Elections
Governor Elections -
Questions posed to all candidates running for governor:
1. Unfortunately, Rhode Island has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Our social safety nets are strained beyond capacity. Our schools are failing to produce graduates for current and future job markets. Many who are working are paid below a Rhode Island living wage. What do you propose to increase jobs, prepare graduates to be job-ready, protect those who are not employable, and assist the working class without childcare and other support systems in place?
2. To create constitutionally required balanced budget, the State has had to slash and underfund much-needed programs important to the people and vital to the future prosperity of Rhode Island. Based upon current trends, deficits are projected in the coming year. As a leader, how are you going to lead us out of this situation?
Ken Block (R) – Governor - blockforgovernor.com
My name is Ken Block, and I am running to be your next governor. My reasons for running are simple. I want my children, Sam (12) and Anna (10), to have the opportunity to find jobs and start their lives here in our great state. The way things are going, they will probably be forced to leave. That needs to change.
I own a home in Barrington and two businesses in Warwick. I’ve lived in Rhode Island for more than 20 years, and I want to bring real change to our state government.
I am a small business owner with direct experience in identifying wasteful spending. Back in the 90s, my team saved Texas over $1 billion dollars in wasteful spending, and I have a specific plan to do that here in Rhode Island. We will use these savings to lower our taxes and make our state more economically competitive. This is how we create jobs, lower our unemployment rate and keep our children from leaving our state to find better opportunities.
I was a leader in eliminating the master lever, and as governor I will guide the state through the Constitutional Convention and bring real reform to the General Assembly.
Rhode Islanders are tired of career politicians and political insiders. It’s time to reform our government and stop wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on corrupt special interests. My name is Ken Block, and I respectfully ask for your support.
Ken Block | Response
To fix Rhode Island’s worst-in-the-country unemployment, we need to fundamentally change our state’s economic climate. As long as Rhode Island is a higher cost place to do business than Massachusetts, we will lag economically.
To fix Rhode Island’s underperforming schools, we need to identify the children who are at risk of falling behind in the earliest educational years and provide the resources necessary to assure that all fourth graders are independent readers – something that states like Florida and Ohio do better than Rhode Island.
We cannot afford to graduate high school seniors into welfare. Over 70 percent of incoming freshman at CCRI requires remedial education. That is simply unacceptable.
Over the next four years, our budget deficit is expected to grow from $150 million to about $400 million. This is a crisis.
I am experienced in identifying waste and fraud in government programs – as well as using technology to make things more efficient. For example, replacing paper time sheets for state employees will save millions. The federal government estimates $140 million in waste in our Medicaid program – I will find the waste and recover the savings.
Allan W. Fung (R) – Governor - fungforgovernor.com
Born Feb. 25, 1970, in Providence, Allan W. Fung grew up working in his parents’ small business, a Chinese restaurant in Cranston. He graduated from Classical High School and Rhode Island College. He received his Juris Doctor from Suffolk University and completed the prestigious Leadership Rhode Island program. After working as an attorney and prosecutor with the Rhode Island Attorney General, he joined MetLife as Government Relations Counsel in 2001.
Fung was elected to the Cranston City Council in 2002 and 2004. In 2008, he was elected mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island’s third largest city, making history as Rhode Island’s first Asian-American mayor, and he was reelected in 2010. In 2012, Fung again made history as the first Cranston mayor to have been reelected without opposition.
Fung has accomplished a number of ambitious objectives, reforming government and boosting economic development by supporting existing businesses and bringing more than 1,000 new private sector jobs into Cranston. He reduced operational expenses through innovative cost-saving measures, such as consolidation of services with other municipalities. He reformed local pensions, saving taxpayers more than $6 million in one year and became the first mayor in R.I. to replace defined benefit government pensions with 401(k) style retirement plans for new municipal employees in two major public employee unions. For the third consecutive year, Fung has balanced the city budget with no tax increase and accumulated budget surpluses in each of those years.
Allan W. Fung | Response
The greatest challenge now facing Rhode Island is getting our people back to work. I proposed a comprehensive tax reform plan to make our state the most competitive in the Northeast. To further reduce unemployment and create real opportunity, I also have pledged to work with business leaders to reduce the red tape that stands in the way of business and proposed a venture seed fund to encourage entrepreneurship and promote business development.
We need innovation and accountability in education and modern workforce training to ensure that students and workers have the skills necessary to participate meaningfully in the 21st century workplace. To help, I have offered a comprehensive plan to reform education and worker training to promote science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
To control government spending and realign fiscal priorities, we must reform the way our government operates. I will stand up to insider politics and special deals, such as 38 Studios, which cast a dark shadow on the reputation of our state. I have proposed government reforms including term limits, voter initiative, and greater authority for the State Ethics Commission to bring added transparency and accountability to our state.
Clay Pell (D) – Governor - claypell.com
Clay Pell’s vision and ideas are rooted in his unique experience in government and his strong belief in public service as one of the strongest forms of tikun olam. After law school, he joined the Coast Guard and had the privilege of leading men and women in uniform. Clay represented the government as a prosecutor in military courtrooms, as well as with international military personnel.
Pell joined President Obama’s national security team, serving as director for strategic planning. It was Pell’s job to bring together stakeholders across the federal government – from the Department of Defense to the Department of Education – and look at opportunities for their engagement in foreign policy and national security.
The president appointed him deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Education, where he led the government’s efforts to equip students with the language and international education skills needed to succeed in the world economy.
Pell graduated first in his class from the Coast Guard Direct Commission Officer School, earned his J.D. from Georgetown University, and graduated from Harvard College. He continues to drill as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve in East Providence. He resides in Providence with his wife, Michelle Kwan.
R.I. once grew because we were at the intersection of the movement of goods, people, and ideas – that is how we will grow again – by building on the unique assets of our state: the maritime and creative economies and our natural resources-based industries.
Clay Pell – Response
I have proposed a real plan, filled with new ideas and actions that I can begin my first day in office, to take a more strategic approach to our economy and budget and make Rhode Island ready for tomorrow. I will restore funding to programs that help our most vulnerable people.
I will establish Hope Internships, so every public high school student can take part in a career training internship. And I will create Hope Scholarships, inspired by Pell Grants, to tackle the debt burdening today’s students.
I’ve proposed a comprehensive Women’s Equality Agenda, to fulfill the promise of equal pay for equal work and ensure full access to reproductive care.
I’ll fix our crumbling bridges and roads, and build on our ports to take advantage of our unique geographic location and create jobs.
It all begins by reforming the broken politics that have held back our state for too long – I am the only candidate for governor who has refused to take a dime from PACs and state lobbyists – because I don’t want to be their governor, I want to be yours.
Gina Raimondo (D) – Governor - ginaraimondo.com
A proven problem-solver, Gina is running for governor to lead Rhode Island’s comeback. A former business owner, she worked with small businesses and helped create over a thousand jobs. Now, the centerpiece of her comprehensive jobs plan is a strategy to attract the manufacturing jobs that are coming back from overseas by building on our strengths and focusing on industries like food science, industrial design, marine science and health care technology. Gina is calling for equal pay for equal work, a raise in the minimum wage, a new scholarship fund to make college more affordable and a student loan forgiveness program for college graduates who stay in our state to work or start a new business. She is a staunch advocate for reproductive freedom and marriage equality and has taken on the gun lobby and the payday lending industry.
As treasurer, Gina brought people together to take on the $7 billion pension shortfall and saved cities and towns from potential bankruptcy. She fixed the Crime Victims Compensation Fund after inheriting a 900 claim backlog and expanded it to include relocation costs for victims of domestic violence. And under her leadership, an audit found $12 million dollars the big life insurance companies owed to Rhode Islanders, putting that money back in families’ pockets.
Gina has been endorsed by Emily’s List, 10 unions including the Rhode Island Building & Construction Trades Council as well as Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts and Myrth York. Born and raised in Smithfield, Gina is the mother of two children who attend the Providence public schools.
Gina Raimondo – Response
1.Rhode Island is on the brink and the only solution to our challenges is economic growth. My approach is to create some jobs right away– getting people back to work rebuilding our roads, bridges and schools and by promoting tourism—but more than that we need a long-term manufacturing strategy that builds on our strengths. And we need to train our workforce to fill these high-skill, high-pay advanced manufacturing jobs. We need to turn our economy around in a way that doesn’t leave anyone behind and invest in critical social services. I’m running for governor to lead Rhode Island’s comeback.
2. This is exactly why we had to do pension reform: As our payments into the pension system increased, critical government services were being crowded out, and often cut or scaled back. Instead made the tough choices to preserve quality government services. Too many politicians automatically raise taxes or cut services to pay for government programs; but we can’t cut and tax our way out of this problem. We need a government that works more effectively with the money it has; and focuses on outcomes.
Angel Taveras (D) – Governor - angel2014.com
Angel Taveras grew up on the South Side of Providence. He was raised by a single mother who worked second shift to support her family and give her children opportunities for success.
Taveras went from Head Start to Harvard through Providence public schools. After graduating from Harvard and Georgetown Law, he returned home and established himself as a respected elections lawyer.
As mayor, he eliminated Providence’s $110 million structural deficit, pulling the city back from the brink of bankruptcy.
He took a voluntary pay cut because when he asked residents to try to do more with less, he made sure the government did too.
Through leadership and collaboration with workers, unions, retirees, and universities and hospitals, Taveras protected city services and paved the way for economic development.
His work to encourage innovation in education has gained national recognition, including the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge $5 million grand prize.
As governor, Angel will continue to push for policies that help the middle class and everyone striving to build a better life such as closing the pay equity gap, raising the minimum wage, implementing universal pre-kindergarten and making college more affordable.
He lives with his wife, Farah, and daughter, Farah Rose.
Angel Taveras – Response
We need to build a diverse economy from technology to tourism. I have proposed plans that would improve our infrastructure, partner CCRI with prospective employers to help close our skills gap and get people back to work, and promote our tourism industry. I have also proposed comprehensive plans to improve education in our state which is essential to getting us on the right track. I also believe we should raise the minimum wage as quickly as possible.
We need a comprehensive review of our budget. As mayor, I was able to close a $110 million structural deficit that was one-sixth the size of our city budget in order to save Providence from bankruptcy. I brought people together and stressed that we needed new thinking and that “that’s the way things have always been done” was never the right answer. Providence now spends less on the city-side than when I first took office and we have put the city on a path of fiscal sustainability while continuing to invest in our priorities. I am confident I can bring this same leadership to the State House.
http://angel2014.com/issues/education/
http://angel2014.com/issues/jobs-economic-development/
Mayor of Providence Candidates -
Questions asked to all candidates running for Mayor of Providence:
1. Providence schools are failing to produce graduates for current and future job markets. What steps would you take to assure students can meet the rigors of higher education and the demands of the competitive job market?
2. There is growing concern about gun violence incited by gangs, domestic violence, the late-night clubs scene and random shootings. What would you do to make Providence a safer city, especially related to gun violence?
Jorge Elorza (D) – Mayor of Providence - ElorzaforMayor.com
The central theme of my campaign is “One Providence,” the idea that we all rise and succeed together. I want to build a vibrant, unified city in which everyone in every neighborhood has the opportunity to succeed. I was given those same opportunities and nothing is more important to me than preserving and strengthening them for the next generation.
I was born in Providence, the child of Guatemalan immigrants who worked in factories.
The Providence Public Schools provided me the pathway out of poverty. I almost didn’t graduate from high school, yet went on to graduate first in my accounting class at the University of Rhode Island because people believed in me. That led me to a successful career on Wall Street, but after the murder of a close childhood friend, I returned home and have dedicated the rest of my life to serving the community. After attending Harvard Law, I again returned to Providence to provide free legal services to people living in slum conditions or facing eviction. I also specialized in housing law as a professor at Roger Williams University Law School, because safe, affordable housing is an essential building block of a better life. When I served on the Providence Housing Court, I pioneered a process to hold the big banks accountable for the abandoned properties in our neighborhoods.
I am running for Mayor to build trust in government, to build on our economic and creative strengths, and to build a city that’s inclusive of our great diversity. That’s what “One Providence” means to me.
Jorge Elorza – Response
1. I believe in full-service community schools and my approach to curriculum and assessments addresses this challenge head-on. We will create a system of multiple pathways that allow students to develop their full potential in ways that are aligned with their strengths and interests. We will offer more Extended Learning Opportunities so students can build the skills and experiences outside the classroom that will prepare them for life after graduation. Common Core will still be our benchmark, but we will put more focus on developing the creativity, critical thinking and relationship building skills that will meet the demands of the 21st century job market.
2. I will emphasize community policing and have officers literally walking their beats to build relationships and trust within the community, and engage the police department as a partner in community development. I will actively seek out every possible source of federal or other outside funding to put more officers on our streets. I will also engage business owners to return safety and order to our nighttime economy, enforce strict standards and hold violators accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
For more about my ideas and policy proposals on these and other issues, please visit the “Issues” page of my website, www.ElorzaforMayor.com.
Michael Solomon (D) – Mayor of Providence - solomonforpvd.com
I love Providence. I was born here, raised here and built my businesses here. I started working in my father’s pharmacy at the age of 6, and I have been involved in small businesses ever since. I opened my own restaurant in Olneyville and purchased a catering company several years later with my wife Denise. Together we have raised three daughters in Providence and are now proud grandparents.
In 2011, I was elected president of the Providence City Council. Immediately, Mayor Taveras and I worked together to address a $110 million structural deficit. Three years later – after many tough decisions – our city is on the mend. Our external auditors recently reported we closed the year with a $1.6 million operating surplus.
Now we need to move forward with a bold vision for our city. I believe that vision begins with investing in our future. That is why I have proposed a $250 million plan to rebuild our schools. This proposal will provide our children with first-rate classrooms, create 2,000 jobs and revitalize our neighborhoods. I voted for the rehabilitation of Nathan Bishop Middle School, and I am amazed at what it has done for the surrounding community.
I am running for mayor because I believe in Providence. I know we are filled with opportunity, because I was given so many opportunities here growing up. I want to be your mayor so we can continue the progress of the last three years and create a city of opportunity for all.
Michael Solomon – Response
1. Our students of today are our workforce of tomorrow. We can better prepare them for the diverse job market they face through autonomous schools. School autonomy means stakeholders are empowered to take greater ownership of their school community through shared decision-making, which provides many benefits – namely a more tailored curriculum. A move toward autonomous schools builds productively on the foundation for success that the Providence Public Schools have created through the implementation of criteria-based hiring, a unified curriculum and other changes. Autonomous schools represent not a shift in direction but the next step in our school system’s evolution.
2. Our children need to learn at a young age that violence is not the answer. I will make non-violence training a part of our elementary school curriculum so our children can learn to mediate their differences through non-violence. My first act as mayor will be to call for an additional police academy to train 40 officers. This will allow our police to be more flexible and actuate a true community-policing model. With a true community-policing model in place and neighbors looking out for neighbors, we can improve public safety in Providence.
Chris Young (D) – Mayor of Providence - www.WhereToVote.com
Together we can do this! I, Chris Young, have a strategic plan to bring companies, the state, and the city together for job training for students to obtain the jobs skills that employers want for hiring.
Students need practical skills that are requested in the help wanted section of the newspaper such as programming in C, C++, C Sharp and other programming languages, and other software knowledge. Students should be able to get a CNA, electrician’s or plumber’s license while they study to get their high school diploma. This will be funded by reducing the city bond indebtedness and by taxing Brown University, which owns one-third of the city but pays no legislatively forced property tax.
Together we will add 150 new police officers to the police department by 2017. We need to go to the root of crime in Providence by increasing the size of the gang, narcotics and organized crime task force as well as by restricting zoning. To reduce auto-related crime, we will build more parking garages and offer free citywide on-street parking for residents, and we will repeal the car tax. Chris Young’s website is WhereToVote.com
Thank you,
Chris
477-6178
Chris Young – Response
Christopher Young has run for mayor of Providence four times and received 26 percent of the vote in the 2006 election. After each of these prior elections, property taxes went up in Providence and the city has maintained one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Providence also now has $2 billion of unfunded debt. Chris is the national director of the National Civil Rights Coalition and is an electrical engineer. He went from being an orphan in South Providence to going to Classical High school and graduating from Boston University.
In past elections, we have learned that candidates for mayor of Providence can say all the right words – making promises they do not keep. Let us to work together, and this time let us stop the deception. I would have reduced property taxes and debt, created jobs, repaired the potholes, and reduced crime. Together we will reduce taxes in Providence through a comprehensive strategic plan. First, we must increase revenue by reducing the city’s bond indebtedness by having a state bond issued at a lower interest rate and refinancing our bond indebtedness interest rates to the lower rate. This will save millions that will be used to repeal the car excise tax, reduce residential and commercial property taxes, and fund programs. Second, we must have those who pay no taxes and who own over $1 billion in property assets, like Brown University, to begin to pay their fair share of taxes, excluding constitutionally protected religious institutions.
Secretary of State Candidates -
Questions posed to all candidates running Gen. Treasurer and Secretary of State
1. What would you do to make Rhode Island a more business-friendly state?
2. What do you propose to increase voter turnout at the primary and general elections
Guillaume de Ramel (D) – Secretary of State - deramel.com
Guillaume de Ramel lives where he grew up – Aquidneck Island – with his wife Molly and their two young children, Charlie and Elizabeth. For generations, through the Prince Charitable Trusts and later the De Ramel Foundation, Guillaume and his family have supported educational, environmental, health care and social needs in Rhode Island.
Whether it’s providing funding for a collaborative effort between Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University’s Neuroscience Institute, Rhode Islanders United for Marriage, Ocean State Action, or serving on the Coastal Resources Management Council, Guillaume has dedicated himself to improving the lives of Rhode Islanders.
Today, he seeks to continue giving back to his community by becoming Rhode Island’s next secretary of state
de Ramel has started businesses and helped grow a small Newport construction company, generating jobs in aviation, construction and real estate. He has seen how the business climate in R.I. suffers from too much red tape and too little action. Every business starts with the secretary of state, and Guillaume is dedicated to implementing important reforms to make R.I.competitive.
Protecting every Rhode Islander’s right to vote – from voters stranded in-line to cast a ballot or a service member stationed overseas – he is committed to instituting meaningful improvements to make our state a beacon of civic participation in New England.
Whether starting a business, casting a ballot or seeking public information, Guillaume believes as the next secretary of state that he can continue to make a difference in Rhode Island.
Guillaume de Ramel – Response
I’ve started businesses in Rhode Island and seen firsthand how difficult it can be for businesses to get things done in our state, let alone stay profitable. Small businesses should not need a team of lawyers or an army of lobbyists to navigate our 74 regulatory bodies to be successful.
If elected, I will provide a roadmap of our state government, implement a uniform business identification code to ease communications and, above all, make Rhode Island an easier place to do business.
The time has come to modernize the way Rhode Islanders vote, and we must increase voter participation. Adopting methods that have been successful in other states, such as in-person early voting, online voter registration and same-day voter registration is a start.
I also want to boost accountability on the Board of Elections, a body that holds so much power over how ballots are cast, counted or not counted. My plan (www.deramel.com/ModernizeElections) will give the elected secretary of state a seat at the table, apply the Administrative Procedures Act and update statutes to be consistent with federal law.
Nellie Gorbea (D) – Secretary of State - nelliegorbea.com
Nellie has deep roots in Rhode Island. You can see her commitment to serving our community in the many organizations she has helped lead, including: United Way of Rhode Island, the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, Salve Regina University, Providence Chamber of Commerce – Innovation Providence Committee, R.I. Free Clinic, Gateway Healthcare, Neighborhood Health Plan of R.I., and the R.I. Latino Political Action Committee. She is founding president of the R.I. Latino Civic Fund. Nellie’s leadership has been recognized by many: Providence Business News which awarded her one of the 2009 Women to Watch, she received the 2013 César Estrada Chávez Award Committee and the 2013 Latino Public Radio Community Excellence Award. Nellie has over 20 years in the private and public sectors. A working mom and former deputy secretary of state (2002 to 2006), Nellie is ready to lead that office on day one.
As secretary of state, Nellie will make sure elections are fair, fast and accurate. She will make sure that businesses find it easy to start and thrive. Finally, Nellie will shine a light on government, how it works and who is trying to influence government.
Nellie Gorbea – Response
1. Nellie Gorbea will streamline starting a business in R.I.
In 2003, as deputy secretary of state, she led the creation of Rhode Island’s first online business application. A one-stop portal is her next goal. Businesses should be able to get the licenses required to operate online. The secretary of state currently collects data that is not easy to use nor easily accessible to the public. When elected, Nellie will ensure that Rhode Islanders are able to easily access the information collected by the secretary of state. Nellie believes if information is not easy to get and easy to use, we should not spend taxpayer dollars on it.
2. She believes that democracy works best when people actively participate in voting. Her goal is that all eligible voters can and do vote. She has 20 years of promoting civic engagement. As deputy secretary of state, she simplified voter and candidate information, created the statewide voter registration system and enabled voters to find their information online. Nellie has the experience and knowledge to increase voting levels through public education campaigns, developing online voter registration and election system reform.
Lieutenant Governor Candiates -
No questions were asked of candidates running for Lieutenant Governor
Frank Ferri (D) – Lieutenant Governor - frankferri.org
In my family, we call it community. Growing up in Providence, when a neighbor was sick, or out of work, the neighborhood rallied around them. My mother cooked a little extra and shared whatever we had.
In the Jewish tradition, it’s called tikun olam.
I am running for lieutenant governor because of my commitment to our community.
I will work to solve Rhode Island’s many challenges. I will advocate for entrepreneurs and small business to revitalize our economy. I will also be commited to healthcare reform.
We can build our economy and provide for the social justice needs of our community.
Frank grew up working at his grandparents’ Modern Ice Cream Parlor. For the last 30 years, his family has operated Town Hall Lanes.
Frank and his husband Tony have been together for 33 years. They married in Vancouver in 2006.They got involved in Marriage Equality Rhode Island so they could get married in their home state.
Upon passage of legislation he co-sponsored legalizing same-sex marriage in 2013, he renewed his vows on the first day it was legal, with hundreds in attendance.
In 2007 he ran for state representative. He won with more than 50 percent of the vote.
In 2012, his Good Samaritan Overdose Protection Act legislation was enacted; protecting people from liability if they administer medication to a person they believe has overdosed.
Ferri is a graduate of Classical High School in Providence and received a B.S. from Bryant College.
This statement was edited for length by Marty Cooper.
Ralph Mollis (D) – Lieutenant Governor - mollis2014.com
I am an everyday Rhode Islander who is seeking to be your next lieutenant governor. As the father of three adult children, and grandfather of three young grandchildren, I am personally acquainted with the struggle many families face when their children and grandchildren are forced to leave the state to find work.
This is why I will focus on promoting policies that will generate growth and create jobs in Rhode Island. As we approach the primary, I would like to thank you for your consideration.
He is a graduate of North Providence High School, Saint Anselm College and attended Southern New England School of Law.
He was vice president/director of operations of a national pension and investment advisory firm, He worked in the private sector before becoming mayor of North Providence, where he was labeled a hands-on, business-oriented leader and proven results. He was elected secretary of state in 2006 and has introduced e-commerce tools for small business, made government more open and transparent, and has overseen initiatives resulting in record voter registrations and record turnout(s).
In his second term as secretary of state, he has served on national boards and received numerous honors during his years in public service. He hopes to use his experience to transform the office of lieutenant governor into a customer service-friendly and business-oriented office to stimulate Rhode Island’s lagging economy.
This statement was edited for length by Marty Cooper.
General Treasurer Candiates -
Questions asked to all candidates running for General Treasurer:
1. What would you do to make Rhode Island a more business-friendly state?
2. What do you propose to increase voter turnout at the primary and general elections?
Frank Caprio (D) – General Treasurer - frankcaprio.com
Frank T. Caprio is a lifelong Rhode Islander who resides on the same street in Providence where his grandfather first settled when he immigrated to America 95 years ago. Frank’s career has focused on finance, law and public service. He has represented small businesses and individuals as an attorney and also has led acquisitions for a multinational company. Frank served as Rhode Island state treasurer from 2007-2010, as well as a former Finance Committee chairman for the Rhode Island Senate.
Caprio has a proven track record of fighting for Rhode Island taxpayers. While general treasurer, Frank drastically lowered the fees the pension fund paid to Wall Street money managers and Rhode Island paid some of the lowest management fees in the country while outperforming national leading funds such as the California and Massachusetts pension funds as well as both the Harvard and Yale endowments.
Caprio is married to his wife Gabriella and has two children, Ashley and Frank II.
“If I am returned to the treasurer’s office, my first act would be to immediately stop the flow of Rhode Island taxpayer money to Wall Street money managers. When I left the office in 2010, Rhode Island paid on average $12 million a year in fees while outperforming our peers. Today, four years later, close to $80 million a year is paid to Wall Street while our returns have underperformed our peers. This trend needs to stop, and if elected as treasurer, I will do just that.”
Frank Caprio – Response
1. The treasurer’s office can be a catalyst for job creation and economic growth. I’ve proposed a Small Business Loan Program to help businesses get the access to capital they need to grow and create jobs. Currently, the pension fund makes loans all over the world, not necessarily in R.I. I will change this practice immediately. Our small businesses are too often bogged down in government red tape. My vision for the treasurer’s office is for it to be an advocate for all Rhode Islanders and businesses providing superior on-demand customer-service, helping anyone who needs a guide through Rhode Island’s economic policies.
2. Low voter turnout happens because, sadly, many people feel they have no voice in how Rhode Island is operated at the State House. The only way of changing this trend is to elect the right people that get results for Rhode Islanders. Engaging with communities and showing them that positive change can occur is the way to re-engage the public by using their voices at the polls.
Seth Magaziner (D) – General Treasurer - sethmagaziner.com
Seth Magaziner is from Bristol and lives in Providence. He began his career as an elementary school teacher in rural Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He was vice president of Trillium Asset Management, which manages more than $1 billion in assets. He is a graduate of Brown University, and holds a Masters in Business Administration from Yale. Magaziner is a Democratic candidate for General Treasurer.
I’m running for treasurer because I have a Blueprint for investing more in Rhode Island, to create jobs here. As treasurer, I will use the office as an engine for economic growth and job creation. I will invest in rebuilding our infrastructure, putting people back to work fixing our roads, bridges and schools. I’m an investment professional, and I will bring a steady hand to our state’s finances, and ensure we never have to go through another painful pension reform.
I have been endorsed by both business and labor leaders, as well as by former Rep. Patrick Kennedy and President Bill Clinton. I’m optimistic about the future of Rhode Island, and know that with new leadership and investment in our state, we can put Rhode Islanders back to work.
Seth Magaziner – Response
I am the only candidate in the treasurer’s race with a plan to invest in Rhode Island and put people back to work. Our infrastructure is crumbling and our investment in education is shameful. Businesses want to relocate to states with the infrastructure to manufacture and transport their products. My Blueprint for Rhode Island invests in our state to create jobs here, now and in the future.
I will also make a clean break from the insider politics and mismanagement that are holding our state back. Businesses don’t want government to pick winners and losers—that’s what the private sector is for. Businesses want leaders who are committed to growing the economy and creating jobs.
Rhode Island is facing some tough challenges. We have the highest unemployment rate in the country, and are plagued by a culture of insider politics and mismanagement. It’s time for fresh ideas and new leadership. People aren’t excited to vote for more of the same – they’re excited for new faces and new ideas. My campaign is rallying support from Rhode Islanders from Cumberland to Westerly and everywhere in between.
State Representative | District 4 Candidates -
Aaron Regunberg (D) – State Representative | District 4 - regunbergforrep.com
Aaron Regunberg is an education advocate who has a proven track record of winning real progress on critical issues in Providence.
Four years ago, Aaron founded the Providence Student Union, a nationally recognized youth nonprofit that supports young people in civic engagement and has received the Rhode Island Foundation’s Best Practices Award and the ACLU’s Civil Libertarian of the Year Award. He has spent the last four years bringing students, parents and educators together to win real change in our schools, including healthier school lunch options, more bus services for our children, repairs for crumbling school buildings, more student-centered learning and more.
Aaron graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a B.A. in Political Science. While there, he led a campaign to successfully pressure Brown to pay $30 million to the City of Providence for tax relief. He believes that we’re all better off when we have a fairer tax structure, and as state representative he will fight to reduce property taxes on our families and small businesses by increasing state aid to cities and towns.
Aaron fell in love with Providence the moment he moved here, and lives in the Mount Hope neighborhood. He serves on the board of directors of the Billy Taylor House, a youth enrichment and workforce development program in Mount Hope.
Aaron Regunberg – Response
As Jews, we have an obligation to carry out tzedekah. This doesn’t mean charity; it means justice, and I believe it is an injustice that fellow Rhode Islanders can work full time and live in poverty. Research shows that raising the minimum wage – by increasing low-wage workers’ spending power – also contributes to job growth. That is why I support raising the minimum wage to a living wage and tying this rate to inflation.
For the last decade our General Assembly has pursued tax policies that have resulted in a more regressive tax structure. For example, the state cut income tax rates at the upper margins, and offset the revenue loss by cutting state aid to cities and town, forcing municipalities to raise regressive property and excise taxes on families and businesses. As state representative, I will fight for a tax structure that is fair for all Rhode Islanders and that allows our state to make the investments – in education, infrastructure, etc. – that are fundamental to a strong economy.
Miriam Ross (D) – State Representative | District 4 - MiriamRossRI.com
Miriam Ross is a seasoned, experienced and trusted business attorney, community leader, teacher and mother. Rhode Island has been Miriam’s home for 28 years; she met her husband, Gary Kaufman, here and together raised their two children, Josh and Rachel, in Providence.
She worked as an in-house attorney for Textron and GTECH, negotiating domestic and international business transactions, drafting ethics policies, conducting confidential investigations and managing ethics programs in 83 jurisdictions on six continents. In 2004, she established her own law firm, providing legal services to women, minorities and small businesses. Ross also teaches courses on business ethics, governance and election law at Roger Williams University Law School.
She has been and continues to be involved in, committed to and passionate about Rhode Island. Miriam received the U.S. SBA’s Woman in Business Champion of the Year Award for Rhode Island and New England in recognition of her work as an advocate on small business issues and as a trusted legal advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs and business owners. She has consistently volunteered in the legal, business and local community, serving on city and statewide task forces, including the Providence Economic Task Force, Continuing Legal Education and Business Organizations Committees and a co-chair of the U.S.-SBA RI Economic Summit. She is on the board of Jewish Family Service, Temple Emanu-El Finance Committee and the Rhode Island Interfaith Commemoration of The Holocaust.
Miriam received her B.A. at the University of Michigan and earned her J.D. at Cleveland State University, College of Law.
Miriam Ross – Response
I support raising the minimum wage to $10.10 by 2015 and indexing it to the cost of living consistent with what Rhode Island’s congressional delegation is advocating at the federal level.
Economic growth is the chief solution to Rhode Island’s fiscal issues, which will boost our state’s tax revenue. A growing economy means more jobs and greater funding for cities and towns, especially for our schools and underfunded programs. I will advocate for: rebuilding Rhode Island’s infrastructure and renovating our public schools using local resources to create jobs; partnering RI businesses with CCRI and high schools to develop training programs for needed skills; restoring the historic tax credit to revitalize urban spaces; re-focusing state investments on RI small businesses; reducing/eliminating the $500 minimum tax on new businesses; keeping the personal income tax rate competitive; and supporting affordable housing, public transit and similar initiatives to build a sustainable community. Most importantly, I will champion pro-growth economic policies that facilitate and attract investment, business development and generate economic activity. I will advocate for rationalizing our business regulations to make doing business in Rhode Island predictable, straightforward, hospitable and efficient.
Heather Tow-Yick (D) – State Representative | District 4 - towyickfortomorrow.com
Heather Tow-Yick grew up in Providence and is a fourth generation resident of District 4. She started her educational journey at the Jewish Community Center, later attending Henry Barnard and Moses Brown.
After graduating with a B.A. from Brown University, Heather moved to New York, where she started her professional career through Teach For America as an English and Social Studies teacher in the Bronx. While in New York, she earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Columbia University Teachers College.
After several years training new teachers and serving as the special assistant to the chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, Heather earned an M.B.A. at M.I.T.’s Sloan School of Management.
Heather moved back to New York City, integrating her passion for mission-driven work with her interest in business by joining the Bridgespan Group as a strategy consultant. After a few years, she returned to Teach For America, this time as a member of the Human Assets team. In 2010, Heather became the founding executive director of Teach For America – Rhode Island. Heather continues to serve as the executive director at Teach for America – Rhode Island.
In 2011, she was recognized by Providence Monthly as “Top 10 to Watch,” and, in 2012, she was selected by Providence Business News as “Forty Under 40.” Heather lives in Providence in the same house where she grew up, and is married to Lt. Cmdr. William Clark, U.S. Navy.
Heather Tow-Yick – Response
Raising the minimum wage will improve the economic well-being of Rhode Islanders and strengthen the state’s economy. When we give working families a boost with an increase in the minimum wage, we know that these families will go out and spend their hard-earned money at local businesses. Overall, we also know that making a living on minimum wage puts families at a real disadvantage at or below the poverty line, so when we show a commitment to increasing this over time, we are showing a commitment to working families.
The minimum wage should in increased on Jan. 1, 2016, to $10 per hour and on Jan. 1, 2017, to $11 per hour which mirrors the increases passed in Massachusetts during last session. Rhode Island wants to remain competitive with our neighboring states. However, beyond 2017, our minimum wage should be indexed to inflation to keep pace with increased costs for families.
A legislator needs to know about how to manage budgets for the short and long term. In addition, knowing how to both raise revenue and manage expenses are the two sides of the budget equation, and we must do both effectively.
On the revenue side, we must find more ways to grow our economy. We can invest more in small and new businesses. We can restore the historic tax credits. And we should be investing in public education to ensure we have qualified workers in the state to fill positions.
As for expenses, we should be asking questions about whether we are spending money on the highest impact activities. And, we should ensure we are doing whatever we can to show fiscal responsibility for the dollars that are spent so we know whether the intended impact is achieved.
My own experience managing a budget of over $2 million in my role as an executive director with Teach For America to my responsibility at my first job matching the receipts with the cash register at my family’s restaurant business position me to effectively lead our state toward a financially sustainable future.
published by
