2023 Letters
My December 3 letter discusses an upcoming community meeting and describes a range of efforts to improve the Providence Public Schools.
My November 19 letter discusses Health Equity Zones and an update on the work of the Senate commission studying the Providence Public Schools.
My November 5 letter discusses the draft report of the Non-Plurality Voting Commission.
My October 29 letter provides updates on Senate commissions studying non-plurality voting systems and labor-management relations in the Providence Public Schools.
My October 1 letter describes the work of the Senate study commission reviewing labor-management relations in the Providence Public Schools.
My August 25 letter explains my reasons for supporting Sandra Cano’s candidacy for Congress.
My June 18 letter describes some of the legislation the General Assembly passed in its concluding week.
My June 11 letter discusses ways to improve the Providence Public Schools and some initiatives in the legislative budget.
My June 4 letter discusses balancing Statewide and local interests.
My May 28 letter discusses smoking in casinos, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority and the upcoming meeting of the non-plurality voting systems commission.
My May 21 letter discusses State programs designed to address the shortage of affordable housing.
My May 14 letter discusses alternative voting systems and last week’s estimate of budget revenues.
My May 7 letter discusses proposals for tax cuts and new programs presented to the Senate Finance Committee for next year’s budget.
My April 23 letter discusses the State’s recent “report card” for the Providence Public Schools and the Governor’s recently announced education plan.
My April 9 letter describes legislation I introduced for this year”s Senate session.
My April 2 letter discusses our State’s commitment to children in need and the Senate District 3 legislative grant program.
My March 26, 2023 letter discusses (1) the looming challenges of “unwinding” pandemic-based Medicaid and (2) the advantages and disadvantages of certain non-plurality voting systems.
My March 19 letter discusses the School Department’s revision to the Turnaround Action Plan, the City’s electricity aggregation program and the non-plurality voting systems study commission.
My March 12 letter discusses (1) the teacher shortage, (2) revising the school aid funding formula, (3) restoring the rights of parents of children in special education and (4) collaboration bw the PVD School Dept. and the School Board.
My March 5 letter discusses the confirmation hearing of Peter Alviti, Jr., Director of the Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the first hearing of the Senate’s commission to study certain alternative voting systems.
My February 19 letter discusses legislation to extend the permitted service of retired educators and an upcoming study commission to review alternatives to plurality voting systems.
My February 12 letter describes proposals to reduce the sales tax.
My February 5 letter reviews the “pause” in the motor fuel tax proposed in the Governor’s budget.
My January 29 letter describes the changes the Governor’s budget proposes to the budget to spend certain funds the State received through the American Rescue Plan Act.
My January 22 letter discusses the State education aid funding formula’s method for calculating the State share of the foundation budget.
My January 15 letter describes the State education aid funding formula’s “student success factor,” explaining its shortcomings and proposing reforms.
I am maintaining a collection of documents related to the 2023 Budget. You can view these source materials by clicking here.
My January 8 letter discusses the “core instruction budget” component of the State education aid funding formula.
My January 1 letter provides an initial overview of the State’s school aid funding formula.
2022 Letters
My December 18 letter discusses the School Department’s decision to close three schools.
My October 30 letter discusses the voter questions that appear on the November ballot.
My October 2 letter discusses a recent Senate Oversight Committee hearing concerning the State’s takeover of the Providence Public Schools.
My September 14 letter thanks voters for supporting my nomination as the Democratic Party candidate in November’s election, and shares some of my initial observations from the recently concluded campaign.
My August 16 letter provides updated information about voting options for the Senate District 3 primary.
During the first week of August I mailed a letter to constituents to introduce my re-election campaign.
My July 10, 2022 letter discusses the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act and an upcoming “meet the candidates” event.
My July 3, 2022 letter describes my case for re-election to the Senate.
My June 26, 2022 letter reviews the conclusion of the General Assembly session.
My June 19, 2022 letter discusses the budget enacted by the House of Representatives.
My June 12, 2022 letter discusses reforming the State takeover of the Providence Public Schools, a proposal to introduce “advanced recycling” to Rhode Island and Senate approval of a tax incentive Providence can use in its negotiations to support the reuse of the Superman Building.
My June 5, 2022 letter reviews the budget priorities I submitted to the Senate Finance Chair and the upcoming votes on the pension obligation bond.
My May 29, 2022 letter discusses the Rhode Island Cannabis Act.
My May 22, 2022 letter discusses the use of ARPA funding to construct behavioral health facilities and the upcoming vote on a pension obligation bond.
My May 15 letter discusses the State’s ability to commit funds develop affordable housing.
My May 8 letter discusses Senate Finance Committee hearings on (1) the State’s coronavirus response, and (2) the City’s request for State approval to issue a pension obligation bond.
My May 1 letter discusses Senate hearings on (1) school takeover reform, and (2) supporting the State’s “safety net” of services to our most vulnerable Rhode Islanders.
My April 24 letter discusses an upcoming hearing on the school takeover bill and information about future obligations flowing from some of the Governor’s proposed “one-time” expenditures.
My April 17 letter describes the bills I have introduced into the Senate this year.
My April 10 letter describes the State’s decision to hire a permanent superintendent without a search, and how that decision underscores the need for greater engagement and accountability.
My April 3 letter discusses a bill I have introduced to reform our State’s takeover of schools and school districts generally, and the State’s takeover of the Providence Public Schools in particular.
My March 27 letter describes two examples of why greater accountability and transparency is needed in the State’s takeover of the Providence Public Schools.
My March 20 letter discusses the consequences of building future funding obligations into the use of “one time” federal ARPA funds.
In my March 13 letter, I discuss the City’s pension obligation bond performance and the administration’s failure to use funds previously appropriated to mend the social services “safety net.”
In my March 6, 2022 Letter, I discuss the Senate Oversight Committee’s recent hearing on the State’s takeover of the Providence Public Schools.
In my February 27, 2022 Letter, I discuss legislation I have introduced or co-sponsored in the area of education.
In my February 20, 2022 Letter, I discuss the relationship among the different budgets the General Assembly will be reviewing and acting upon this year.
In my February 13, 2022 letter, I discuss an environmental issue in the Governor’s budget and legislation I introduced concerning ranked choice voting.
In my February 6, 2022 letter, I discuss the Providence pension obligation bond proposal and preview upcoming hearings in the Senate.
In my January 30, 2022 letter, I discuss items in three major components of the Governor’s budget, and invite neighbords to join me for a virtual town hall meeting
In my January 23, 2022 letter, I provide an initial overview of the Governor’s State budget.
I have created a Budget Documents Page, which includes the “budget books” prepared by the administration in connection with its presentation of the budget, and the Department of Treasury’s Interim Final Rule, which governs the use of the American Rescue Plan Act funds incorporated into the budget. I will update this page as additional information becomes available.
In my January 16, 2022 Letter, I provide an update on the legislative redistricting process and discuss the housing shortage in the City and the State.
In my January 9, 2022 Letter , I discuss three votes in the Senate’s opening session, in which it approved a supplemental budget of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and overrode two vetoes.
2021 Letters
In my December 19 letter, I discuss the supplemental federal budget that the Senate Finance Committee approved as a “down payment” of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
In my December 12 letter, I discuss this year’s legislative grants and the Governor’s changes to the Council 94 collective bargaining agreement.
In my December 9, 2021 Letter, I discuss the Senate redistricting process.
In my December 5 letter, I discuss the recently approved collective bargaining agreement with State employee Council 94.
In my November 28 letter, I discuss the Senate Finance Committee’s review of “safety net” programs contained with the Governor’s “down payment” budget for spending the first 10% of federal funds.
In my November 24 letter, I describe the legislative grant process.
In my November 21 letter, I review the Rhode Island 2030 working document prepared by the administration to provide guidance for the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
In my November 14 letter, I describe the general principles Congress established for the proper use of American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated to States through the State Fiscal Relief Fund program.
In my November 5 letter, I discuss the Senate Oversight Committee’s second hearing on the Providence Public Schools takeover by the State.