If April showers bring May flowers, what do May showers bring? You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** STORY OF THE WEEK: Rhode Island House […]
LEOBOR
Posted inPolitical Roundtable, Politics
Rhode Island House Majority Leader Chris Blazejewski on the housing crisis, state revenue, pensions and more
Rhode Island has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to address the state’s housing crisis. Despite that, there are few tangible signs of progress so far, and there’s pushback from some cities and towns and even from some Democratic lawmakers. At the same time, the gusher of federal COVID aid that enabled consecutive state budget surpluses has dried up. Because of that, large deficits once again loom ahead in future fiscal years. And Rhode Island continues to struggle with issues like underperforming schools and the quest for a more vibrant economy. So what will it take to make more progress on key issues like the housing crisis and the state’s fiscal outlook? This week on Political Roundtable, I’m going in-depth with the number two official in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, Majority Leader Christopher Blazejewski.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, Politics
On a lopsided vote, the Rhode Island House passes a bill to overhaul police discipline
A bill overhauling how Rhode Island police departments handle misconduct cleared an important hurdle Thursday, clearing the House of Representatives on a 58-to-14 vote, although supporters and critics clashed on whether the legislation goes far enough to ensure public accountability. Efforts to change the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, or LEOBOR, were a non-starter […]
Posted inLocal, Politics
Municipal leaders renew concerns about unfunded state mandates
With the General Assembly approaching the final months of the legislative session, mayors and town managers urged the legislature Monday to not impose new unfunded mandates on Rhode Island cities and towns. The local officials said they are contending with tight budgets and that additional spending required by legislation would make things worse. “When we […]
Posted inLocal, Politics, TGIF
Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for April 5, 2024
The state launches a legal probe of what went wrong with the bridge and suddenly the ground shakes. You can follow me through the week on threads and what we used to call the twitters. Here we go. *** Want to get my column in your inbox every Friday? Just sign up right here. *** […]
Posted inArticle
Woonsocket officer disciplined for wrongful arrest of homeless Liberian immigrant
A Woonsocket police detective who oversaw an investigation that resulted in the wrongful arrest and incarceration of Mack Blackie, a 35-year-old homeless Liberian immigrant, has been suspended without pay for 10 days and demoted to patrol officer. Timothy M. Hammond “failed to follow standard investigative procedures which ultimately led to the improper arrest of Mr. […]