only a few years from now, I WILL be leaving if I don't see things starting to change. I'm doing my best trying to contribute to the economy in RI. I only buy local. I buy fruit/vegetables from RI farmers. I try at all times, to support RI owned businesses when I need something. I vote for the people that I believe will help change things - but every year, I get disappointed when I see RI'ers continue to keep voting for the same darn people year after year - I just don't get it. CHANGE comes from within - no amount of rhetoric from any politician (Mr. Obama included) will cause you to change - YOU have to decide that you CARE enough to change and help bring about change. If you do nothing to help change the political climate in this State, especially with one of the most powerful tools you have - YOUR VOTE - you will deserve everything that happens as a result. Monday, April 6, 2009|Report this

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