RI Foundation: Use federal COVID aid to build homes, not to fix Superman Building

Patrick Anderson The Providence Journal PROVIDENCE — Rhode Islanders had plenty of ideas — more than 400, in fact — on how the state should spend its $1-billion American Rescue Plan windfall. They ranged from writing every resident a $600 check to investing in nuclear reactors to renovating the “Superman” building. But after six months of studying and compiling ideas, policy experts convened by the Rhode …

RI Foundation: Use federal COVID aid to build homes, not to fix Superman Building

The state needs to correction issues residents faced long before the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation’s president and CEO said By Alexa Gagosz Globe Staff,Updated October 19, 2021, 9:30 a.m. PROVIDENCE — Lawmakers in Rhode island are about to meet in committee hearings to develop ways in which Governor Dan McKee’s administration can spend the state’s $1.13 billion in federal dollars. …

RI Foundation panel sees housing, mental health, training as best uses of $1.1 billion federal windfall

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Affordable housing and support for hard-hit communities should be top priorities for Rhode Island leaders as they spend the state’s $1.1 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funding, according to a highly anticipated report released Tuesday. General Assembly leaders have been awaiting the recommendations from the 15-member steering committee — which was convened by the Rhode Island …

Opinion/Clausius-Parks and Katz: It’s time to raise the RI Works benefit amount

Paige Clausius-Parks and Linda Katz Guest columnists Paige Clausius-Parks is a senior policy analyst at Rhode Island KIDS COUNT. Linda Katz is the policy director at the Economic Progress Institute. While many of us may feel relieved with increasing numbers of vaccinations in RI and the gradual return to our previous lives, many low-income Rhode Islanders continue to face deep …

Advocates push to provide health insurance for all RI children, regardless of immigration status

By Steve Ahlquist Representative David Morales and Senator Sandra Cano called for passage of their legislation (H5714 / S0576) at a State house press conference on Thursday to ensure that all low-income children, regardless of immigration status, qualify for health insurance under the state’s RIte Care program. The legislation “would establish Rhode Island’s commitment to provide health insurance to all …

Activists call on RI House to raise taxes on the one percent

By Steve Ahlquist Community leaders, advocates, and lawmakers gathered outside the Veterans Memorial Auditorium on Thursday – the temporary meeting place of the Rhode Island House of Representatives – with a clear demand: it’s time to invest our communities’ well-being by raising revenue from the top 1% highest income earners in our state. “It’s time to invest in our people …

Activists call on RI House to raise taxes on the one percent

“It is important to pass this now,” said Rachel Flum of the Economic Progress Institute. “You may have heard that now is not the time because we’re getting a lot of federal dollars. But that is not the case. the way tax policy works is that it takes a while to get the revenue. If we pass this now, it …

Debunking the Providence Chamber / RIPEC false claims about increasing taxes on the top one percent

By Uprise RI On Thursday, UpriseRI editor and founder Steve Ahlquist held a discussion with Representative Karen Alzate (Democrat, District 60, Pawtucket) and three experts in public policy on legislation that, when passed, would raise the income tax on the top one percent of Rhode Islanders. The discussion was held in response to a video featuring Laurie White of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and Michael DiBiase of the Rhode Island Public Expenditures …

Raising the RI Works benefit increase will lift families out of deep poverty

The monthly benefit provided to families has not been increased in 30 years, while all other New England states have adjusted their benefit to help families’ purchasing power keep up with inflation. In February, 2400 families were receiving RI Works benefits, including 5,578 people. The benefit, averaging $6 per person per day, is the lowest in New England. The bills …

EPI calls for alternatives to budget cuts, including raising taxes

By Chris Bergenheim – August 31, 2020 11:47 am PROVIDENCE – The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been projected to cause a massive revenue shortfall for Rhode Island for fiscal 2021. The R.I. House Fiscal Office projects that the state will contend with a $617.7 million shortfall for the year, which will need to be addressed by the …