budget responsibility
rappers
who’s to blame?
Rappers believe by 57-36 that the Rhode island budget crisis is the fault of the legislature, not the governor…the comments run the gamut though…and not a few of you say it’s the fault of voters for putting into office irresponsible fiscal managers. Here we go….
With regards to the budget crisis in the State of Rhode Island, placing blame is useless. Rhode Islanders, which include the Governor and the General Assembly, need to raise their financial awareness and work together with properly allocating funds, cutting costs and devoting their passions for a better community, accordingly.
JW, Providence
you’d have to be a real idiot to blame the governor for this mess the general assembly has got to take this mess on their own. look at what they did this week on the co-payment for health care they weren’t about to give up on that perk, that wasn’t the head man’s fault. i really don’t know what it’s going to take to get these people to wake up but i for one will not vote for one incumbent in again
cowboy joe
You for got to put BOTH, they are BOTH equally to blame. the gov for his head in the sand, give my friends high paying jobs that I created for them.
The idiots on the hill for their living high on our money. Taking care of all their special interests friends and families.
It is disgusting and as far as no new taxes you can bet the towns are gonna kill us. I have NO more to give and I know I am not alone.
Judith, Coventry
The legislature - no question. They are the only ones who can spend the money and it’s spending that has gotten us into this mess. Apparently they finally got the message from those of us who are not “special interest” groups but rather the tax payers who have to pay the bill. I think we got the message across that we also vote!
KHS, Smithfield
Of course the blame belongs with the state legislators for the mess we’re in, and it also belongs to the voters who put them in office and allowed them to run our state into the ground as they have. The governor is trying his best to fix it, but they fight him every step of the way because they really don’t want to make any changes. It’s time for them to take Economics 101, stop their foolishness and face reality!
Magster
I think we all know what is driving RI into a pit. The cause starts from bad spending, a war that has gone from saddam being a threat, to double dipping. The US Economy is the way it is because we are driving our markets of oil and food to new high level. All countries are importing our beef, pork, chicken, and oils their country leaving americans needing more so now we suffer for other countries. We need to watch ourselves because this country is all for it self and i am not going to kill myself working to have a hard life so that we can do business with other countries. At least with immigration some of the immigrants in this country are hard working, even more than real americans. Now selling our products cheap to other countries and drive cost and markets up is crazy.
Proud American
The blame should left entirely on the voters...past, present, and future. You can’t properly maintain a car for long without the right tools, so how can a state budget be properly maintained with the current “tools” we voted into office.
Spencer J, Warwick
WHO TO BLAME. THAT’S A NO BRAINER. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THE ONE PARTY AND, LAWYER, UNION OFFICIALS, TEACHERS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREMEN, ARE ALL TO BE BLAMED. TERM LIMITS MAY HELP, BUT THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN. NOT IN THIS STATE.
RCMAC, CUMBERLAND
we are in a mess because we are corrupt and the welfare system has been helping people for years who are not really in need . this state is a joke and many people are leaving
renee
Without a doubt, the General Assembly must bear the blame for the budget mess we are in. They can’t grab all the power and then shift the blame when things go bad. This state is a perfect example of the old adage that goes something like “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely” We have a few men in the House who control everything, without change, THIS STATE IS DOOMED.
Norm, North Providence
I say its the general assembly and the unions....In that order..
Ray R, Cumberland
Ever since Governor Don Carcieri was re-elected, he has done nothing but tear this state apart. All of these cuts to programs at our schools are ridiculous. They are our future and to take from them is disgusting. If anything, we need to decrease funding to our Welfare Program and get these people working. I am tired of paying huge taxes and watching our money go to people that drain the system. I would love to know were all of our tax money is going. It is definitely not our roads. This is why people are moving out of RI. I know I am.
Mike L, East Greenwich
We can only blame the General Assembly! Has anyone ever watched these clowns in session on TV??? It is a comedy show. Anyone who tries to argue using common sense is cut down immediately. This governor has really tried to get this state under control but has had no support from the circus at the capital.
Pat, Cranston
The Governor has faced this issue proposing harsh, yet neccessary cuts. The General Assembly is not making the difficult decisions, that are neccessary to reforming the budget crisis. It is their fault for this mess, not the Governor. Who has done a good job trying to pull our state out of this, and plan for the long term.
Dan, Coventry
In his press conference, the Gov. stated that the current deficit had been building for “a couple of decades”. Who’s been in charge for over 20% of that time?
Steve, Nk
The answer to this question is a non-brainer.
All politicians who have given away the future to special interest groups. The same politicians are re-elected by the voters and now the voters are getting what they deserve - OUCH!!
Paul
The lack of leadership on the part of the governor and Assembly.
They should give up their benefits 100% and the governor should be put on layoff triple the amount of time of the state workers. What`s good for the goose is good for the them and the governor.
Tom, Providence
The legislature. Then the town councils/mayors. Since the governor has limited powers in this state, it is difficult to blame the office for any problems. When the state and towns share revenues to fund operations, it would seem to me that some operational costs become standardized to create uniformity of expenses. This may also reduce ‘gold-plated’ benefits thus keeping the arguments focused on real economic issues.
Steve D, Westerly
To start with, the Politicians, too many state workers and crazy spending. But Rhode Island isn’t alone. Living here in Florida is no better.
Paul
Our RI government gave away the store, and we let it happen.
TS
We need to start a grass-roots effort to achieve operation clean-out.
This would ideally clean out all special interest and ineffective legislators in the general assembly. Does Rhode Island have an oversight group who actively monitor and score individual legislators success in representing their constituents, positively impacting their local and overall economy as well as improving the overall quality of life throughout Rhode Island?
Our news media then needs to take these legislator scores and actively communicate these within the varied media channels so that all Rhode Islanders become fully aware of how their legislators are performing so that we can make informed and proper choices come election time.
I appreciate your feedback and ideas.
Tom S
The budget mess is due to the same old incompetent people (and their relatives), who couldn’t run a lemonade stand. And also too much debt, borrowing on top of borrowing and the same group of people “insiders”, benefiting from the fiascos. The only thing that changes is that there are more potholes every year.
same old, same old
Governor Carcieri was elected on his supposed business acumen. The
state has never been in such dire straits. His cuts have targeted the most needy. Has anyone looked at the positions that he has added to the payroll
and at what cost? This is after promising to cut the number of state
employees. What about privatization? Has this saved money or added to the cost of government. I believe that I moved out of state at the right time, after spending more than 50 years in R.I.
LRL
We have had 40 years of corrupt knucklehead Democratic legislature and 14 years of clueless knucklehead Republican governors. It is a toss-up as to who is the most to blame for anything. The best thing we can do is vote out all the useless b*&$#s and keep doing that until we get somebody that can do things right.
Bill G, Cranston
How about we start with every Governor and General Assembly since the Sundlun Administration.
JM, Cranston
I say Don Carceri and all the people who voted for it! If we weren’t spending so much money on things that are not so important
Big JB
I am sure the general public cannot be blamed. Our law makers predict their own salary, health benefits and retirement. They just rejected paying a part of health care, yet the state workers are being made to pay 20%. Wouldn’t it be a nice gesture if our lawmakers offered to pay part of their healthcare? I think not. There is too much greed on the hill.
Lee L. Woonsocket
THE GOVERNOR HAS HAD THE COURAGE TO TAKE A STANCE WHILE THE LEGISLATORS HIDE BEHING HIS PANTS LETTING HIM TAKE THE BRUNT OF THE OBVIOUS DISCONTENT. THIS IS ALL THE DOING OF OUR LEGISLATURE WHOSE ONLY INTEREST IS WORKING OUT SWEETHEART DEALS FOR THOSE WHO PAY FOR THEIR CAMPAIGNS AND GETTING THEIR HOT WIENER AFTER HOURS! THEY APPROVED THE GOVERNOR’S BUDGET PROPOSAL WHILE LETTING HIM TAKE THE FALL. SPINELESS PEOPLE’ FOR SHAME ON THEM BUT MORESO, FOR SHAME ON US WHO CONTINOUSLY ELECT THE SAME PEOPLE. FOR SHAME. THEY HAVE NO REGARD FOR THE VOTERS WHO ELECTED THEM; THIS MESS IS ALL THEIR DOING AND WE CONTINUE TO ELECT THESE SPI NLESS EXCUSES FOR LEGISLATORS. CAN THE GREEN PARTY AND REPUBLICANS DO ANY WORSE? I DOUBT IT!! MAYBE IT’S TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT VOTING SERIOUSLY INSTEAD OF RELIVING THE 1930S EVERY ELECTION DAY. RHODE ISLANDERS WAKE UP!!
BOBBY BEE, PROVIDENCE
Million/multi-million dollar companies paying $500/yr in state taxes, constant cost overruns on construction projects...the twin bridges between Barrington & Warren is just one of many examples...the hijacking the lottery money & using it to create this exceedingly & increasingly, top heavy, cronyism infested corrupt bureaucracy we now have...& has anyone bothered to check on the kinds of money the state gets charged by venders for anything from vehicle repairs, maintenance/electrical work up to computers, plus their software, maintenance & replacements??......Need I say more??...I would say that the state is to blame.
Hound Dog, Bristol
There are many factors that add up to create the budget deficit in RI. In my opinion, one of the biggest contributors to this deficit is the fact that State workers don’t have to cover the cost of their medical insurance. I think they should be responsible for a certain percentage of the premiums, as well as higher co-pays for services.
If you take into consideration the cost of insurance, depending on the plan, individual cost can run well above $500 per month for individual and over $1000 per month for a family plan. It is unfair for the taxpayers of this state to foot the bill while many in the private sector cannot afford health insurance at all.
Deb L, Pawtucket
The General Assembly, of course. For years they’ve given away obscenely generous benefits to special interest groups and political supporters—to the detriment of the rest of us. I doubt we can climb out of this financial hole. I see state bankruptcy ahead.
Dee, Johnston