Local Democratic party leaders endorse Foulkes and Khamsyvoravong over incumbents

In unusual move, city and town chairs reject both McKee and Matos

By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current

The Democratic challengers for governor and lieutenant governor, Helena Buonanno Foulkes and Xay Khamsyvoravong, won the backing of local party leaders during a closed-door meeting at the Rochambeau Library in Providence Monday night.

The Rhode Island Association of Democratic City and Town Chairs did not disclose vote details from its endorsement meeting, which offers municipal party heads a chance to assert influence in state and federal primary races. 

“We are incredibly fortunate in Rhode Island to have such strong leaders serving our state and so many talented candidates willing to put themselves forward for consideration,” Erich Haslehurst, president of the association, said in a statement. “All of the candidates who sought our endorsement have demonstrated a commitment to public service and are working tirelessly to earn the trust and support of Rhode Islanders.”

The endorsement for Foulkes over Gov. Dan McKee comes as she amasses more donations and support from voters than McKee in recent public polling.

EDITOR'S NOTE: My wife Cathy served on the Association for a number of years and during several election cycles where such endorsements were made. One such event stands out, the 2016 Governor's race that came down to Gina Raimondo, Angel Tavares and Clay Pell. Cathy's insistence on supporting Clay, who had been unanimously endorsed by the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee, caused a deadlock that resulted in no endorsement for anyone for Governor that year. She came under tremendous pressure from other town chairs who had cut deals to switch their votes and wanted her to do the same. She was the only town chair who refused to sell out.   - Will Collette

Teachers and Mayor Taveras heading for another show-down

Providence Teachers Reject Contract

By Diane Ravitch

By an overwhelming margin, the Providence Teachers Union rejected a contract that would have eliminated all job security. 

The Providence Teachers Union on Monday rejected a three-year contract proposal that would have eliminated the job-security clause and allowed management to create a new compensation system that would have awarded extra pay for additional responsibilities.

On losing

Winners and losers in Tuesday’s primary

By Will Collette

I hate to lose. That’s one reason why, through most of my adult life, I have stayed away from electoral politics and focused instead on classic, Alinsky-style community organizing and strategic campaigns. In electoral politics, you put all your money on a single-roll of the dice and it’s win or lose on election day. In organizing or in strategic campaigns, there’s always a Plan B.

Since I’ve gotten more heavily engaged in electoral politics after returning home to Rhode Island in 2002, I have rediscovered how much I dislike that one-throw-of-the-dice aspect of electoral politics.

When I pick a candidate, I am almost always fully dedicated to what that person believes in. I’ve turned down work this year as in past years for candidates I didn’t know or didn’t like. Before I commit my time, I want to believe in that candidate.

So Tuesday’s primary results were a big disappointment since only one of the four candidates I supported won. I had picked Clay Pell for Governor, Frank Ferri for Lieutenant Governor, Seth Magaziner for General Treasurer and Guillaume DeRamel for Secretary of State. I made each choice based on whether I felt I could trust them and whether their values aligned with my own. Even after Tuesday’s result, I would not change one of my picks.

Come out and vote in Tuesday’s primary

Important choices to be made

By Will Collette

If you don’t vote, you don’t get to complain. On Tuesday, Rhode Islanders will have the opportunity to pick who will go on through to the General Election in November to compete for the positions of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, General Treasurer and Secretary of State. Democrats are embroiled in hot primaries for all four positions.

On the Republican side, the only hot race is the one for Governor that pits two RINOs, Ken Block and Allan Fung, against each other. Lieutenant Governor Catherine Taylor (R) faces only token opposition from perennial candidate and full-time crazy Kara Young.

All of these positions are open seats because the present office holder is either term-limited from running again or has chosen a different future. There is no primary for Attorney General because incumbent Peter Kilmartin faces no Democratic primary opponent and Republican Dawson Hodgson does not have a Republican challenger.

Click here for the sample ballot. Don't forget to bring your photo ID.

There are no local primary races for any Charlestown positions. In neighboring House District 35, incumbent Spencer Dickinson (D) is in a rematch primary battle with Kathy Fogarty.

Polls open in Charlestown at 9 AM.

If you're one of those "none of the above" types, leave the space empty

Don’t waste your vote on Todd Giroux

By Will Collette (I originally posted this article on Rhode Island’s Future)

Todd Giroux at the 2012 Democratic State Convention asking
to be given the House seat for District 68 in return for dropping
his primary challenge to Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (Photo by Will Collette)

In every election, there are fringe candidates who end up on the ballot and pick up a few votes from confused voters or those who, for whatever reason, think “none of the above” is their choice.

In the hotly contested 2014 Democratic primary for Governor on September 9, we have one of the fringe candidates in Todd Giroux. 

Though he is currently polling at 1.4%, the three principal contenders, Clay Pell, Gina Raimondo and Angel Taveras, are all running within 6 points of each other.

Giroux’s numbers, whatever they turn out to be, will not get him elected, but could hurt the real candidates.

Before you throw your vote away on Todd Giroux, let’s take a closer look at him.

Todd Giroux emerged onto Rhode Island’s political stage two years ago when he challenged incumbent Senator Sheldon Whitehouse in the 2012 Primary. I will never forget Giroux’s speech to the State Convention. It was a 15-minute ramble during which Giroux shared his muddled vision of a future. 

Then came Giroux’s punchline. 

Only Clay Pell and Taveras have actual plans on the environment

Gubernatorial Candidates' Thoughts On Environment

By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI News staff

ecoRI News profiled the six top-polling candidates running in the Sept. 9 primary for governor. We encapsulate each candidate’s environmental platform and share their responses to six targeted questions on specific topics: fossil-fuel divestment, plastic bag ban, funding for environmental compliance, renewable energy, the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4) and open-space protection.

DEMOCRATS

Todd Giroux calls for a revolving loan fund to upgrade Rhode Island’s aging housing stock and make it more energy efficient. The Bristol contractor also supports a Workers Progress Administration-style program for green jobs training. EDITOR’S NOTE: Giroux plans to fund his loan fund by taking money from the state pension funds. This is illegal.

He didn't respond to our specific questions.

Clay Pell has a lengthy environmental action plan. He advocates for greater energy-efficiency programs and enhanced development of brownfield sites, open-space protection and expanded recycling. He supports many of the state’s existing energy-efficiency and renewable-energy programs. He would continue the initiatives run by the state Office of Energy Resources. New programs would target specific vehicle-emission reductions.

Other plans include greater use of low-impact development and better management of stormwater runoff; a statewide organics recycling program and enhanced residential composting; and development of a green infrastructure design industry. He would keep the Renewable Energy Fund under the oversight of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation.

Pell refutes Taveras’ challenges to his resume

Cites national leaders who support his experience, qualifications to be Governor

PROVIDENCE, RI -- Democratic gubernatorial candidate Clay Pell today released the following statement regarding questions of his experience:

"It’s unfortunate that Mayor Taveras has chosen to make this race for Governor about my resume, instead of his ideas for our state.

"I’m proud of my experience, and I’m grateful that leaders who I respect and admire, such as the former National Security Advisor to the President of the United States, the former Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, and the former Under Secretary of Education of the United States, have chosen to speak out on my behalf.

"The Mayor’s ads are a return to old politics that he once disavowed as a candidate for office. His attacks against me are an attempt to distort my record, not inform the public about my real experience.

"The leaders I worked with know first hand about my experience in the Coast Guard, at the White House, and at the Department of Education. Their statements speak for themselves about my qualifications to lead our state.

Pell earns progressive support

Clay Pells wins RIPDA endorsement

By Bob Plain in Rhode Island’s Future

Clay with CDTC member Ginger Glander and Charlestown Town
Council Vice-President Paula Andersen

The Rhode Island Progressive Democrats announced today they are endorsing Clay Pell in his upstart bid to beat both Angel Taveras and Gina Raimondo in the Democratic primary for governor.

“It was abundantly clear to the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats that Clay Pell is the progressive choice for governor in the Democratic primary, said RIPDA State Coordinator Sam Bell in an email from the Pell campaign.

“From his strong commitment to public education and educators, his opposition cutting a property tax relief program for low-income Rhode Islanders in order to raise the estate tax exemption for the wealthiest in our state, and his call to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 immediately, Clay is the candidate who has consistently stood on the side of working Rhode Islanders and embodied our progressive values,” Bell said. 

“We were also impressed by his comprehensive plan to revive our struggling economy through investment – with his Infrastructure Replacement and Rehabilitation program, his commitment to Health Source RI, and his belief that state government can be a force for good in the lives of Rhode Islanders.”

Dems' Guv race turns uglier

Taveras tacks away from Raimondo to Pell

By Bob Plain in Rhode Island’s Future

In the TV Commercial War that is the Democratic primary campaign for governor, Angel Taveras has tacked away from his defensive stance against Gina Raimondo to launch an offensive front against Clay Pell.

Click here to watch the commercial:

Pell’s campaign, in response, tacked away from what I called it’s positive campaign strategy, saying in an email:

For weeks now, Mayor Taveras and Treasurer Raimondo have been lobbing negative attacks at one another. At the same time, Clay has been focused on one thing — talking with Rhode Islanders about the new ideas and fresh approach he’ll bring as Governor, and his real plan to get our state back on course.

Because of the growing momentum of our grassroots campaign, Mayor Taveras has now turned his mudslinging in our direction. We, however, firmly reject the politics of attack and innuendo. Clay learned from his grandfather that campaigns shouldn’t be about tearing people down, but should be about ideas for the future.

I also wrote that Pell was playing the role of spoiler in this three-way battle. Several respected progressive voices chimed in to correct me. In a comment on that post, Will Collette, publisher (co-editor, actually) of the Progressive Charlestown blog, wrote:

Mother Menace

ProJo declares working mothers a “Threat to Providence”

By Steve Ahlquist in Rhode Island’s Future

In what may be a new low for a newspaper that recently seems committed to charting new territory in its depth of uncaring, classist fear mongering, the Providence Journal has declared low wage working mothers to be a special interest group posing a “threat” to Providence. 

Disingenuously claiming that, “we all want workers to earn more money,” the unsigned editorial calls mandating a $15 an hour living wage for hotel workers “an election-year stunt divorced from economic reality.”

What is divorced from reality is the idea that a group of people peacefully petitioning their government for relief from exploitative treatment and a chance at decent wages should somehow be characterized as a “threat.” Is it a threat when workers ask for fair wages? Is it a threat when workers ask for fair treatment?

The ProJo, as usual, has it all backwards. The only threats are coming from the hotels, and the hotels have shown that they are capable of delivering on their threats. There are stories, more than one, of workers being threatened with losing their jobs if they persist in trying to unionize. Several workers, including many young mothers, have been fired. The hotels also threaten to close up shop or stop hiring if this proposal passes.

Both Tavares and Raimondo backed by controversial venture vulture

Billionaire Arnold Backs Both Sides in Rhode Island Race

By Diane Ravitch

Raimondo and Taveras - both "Wall Street Democrats?" 

Texas billionaire John Arnold, who has drawn attention for his interest in public sector pension reform (meaning that public sector pensions are too generous), is supporting both sides of the gubernatorial race in Rhode Island.

David Sirota wrote about how the Arnold Foundation underwrote a PBS special on the pension crisis and underwrote a Brookings Institution report on the same subject. PBS returned $3.5 million to the foundation because of Sirota’s disclosure.

Arnold is also a major supporter of charter schools, Common Core, and other “reforms” favored by corporate reformers.

Charlestown Dems complete their endorsements for state candidates

CDTC calls on town Democrats to support endorsed slate in the September primary

By Will Collette

I wear two hats in Charlestown, and not just because I’m bald. One hat is as co-editor of Progressive Charlestown. The other is as a member of the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee (CDTC). 

This is one of those occasions where I am reporting on decisions that I was part of making. It may not make for the best journalism, but so it goes.

After interviewing nearly every candidate running as a Democrat for state office, the CDTC finalized its list of candidates it recommends to Charlestown voters who go to the polls in September’s primary:

• For Governor: Clay Pell
• For Lieutenant Governor: Ralph Mollis
• For General Treasurer: Seth Magaziner
• For Secretary of State: Guillaume deRamel
• For Attorney General: re-elect Peter Kilmartin

Governor's race: Dems lay out plans for the environment, Republicans don't even show up

By ecoRI News staff

PROVIDENCE — The four Democratic candidates for governor laid out their plans on how they would 

prepare Rhode Island for climate change during a 90-minute forum April 24 hosted by the Environment Council of Rhode Island (ECRI) and ecoRI News and held in Brown University’s List Auditorium. Republican candidates Ken Block and Cranston Mayor Alan Fung declined to participate.

The forum opened with presentations by two climate change experts, John King, professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, and J. Timmons Roberts, professor of environmental studies and sociology at Brown. Their presentations outlined the scientific consensus regarding the rapid increase in carbon dioxide emissions and translated that data into expected local impacts, including sea-level rise, temperature increases, warming urban centers, loss of coastal habitats, increased frequency of extreme weather events, ocean acidification and the potential for species extinction at a level rarely recorded in Earth’s history.

Governor candidates debate the environment

Candidates to Share Views on Climate Change
By ecoRI.org News staff

PROVIDENCE — Four of the six candidates in Rhode Island’s 2014 gubernatorial race have accepted the invitation to participate in a forum on why climate change should be a top priority for state action.

The “Climate Change Colloquy” will be held Thursday, April 24, at Brown University’s List Art Building, Room 120, from 9-11 a.m. 

It is being co-sponsored by the Environment Council of Rhode Island (ECRI), an umbrella group that consists of more than 60 environmental and advocacy organizations statewide, and ecoRI News, the main environmental news source for Rhode Island and southern New England. The event is free and open to the public.

VIDEO: The Governor’s race just became a lot more interesting

Clay Pell makes it official – he’s a viable alternative to Gina Raimondo and Angel Taveras for our next Governor

By Will Collette

Left to right: Pell supporter Victor Capellan, Clay Pell, Michelle Kwan
and Nuala Pell

Tuesday, Cathy and I drove up to Providence for Clay Pell’s official announcement that he is running for Governor as a Democrat. He asked voters for their support in the September primary that is shaping up to be a tough three-way race pitting him against Wall Street Democrat and current General Treasurer Gina Raimondo and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras.

In his announcement, Pell cleared up most of the questions that have been raised about him when he was an undeclared, but likely, candidate. He knows he is young – at 32, he is more than 10 years younger than his opponents. He acknowledged his youth but stressed his already impressive body of work as a Coast Guard officer and as a national security aide at the White House. In laying out his resume, he also addressed questions about his experience and qualifications.

Unspoken, but understood by many of us in the audience of a certain age, is that his grandfather ran for and won the US Senate seat he held for so many years on his very first try. Senator Claiborne Pell, the man called by President John F. Kennedy the least electable man in America, went on to become   one of the most revered public servants in Rhode Island.

Most importantly, Clay Pell outlined his vision and plans for reinvesting in Rhode Island and its people, citing the critical need to reverse decades of cutbacks to education. “We cannot allow our education system to produce haves and have nots” and insisted on more public support for our schools and state colleges and universities.

Charlestown being sued by Chariho School District over new charter school

School departments of Lincoln, Cranston and Chariho challenge payment system for post-high school training at nursing charter school 

Providence Mayor Angel Tavares posed with students of the charter school

By Will Collette

A new charter school just opened in downtown Providence called the Rhode Island Nurses Institute Middle College Charter School. 

With enthusiastic support from Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, the school is the first to specialize in training students to go into nursing. But the Chariho, Lincoln and Cranston School Departments have filed suit over the school’s unusual grade set-up that establishes the school as providing education for Grades 10, 11, 12 and 12-plus [emphasis added].

Rhode Island's shame

Dirty tricks, broken promises and voter suppression in RI

By Sean Monahan – in Rhode Island’s Future. See more at: http://www.rifuture.org/dirty-tricks-broken-promises-and-voter-suppression-in-ri.html#sthash.u8qYNvyd.dpuf

The Justice Department is challenging the legality of North Carolina’s and Texas’ voter ID laws on civil rights grounds, and they have good reason. These laws disproportionately disenfranchise people of color, Latinos, immigrants, women, queer people, students, seniors, the disabled, and, particularly, the poor – demographics that have a harder time than many getting an accepted ID.

The nation-wide conservative push for this legislation is a politically-motivated attack on universal suffrage and a threat to American democracy. Like poll taxes and literacy tests these laws belong in history books on the Jim Crow South, certainly not in 21^st Century Rhode Island. 

Unfortunately, House Democratic Party leadership seems to be throwing universal suffrage under the bus for their own electoral advantage against progressive candidates, whose lower-income and minority supporters are less likely to have accepted IDs.

Who will progressives back for Governor?

Progressive dissatisfaction and the Democratic primary

By Samuel G. Howard – Rhode Island’s Future

See more at: http://www.rifuture.org/progressive-disatisfaction-and-the-democratic-primary.html#sthash.QpTdra5p.dpuf

In the last few years the General Assembly has passed legislation that slashed pensions, cut taxes on the wealthiest Rhode Islanders, recklessly combined the State’s boards of education, and instituted a discriminatory and unnecessary Voter ID law. And, of course, all while under the auspices of the Democratic Party.

It’s no secret then, that progressives are dissatisfied with the status quo of Rhode Island. There have been victories; notably marriage equality. But marriage equality only arrived after a compromise of civil unions riled up enough people that there was a large-scale campaign to gain true equality before the law. Full progressive change in Rhode Island happens when there is a confluence of outrage and money.

VIDEO: The Divide between Taveras, Raimondo

How they play the game

By Bob Plain – In Rhode Island’s Future. See more at: http://www.rifuture.org/divide-between-taveras-raimondo-how-they-play-the-game.html#sthash.TlOBmGVC.dpuf

I agree with Sam Howard who suggests there isn't a giant gap in the policy priorities of Angel Taveras and Gina Raimondo, but I don’t think that means there would be many other similarities in how each would governor Rhode Island.

On WPRI Newsmakers Sunday, Ted Nesi asked Taveras about a post Howard wrote on this blog, specifically: “I don’t see much, policy-wise, that differentiates the two candidates. I think Gov. Raimondo will make policy choices that a Gov. Taveras would also make, and vice versa.”

Taveras dove into his well-versed “Head Start to Harvard” campaign narrative and Nesi responded: “But I think that’s Howard’s point, you will have different biographies but then once you take office you both will govern in pretty similar center-left Democratic fashion.”

I don’t think they would govern in similar styles and I haven’t seen tons of evidence that Raimondo will govern in a center-left Democratic fashion. Or, at least, that’s certainly not how she accomplished her signature political victory.

The campaign so far, Part 2

A scorecard on the state races

By Will Collette

Click here for Part 1.

Every statewide office in Rhode Island, except perhaps Attorney General, will get a new occupant after the November 2014 election which is now just one year away.

This is a rare occurrence brought about by two officials who are term-limited from running for re-election (Lieutenant Governor Liz Roberts and Secretary of State Ralph Mollis). 

In addition, Governor Lincoln Chafee (D) read the tea leaves and the poll numbers and declared he will not run again. 

And our Wall Street land shark, General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, hopes to parlay her millions in donations from her hedge fund and Wall Street cronies into becoming Rhode Island’s first woman governor.

Each state office, except the Attorney General, has more than one Democrat who hopes to win the primary to run as the Democratic candidate in 2014.

Here is a run-down of who’s in so far, along with their latest fund-raising numbers and, SPOILER ALERT, some of my snarky, far-from-unbiased commentary.