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Rhode Island
R.I. House passes $14 billion state budget – The Boston Globe
Representative George A. Nardone, a Coventry Republican, proposed an amendment that would create an inspector general’s office within the lieutenant governor’s office.
Republicans have been pushing for years to create an inspector general’s office to investigate waste, fraud and abuse, but the idea has gone nowhere. This year, GOP lawmakers linked the idea to outrage over the closure of the westbound lanes of the Washington Bridge.
Minority Leader Michael W. Chippendale, a Foster Republican, said 23 states, the military, and the federal government have inspector general offices, and every $1 invested in those federal offices saves $21. “If anyone can point me to an investment with a 2100 percent return, throw it at me, as long as it’s legal,” he said.
Representative Evan P. Shanley, a Warwick Democrat, said the concept of an inspector general is “excellent,” but he said that proposal should be decided as part of a state constitutional convention. “I don’t think this is the right vehicle for it,” he said.
And House Floor Manager John G. “Jay” Edwards, a Tiverton Democrat, said it doesn’t make sense to put an independent inspector general inside the lieutenant governor’s office since that’s an “elected partisan office” with a $1.4 million budget and just eight employees. “This is not the mechanism to create the office of inspector general,” he said.
The amendment failed by a vote of 11 to 61.
Film tax credits defended
Representative Patricia A. Morgan, a West Warwick Republican running for the US Senate, proposed an amendment that would eliminate $20 million in motion picture tax credits and use that money to eliminate the the gross earnings tax on electric bills.
Morgan said it’s nice to see films made in Rhode Island, but she said the tax credit program has not created a movie industry in the state. And she said, “What we do have is a lot of constituents, small businesses, and large business being hammered with high electric rates.”
But Representative Jon D. Brien, a Woonsocket independent, said films such as “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale,” and episodes of the “The Brotherhood” series were filmed in Woonsocket, and it provided a boost to the city’s economy.
“The film industry will go elsewhere,” he warned. “Other cities and towns and states will do it. Let’s incentivize the movie industry here in Rhode Island and have movies filmed in our cities and towns.”
That amendment failed by a vote of 6 to 61.
Housing bond changed and approved
The budget includes a record $120 million housing bond that will be placed before voters in November. On Friday night, the House passed a floor amendment that would double the amount dedicated to “home ownership” from $10 million to $20 million while cutting the amount for “affordable housing” from $90 million to $80 million.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat, said that proposal came from Governor Daniel J. McKee’s office.
Shekarchi said housing is needed at every level, including market-rate housing, workforce housing, and affordable housing. “So in this budget and in this bond, there’s enough money for all of those things,” he said. “But I don’t think there’s any one magic bullet that solves it all.”
Representative Enrique Sanchez, a Providence Democrat, said a $120 million investment in housing “seems a little bit inadequate” in the context of a $14 billion budget. He said backs the budget overall, calling it “one of the most progressive budgets I have ever seen.” But he said the housing crisis calls for an investment of anywhere from $300 million to $1 billion.
Cost-of-living increases hailed
Legislators praised the budget for providing cost-of-living increases to pensioners who retired before 2012 rather than waiting until the retirement system is 80 percent funded. The budget would allow other pensioners to get COLAs once the system is 75 percent funded. And it would allow for calculating pension benefits based on the average of the highest three years of compensation rather than five years.
Representative Charlene M. Lima, a Cranston Democrat, noted she has been an outspoken critic of the 2011 pension overhaul championed by former state treasurer and governor Gina M. Raimondo, who is now the US commerce secretary. And she praised Shekarchi for including the cost-of-living increases in this year’s budget despite “substantial and unexpected burdens” such as replacing the Washington Bridge.
“Until today, we have not seen any substantial effort to begin to correct this injustice,” Lima said. “We will continue to do more to get more retirees their just desserts next session until all retirees are made whole.”
General Treasurer James A. Diossa has warned that those pension changes would increase the unfunded pension liability by $417 million and “could potentially have an impact on the state’s bond rating in the future.”
Medicaid reimbursements
Legislators noted the budget added $44 million to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates right away rather than phasing those increases in over three years, as proposed by McKee. Legislators said that would make a big difference for the state’s medical, clinical, social, and human service providers.
“We recognize a budget is a moral document and it is one that lays out an institution’s priorities,” said Representative David Morales, a Providence Democrat. “We have a budget that has made some the most significant increases in Medicaid reimbursement rates that this state has seen in decades — specifically for early intervention, home care services, adults being able to access a dentist. That has tangible effects on day-to-day lives of some of our most vulnerable.”
But Nardone said those reimbursement rate increases would not help Rhode Island address a shortage of primary care providers. “This has to be addressed,” he said.
RIPTA funding
The budget also boosted funding by $5 million for the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, helping the bus agency avoid previously proposed service cuts.
“We ensured there was funding so our public transportation system remained stable,” Morales said. “We heard directly from the agency (Thursday) that they were not going to move forward with any service cuts in the summer.”
Impact on businesses
While praising some aspects of the budget, Nardone said “as whole it does not do enough for the business community.” He the “most egregious” example was the decision to continue charging a $50 corporate minimum tax even though McKee had proposed eliminating it. “That is a flat tax paid by small businesses,” he said. “You pay it if you make money, you pay it if you lose money.”
Education funding
Providence, the largest school district which is now under a state takeover, had been slated to get a $300,000 cut to its $282 million in state aid under McKee’s proposal. But the House budget boosts aid to Providence increases by $11.7 million.
“(Providence Public School District) cannot hide behind the excuse of having insufficient funding in order to ensure that our schools are well staffed,” Morales said. So now he expects “we are going to reverse the layoffs of dozens of public school teachers, we are going to reverse the layoffs of social workers because that has had an impact on the morale of our students.”
The state Senate will take up the budget next week as the legislature enters what is expected to be its final week.
Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.
House Speaker Shekarchi unveils 2026 RI housing legislative package
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s nine-bill package for 2026 seeks to cut red tape and relax rules on parking, dividing lots and staircases.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi is once again taking aim at the regulations he says are stifling new homebuilding.
The Warwick Democrat unveiled his sixth annual suite of housing legislation on Thursday, Feb. 26, a few weeks after announcing he would not be running for governor this year.
“We are still trying to play catch-up for all the years that Rhode Island was dead last in the country for new housing starts,” Shekarchi said. “While Rhode Island remains a relatively affordable option for people moving here from other states, our own residents are too often priced out of the neighborhoods they grew up in.”
The legislative text of the nine-bill housing package, and with it the specifics of how it would work, were not available for Thursday’s news conference.
But highlights of the package, according to summaries, include:
- Infill housing. Allow property owners to divide lots in single-family zoning districts, creating multiple dwellings instead of one, provided they have water and sewer service.
- Parking maximums. Put new limits on how much off-street parking communities require for new apartment buildings.
- Homeless Bill of Rights. Expand the state’s Homeless Bill of Rights to require 15-day notice to the occupants of encampments before local authorities clear them.
- Emergency shelters. Let communities build temporary shelters, such as the ECHO Village Pallet shelter in Providence, during a state of emergency.
- Stairs. Legalize the construction of four-story apartment buildings with a single staircase.
- Affordable housing taxes. Overhaul the tax system for income-restricted housing covered by the state’s “8 Law.”
Is land-use reform working?
Since Shekarchi was elected speaker in 2021, the General Assembly has passed dozens of bills he backed that tweaked state land-use statutes or streamlined the process for building.
How successful this approach has been is subject to debate.
Many local elected officials wary of development in their communities continue to rail against efforts to erode their power over construction.
Others in the growing Yes In My Back Yard movement see Rhode Island’s piecemeal approach as inadequate in comparison with the scale of the affordability problem and what other states are doing.
As evidence that his changes are making a difference, Shekarchi said Rhode Island saw a 70% increase in building permits in 2023 and a more modest increase in 2024. (Statistics for last year were not immediately available.)
Gov. Dan McKee’s 2030 plan calls for 15,000 new housing units built by that year.
Democratic primary challenger Helena Foulkes is slated to roll out her housing plan on Monday.
It is expected to include a millionaires tax to fund affordable housing, a revolving fund and target of 20,000 new homes.
What would the new laws do?
Letting property owners put multiple homes on a plot of land is one of the most direct ways that lawmakers can encourage the construction of more homes, but it is also one of the most controversial.
That’s especially true in areas zoned for large lots and single-family homes.
How far the new bill allowing lots to be subdivided in single-family zones goes is unclear. It is sponsored by Rep. Stephen Casey, D-Woonsocket.
Legislation setting maximum parking requirements for new developments, introduced by Rep. Joshua Giraldo, D-Central Falls, would apply to areas accessible by public transit.
Critics of off-street parking requirements say they make it harder to build new apartments and make the units that are built more expensive.
Shekarchi proposed the emergency shelter bill last year. It passed the House and died in the Senate.
It was the result of how long it took state officials to navigate Rhode Island’s building code and open the ECHO Village Pallet shelter in Providence.
The staircase bill, sponsored by Rep. June Speakman, a Warren Democrat and chair of the House’s home affordability study commission, follows a wave of cities and states relaxing rules on how many exits are required in new construction.
Currently, the state building code requires two stairways in buildings with more than three stories, and fire officials have opposed all efforts to change that.
Speakman’s bill would allow four-story buildings with a maximum of 16 units with a single staircase.
Supporters of single-stair buildings say they allow development of small sites that would otherwise sit vacant and allow family-sized units with more light and better ventilation.
A previous Rhode Island single-stair bill would have allowed six stories, but it died in committee.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order in mid-February to study the idea.
Rhode Island
One of Africa’s soccer giants will be based in Rhode Island for the World Cup – The Boston Globe
Providence has positioned itself as an alternative to Boston, one of the official host cities for the 2026 competition. Located just 30 miles away from Gillette Stadium — or “Boston Stadium” as it will be known during the World Cup — Rhode Island’s leaders have been touting the tiny state as more-affordable for fans and closer to the action. Seven matches, including a quarterfinal, are scheduled to be played in Foxborough.
“Today we announce that Ghana will be staying in Providence and we’d also like to extend an invitation to the fans and families to come to our city,” said Providence Mayor Brett Smiley in a statement on Thursday. “We are committed to being a festive destination for soccer fans from around the world.”
The news has created excitement among the local Ghanaian community in the state.
Kwame Larbi, the president of the Ghana Association of Rhode Island, said Ghana’s decision will be a chance for people to celebrate the West African country’s culture through its soccer team and an opportunity to see what successful Africans look like on a grand stage.
“The Black Stars represent everything Ghanaian. They are Ghana’s pride and joy, our strength, perseverance, and freedom,” he said. “Hosting the Black Stars at Bryant would mean so much for our community. More specifically, our youth. Representation is everything.”
Larbi said the local community plans to show out for the team with traditional Ghanaian dances at Foxborough when they face England on June 23.
“We will all be in our Ghana T-shirts, Ghana flags and our drums,” he said. “I just came from Ghana. My shirts are ready.”
This is the fifth time that Ghana has qualified for the World Cup. Their best showing was in 2010, when they reached the quarterfinal after defeating Team USA only to be eliminated when Uruguay prevented them from scoring in extra time with an intentional handball on the goal line. The team boasts some world-class talent who compete in top leagues around the world, such as star players Mohammed Kudus, who plays for the English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur, and Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City.
Larbi is bullish about Ghana’s chances at this year’s tournament.
“We are going to beat England. It’s a big name, but we have hope. We are going to surprise everyone, and with the spirit of brotherhood and all, we are going to be successful,” he said.
Rhode Island Congressman Gabe Amo said his father, who hails from Ghana, is excited about the team being based in the state.
“The first thing he texted back to me upon the announcement was ‘Nice. Exclamation point. Buy me a ticket,‘” he said. “There’s a lot of immigrants and immigrant kids who are going to feel some special feelings across the weeks that Ghana has us as their home base.”
Amo said he hopes Ghanaian fans from places such as Worcester, Mass., and New York City will join their compatriots in Rhode Island and create a vibrant atmosphere in the state.
“This is a big deal for our state. We get to showcase all the things that make us special — our food, our amazing Rhode Island summer and our people — to Ghana,” he said. “So it’s going to be great soccer … and it’s going to be a great setting for the World Cup.”
State officials say that the team’s training sessions will be closed to the public, but the country’s football association was planning some events with young players in the state.
“We’re working hard to ensure that the FIFA World Cup leaves behind a legacy of passion for the sport and a commitment to growing the game of soccer in Rhode Island. Partnering with the Black Stars will fuel these young players’ passion,” said Jonathan Walker, executive director of the Rhode Island Sports Commission.
For Larbi, he said Rhode Island’s Ghanaian community is ready to prepare some jollof rice for the team. He has lived in Rhode Island for more than 40 years and he never thought that he would see his country’s national team be based in the state for such a huge tournament.
“It has never occurred to us that one day the Ghana Black Stars will be based in Rhode Island…competing for the World Cup,” he said. “It’s not only Ghanaians, but it’s for the whole of Africa.”
Omar Mohammed can be reached at omar.mohammed@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter (X) @shurufu.
Rhode Island
Cat saved after days stuck in a tree following the blizzard that blanketed Rhode Island
Local News
Matt Lyons said he climbed 40 to 50 feet to save Pixie, who was stuck up in a tree during Rhode Island’s record snowstorm.
Pixie, a white and gray cat, weathered Rhode Island’s historic blizzard — stuck 50 feet up in the tree for nearly two full days. But, with three feet of snow on the ground, a local man climbed up and brought her back down to safety.
“She wanted to be safe. She was just petrified, overall freezing. Couldn’t stop shaking,” Matthew Lyons told Boston.com about the rescue. “For about half the climb down, I put her in my sweatshirt and let her head peek out so she could breathe.”
Heather MacKinnon, of East Providence, first noticed her neighbor’s cat Pixie high up in a tree in the shared backyard on Monday evening, as the hurricane-like winds blew and the snow piled quickly. The cat’s owner had been trying to get Pixie to come down from the tree since Sunday evening.
“This went on for hours. We tried everything that we could,” MacKinnon said, adding that they tried to help the cat with a two-by-four, stacking plastic chairs, and rolling over old tires left in the backyard.
Ultimately, the neighbors went to sleep Monday evening without getting the cat down, MacKinnon said. Police, fire, and animal control all said they couldn’t help, she said, advising the neighbors to instead reach out to tree services.
“I’m admitting defeat around like 10 o’clock that night, and everyone went back inside, and I’m just like, oh my god, what am I gonna do?” MacKinnon recalled. She called her aunt, who suggested sharing the situation on the Nextdoor app, a hyperlocal social media app that connects neighbors.
Lyons, a member of Ironworkers Local 37, and his sister saw the post on Tuesday.
“We were actually out shoveling and just decided to go see what we could do about it,” Lyons said. His sister saw the post on Nextdoor, and “if she can go out and help a person or an animal, she will,” Lyons said.
With loaders working to clear unplowed roads, it was difficult to get to the cat, Lyons said, but eventually they got to the tree, buried in snow. Using a nearby chicken wire fence, Lyons said he got to the low limbs nearly 10 feet off the ground.
“I’m confident with free climbing and all that stuff, and climbing that tree was really nothing,” Lyons said about what he estimated was 40 to 50 feet.
Once he got to the top, he put Pixie in his sweatshirt to begin his descent. When he was closer to the bottom, the neighbors congregating threw him a backpack to put Pixie in for him to safely climb down.
“It was crazy to watch,” MacKinnon said. “It was really incredible.”
Lyons said the neighbors almost seemed in shock, including the owner. Pixie is now back with her owner and doing well, MacKinnon said.
“They were very happy and relieved that the cat was down,” Lyons said. “They almost couldn’t believe it.”
Watch: Cat high up in the tree the night of the storm
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