[Summit] Political stuff: Open letter type thing for Aaron and Gayle's opinion on ballot questions.

Sat Oct 22 00:16:26 UTC 2016

I just wanted to let the group know that I received a very nice response
and very comprehensive comments about the ballot questions from Gayle. She
is in the process of obtaining access so she can monitor and respond to
things. I asked to  share her comments and she is working on that but I
wanted to let y'all know she was prompt. Thanks Aaron for looping her in:).
On Oct 21, 2016 8:03 PM, "Emlyn Addison" <noisyblocks at gmail.com> wrote:

> I second that; well-considered and open-minded. Thanks, Aaron.
>
> I confess, after hearing about the Tiverton casino proposal--yet another
> for a state that will not take no for an answer--I practiced due diligence
> and re-researched the key elements in their proposal. I had written a
> letter to the Journal on this (http://www.providencejournal.
> com/opinion/20160629/emlyn-addison-dont-fall-for-casino-promises) but I
> don't claim to know every detail about their plans. Are there exceptions
> I'm unaware of here that might avert the calamity that befell other
> cash-strapped municipalities and states? I could be convinced, but it would
> be a tough sell.
>
> Q6: YES!
>
>
> Emlyn
>
>
> On Fri, Oct 21, 2016 at 7:41 PM, Ellen House <elnhouse at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Thank you Aaron. I value your opinions and feel very fortunate to be
>> represented by someone who thinks well and deeply about issues that affect
>> all of us, is willing to listen and take into consideration the thoughts
>> and knowledge of others, and then acts on our behalf for the betterment of
>> conditions for everyone, especially the most marginalized among us.
>>
>> On Fri, Oct 21, 2016 at 5:57 PM, Aaron Regunberg <
>> aaron.regunberg at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hey all,
>>>
>>> For what it's worth, this is what I'm thinking (though to be very honest
>>> there are a couple I am not 100% decided on and am open to hearing more
>>> opinions, so I hope others will weigh in).
>>>
>>> Q1 - Tiverton Casino. I will be voting for. I'm not without reservations
>>> on this - I do believe in many cases casinos exploit the poor, and they're
>>> a regressive source of revenue. But we need revenue for all the things we
>>> want (school facilities repairs, higher ed funding, of course the list goes
>>> on and on). And my understanding is the folks in Tiverton are largely
>>> supportive.
>>>
>>> Q2 - Reinstating Ethics Commission jurisdiction over members of the
>>> General Assembly. I am strongly in favor - this is an issue I campaigned on
>>> in 2014 and advocated for very hard in the House. Having said that, so
>>> folks hear the other side, the ACLU has cited their concerns on this issue which
>>> you can read here
>>> <http://www.riaclu.org/blog/post/aclu-of-rhode-island-position-paper-on-question-2-the-ethics-commission-con>
>>> .
>>>
>>> Q3 - $27 million bond to build a new veteran home. I am voting in favor
>>> - our veteran population needs and deserves it!
>>>
>>> Q4 - $45 million bond for a new engineering campus at URI. I am voting
>>> in favor. I do have some concerns - like, is there some world in which this
>>> turns out to be a public subsidy for military-industrial corporations to
>>> train their workers at taxpayers' expense? But we need to invest in public
>>> higher ed (get excited, folks, cause I'll be introducing legislation for
>>> tuition free public higher ed this year!), engineering is a critical
>>> sector, and if we want to be a leader in it we need to have a strong
>>> program and up-to-date facilities.
>>>
>>> Q5 - $50 million bond for port expansions at Quonset and $20 million
>>> bond for expansions at ProvPort. Right now I am planning to vote no. I
>>> could be convinced otherwise - definitely want to hear more opinions, so
>>> please share with me if you have one. And I voted for putting this question
>>> on the ballot. But I have some concerns with the privatized nature of
>>> ProvPort, I have concerns with the contaminated land they're talking about
>>> buying, I have concerns with how its development impacts a community that
>>> already deals with too much pollution. I think there are ways this
>>> expansion could be really positive for the community and lead to
>>> sustainable jobs, but I don't feel comfortable about the transparency and
>>> oversight capacity we have to make sure that's the case. But as I said, I'm
>>> open to persuasion, so please weigh in if you think I'm wrong on this,
>>> because I very well might be.
>>>
>>> Q6 - $35 million bond for cleaning contaminated brownfield sites, bike
>>> paths, and green space. Heck yes!
>>>
>>> Q7 - $50 million bond for affordable housing. Yes! We need it! And I've
>>> been working closely with Rhode Island Housing to make sure that these new
>>> developments have access to solar energy (here's some info on the
>>> legislation I passed last year to make this possible
>>> <http://www.aaronregunberg.com/community-renewable-energy-for-all-rhode-islanders/>),
>>> so we're helping low-income Rhode Islanders and increasing our
>>> sustainability on this one.
>>>
>>> There's my two cents!
>>>
>>> --Aaron
>>>
>>> On Fri, Oct 21, 2016 at 5:06 PM, Kim Clark <ktcxyz at cox.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> everything i’ve read about the port sounds like it’s a bad insider
>>>> deal. The money goes to a nice sounding not-for-profit company, that is
>>>> really an arm of a not-very-good FOR profit company that siphons off the
>>>> money.
>>>>
>>>> forgive me if I’m wrong or confused on this… I’ve read a few articles
>>>> that lead me to vote NO.
>>>>
>>>> best regards,
>>>> k
>>>>                     *Kim T. Clark*
>>>>          www.RHODYCRAFT.com <http://www.rhodycraft.com>
>>>>               780 HOPE STREET
>>>>           PROVIDENCE, RI 02906
>>>>                     401.626.1833
>>>>
>>>> <http://www.rhodycraft.com>
>>>> <http://www.rhodycraft.com>
>>>>
>>>> On Oct 21, 2016, at 4:56 PM, James Kelley <jameskelley4444 at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Sorry for entering your mailbox on a political matter but I believe our
>>>> two General Assembly members  monitor this Listserv and should and could
>>>> provide to us their thoughts about the ballot issues.
>>>>
>>>> Our representatives have significantly more information than most of us
>>>> on these issues and I value their insights (isn't that why we elected
>>>> them).
>>>>
>>>> If they are in favor of all, great. Please tell me before I go to the
>>>> voting booth. I'm wondering about the ports issue for example.
>>>>
>>>> I really wish they had quarterly town hall sessions, for example. I
>>>> never hear from Gayle Goldin except at election.
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> idence.ri.us
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Summit mailing list
>>> Summit at sna.providence.ri.us
>>> http://sna.providence.ri.us/mailman/listinfo/summit_sna.providence.ri.us
>>> SNA Website: http://sna.providence.ri.us/
>>>
>>
>>
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>>
>
>
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>
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