Brian Patrick Kennedy (D)
Occupation: Real Estate Appraiser – Kennedy Realty Appraisal, Ashaway, RI
Education: Master of Business Administration – Anna Maria College, Paxton, MA 1987; Bachelor of Arts – Providence College, Providence, RI 1983 (Double Major in History and General Social Studies); Chariho Regional High School – Diploma 1979.
Why you should vote for me: In these challenging times, it’s important to have steady, experienced leadership at the State House, and as your State Representative I am ready to continue to advocate for the citizens of Hopkinton and Westerly in District 38 and to get the job done for area residents.
1. The state budget always remains a big concern for Rhode Island and as we move away from federal stimulus funds, we need to ensure that we receive our fair share of State education aid in both Westerly and Hopkinton. I have led the charge to secure categorical regional transportation funding reimbursement for the Regional Schools and have worked with Governor McKee to make this aid a part of the budget process. I have also worked to eliminate the car tax, reducing state taxes on social security benefits and eliminating the state income tax on military pensions.
2. We continue to hear that Rhode Island has a low unemployment rate, however, we’re also seeing restaurants and businesses closing, and potentially layoffs on the horizon for some large companies. Job creation is important for our economy and much discussion has been generated regarding the use of tax incentives for companies to encourage job creation in Rhode Island. I want to work with the Governor’s Office, the Commerce Corporation and my colleagues in the General Assembly to ensure that incentives are offered in a fair process that benefits both small and large businesses. As we work to fortify the Rhode Island marketplace, we need to help the small businesses that are the backbone of our economy by providing them with the same opportunity to compete for financial incentives as large companies to grow their businesses.