Media Release: Win-Win Policy Solutions for RI in 2013

Win-Win Policy Recommendations to keep families at home in RI!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

January 23, 2013

After statewide political leaders failed to put forward any bold new policy reforms to grow the Ocean State’s struggling economy, the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity published today its Legislative Solutions for 2013, a set of seven “win-win” policy solutions aimed at keeping families together in their Rhode Island homes.

With the worst jobs outlook in the entire nation, as one of the highest cost of living states, and suffering from a severe population and out-migration crisis, public policy in Rhode Island is tearing families apart by driving away loved family members.

With the goal of restoring competitiveness to the state, the Center’s proposed solutions will drive down the cost of living and conducting business in the state and will provide expanded options to parents of disadvantaged students.

“We have heard from the Governor, the House, the Senate, and others, yet no one is proposing any serious reforms”, said Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “The Political Class restricts itself with undue concern about how to fund such an obviously failed budget; a budget that has resulted in persistent misery and unemployment; a budget that has grown significantly faster than it need have. Can anyone seriously question whether or not this is a budget that deserves to be blown up? It’s time for a new game plan and to start playing to win around here”, he continued.

As the state with the highest level of ‘redistribution of income’, the Center asserts that Rhode Island is the most anti free-market state in the entire country. The dismal national rankings most Rhode Islanders have sadly become all too familiar with are a direct result of this futile approach.

“And all we hear from the progressive wing is even more of the same tired, unsubstantiated dribble about taxing the rich. Can’t we all see that it is indeed their approach that is now a well substantiated failure”, inquired Stenhouse. “That the left’s win-lose and lose-lose polices that seek to subsidize some, at the expense of others, is actually hurting all of us? We need to decrease the cost of living for low and middle income families and provide them with renewed job opportunities; and, yes, we also need to keep wealthy individuals here at home in Rhode Island.”

With these needs in mind, the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity recommends the following win-win legislative items for 2013:

• Repeal of the “Sales Tax”: would add tens of thousands of new private sector jobs and boost the state economy.
• Repeal of the “Minimum Corporate Tax”: would remove barriers to new business start-ups and encourage entrepreneurism.
• Repeal of the state “Estate Tax”: will help keep Rhode Island as home to business owners and wealthy citizens.
• Expand “School Choice” Options: empower parents to decide which schools are in their children’s best interests.
• Super Majority Tax Act: would require a two-thirds majority to pass any future tax increases.
• “Pension Transparency” Act: ensure accurate accounting and reporting practices so that retirees and taxpayers know where they stand.
• “Electricity Freedom” Act: repeal costly renewable portfolio mandates so that energy costs can be reduced for households and businesses.

The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity previously published a long term legislative plan for the state, a Prosperity Agenda for Rhode Island, from which most its 2013 recommendations are derived.

The full report, with additional data, tables, analysis, and methodology can be found at:

http://www.rifreedom.org/2013/01/win-win-legislative-solutions-for-ri-in-2013/

The Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity, a non-partisan public policy think tank, is the state’s leading free-enterprise advocacy organization. With a credo that freedom is indispensable to citizens’ well-being and prosperity, the Center’s mission is to stimulate a rigorous exchange of ideas with the goal of restoring competitiveness to Rhode Island through the advancement of market-based reform solutions.

Media Contact:

Mike Stenhouse: 401.429.6115, info@rifreedom.org