NEW: Failing RI Report Card Grades Not Advancing Social Justice

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2015

Non-Competitive Grades Harming Work, Mobility, and Opportunity for Rhode Islanders
Preponderance of Fs and Ds Should Signal Need for Change in Policy Culture

Providence, RI — The opportunity for upward mobility for many Ocean Staters continues to be hampered by a non-competitive business climate and onerous family tax burdens, as evidenced by the poor grades the State of Rhode Island received on the 2015 Report Card on Rhode Island Competitiveness, the fourth annual such report, released today by the Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity.

Burdened with public policies that discourage work and a productive lifestyle, the state’s poor grades in 10 major categories (two F’s, seven D’s, and one C) reflect a government culture geared to benefit special interest insiders, while at the same time promoting job-crushing and soul-crushing dependency among the general populace.

Raising even further alarm, Rhode Island ranked dead-last, overall, when compared with report cards from other New England states.

“This report card clearly demonstrates the wreckage that decades of liberal policies have wrought upon our state. These unacceptable grades should be a wake-up call to lawmakers that a government-centric approach is not producing the social justice and self-sufficiency that Rhode Islanders crave,” suggested Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “If we want to provide more mobility and opportunity for our neighbors and entrepreneurs, we must completely reform our public policy approach. We must learn to trust in our people and remove the tax and regulatory boot of government off of their backs by advancing policies that empower the average family with choices, that reward work, and that grow the economy.”

The two categories with F grades are Infrastructure and Health Care; the seven D’s are Business Climate, Tax Burden, Spending & Debt, Employment & Income, Energy, Public Sector labor, and Living & Retirement in Rhode Island; while Education received a C-. Among the 52 sub-categories evaluated, Rhode Island received 19 F’s, 24 D’s, 5 Cs, 3 Bs, and just one lone A.

In a related 1-page brief, the Center also analyzes report card trends over recent years as well as comparisons to grades for other New England states.

The RI Report Card, originally developed for the Center by a national economist, compiles into a single document the state rankings among key economic and social indexes, as published by dozens of credible 3rd party national organizations.

The 2015 report card, with citations, as well as reports from prior years can be downloaded at RIFreedom.org/RIReportCard.

Media Contact:
Mike Stenhouse, CEO
401.429.6115 | info@rifreedom.org

About the Center
The nonpartisan RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is Rhode Island’s premiere free-enterprise research and advocacy organization. The mission of the 501-C-3 nonprofit organization is to return government to the people by opposing special-interest politics and advancing proven free-market solutions that can transform lives by restoring economic competitiveness, increasing educational opportunities, and protecting individual freedoms.

Rhode Island Report Card, 2015: Policy Culture Not Advancing Social Justice & Fairness

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[button url=”https://rifreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/RICFP-RIReportCard-2015.pdf” target=”_blank” size=”medium” style=”royalblue” ]2015 Report Card[/button] [button url=”https://rifreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/RICFP-RIReportCard-2015-wnotes.pdf” target=”_blank” size=”medium” style=”royalblue” ]2015 Report Card (with citations)[/button] [button url=”https://rifreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/RICFP-RIReportCard-2015-brief.pdf” target=”_blank” size=”medium” style=”royalblue” ]4-year & New England comparison[/button]

Go to Report Card home page

When the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity began compiling its annual Competitiveness Report Card for Rhode Island in 2012, the idea was to show how we, as a state, were doing, compared with our New England neighbors and the country as a whole. That first year, the report card showed five Fs and five Ds. Now, in its fourth iteration, with various changes of methodology and some new categories, the total isn’t much better, with two Fs, eight Ds, and one C, as shown in the following chart.

RICFP-RIReportCard-majorcategories-2015

Looking at the subcategories that result in those grades shows some minor shifting from F to Ds, but the overall picture has not improved substantially in a way that indicates changing prospects. See the following chart.

RICFP-RIReportCard-subcategories-2012-2015

These results put RI at the back of the New England pack as shown in the table below (organized by overall grade point average, from left to right).

RIReportcard-NEStateComparisons-2015

Putting those results alongside the Center’s experience dealing with state government on a variety of issues, over the years, the metaphor of a graded report card seems to miss the mark in an important way: These grades are not how we are doing; they are a reflection of what insiders, cronies, and special interests are doing to us.

While Rhode Island government is failing the people of Rhode Island, the lackadaisical attitude about improving the state’s performance suggests that it is not failing everybody. The insiders and special interests are benefiting from these results, and they have tremendous incentive to keep them going.

Although it would go too far to say that they want Rhode Island to fail and Rhode Islanders to suffer, the people doing this to the Ocean State clearly don’t consider success and opportunity for others to be a priority. Any good that can be done for the people of Rhode Island is hindered by the one overriding requirement that those within the system must continue to get theirs first.

STATEMENT: Statewide Teacher Contract Is An Off Base Approach

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STATEMENT
November 11, 2015

Statewide Contract Would Infringe on Local Sovereignty, No Focus of Educating Students

Providence, RI — The focus of educational reform should be for the benefit of students – not on compensating adults – according to a statement today from the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity. Further, a statewide teacher’s contract, currently being looked at by a new Senate commission, would infringe on the sovereignty of municipalities and local school committees.

“It is a highly disturbing trend in Rhode Island for the State to continue to seek control over more and more local matters. We saw this with RhodeMap RI, with firefighter union issues, and now, potentially, with teachers. It is well established that local government is the best government where the people can best hold their elected officials accountable,” commented Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “Too often, the teachers unions make the compensation of teachers the focus of debate rather than the education of students in our under-performing government-run school system. ”

The Center maintains that a one-size-fits-all approach is off-base and cannot possibly serve the best interests of the many and diverse local school districts in Rhode Island; and that giving more centralized influence to unions is not in the best interests of our children.

However, the Center believes there can be a state role in saving money for local school districts. Negotiating and offering a large group health insurance option, that local districts can choose to participate in or not – as opposed to a mandate that would surely be part of any statewide contract – is one such concept.

The Center is part of a statewide coalition advocating for an educational choice policy that would directly benefit students trapped in schools that do not adequately prepare them for college or for life, by empowering parents to choose the best educational path for their children. For more information, visit RIFreedom.org/EdChoiceRI.

Media Contact:
Mike Stenhouse, CEO
401.429.6115 | info@rifreedom.org

About the Center
The nonpartisan RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is Rhode Island’s premiere free-enterprise research and advocacy organization. The mission of the 501-C-3 nonprofit organization is to return government to the people by opposing special-interest politics and advancing proven free-market solutions that can transform lives by restoring economic competitiveness, increasing educational opportunities, and protecting individual freedoms.

38 STUDIOS JOINT STATEMENT: Chairwoman MacBeth Hopeful; Groups Congratulate Public for Early Victories

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JOINT STATEMENT; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2015


Public Pressure Turns Tide in General Assembly; Governor Challenged; MacBeth Expects New Powers

Providence, RI – Having achieved many of its key demands – with court documents released, with House Oversight Committee hearings scheduled to resume next week, and with the Speaker of the House now publicly inching closer to allowing full subpoena power – the coalition of the five good-government groups that are demanding re-invigorated 38 Studios investigations today renew their challenge to the Governor about its remaining unfulfilled demand to appoint an independent investigator.

These sentiments were largely echoed by Representative Karen MacBeth, chair of the committee, in a discussion this morning with a representative of the multi-partisan coalition. MacBeth, who is hopeful that leadership will now empower her committee with the tools and freedom it needs to find out who knew what and when, indicated that her committee will focus on the political and ethical aspects of the insider 38 Studios deal. The chairwoman also expressed that, equally important, a separate and simultaneous non-political investigation should also be conducted to look into potential criminal wrong-doing and all other aspects of the scandal, which eventually could waste up to $100 million in taxpayer funds.

With very little information made public about the State Police investigation, the coalition believes that an investigative effort, completely independent of Rhode Island’s political sphere, is also necessary.

“Clearly, the pressure our coalition has put on legislative leaders has had an impact in the General Assembly,” commented Ken Block of Watchdog RI, one of the group’s leaders. “Now it is time for the Governor to do her part to fulfill her campaign obligation; she needs to recognize that the people of Rhode Island are owed this independent investigation.”

“We believe that all relevant witnesses should be required to testify without preconditions,” stressed Randall Rose of Occupy Providence.

“The voice of the people does make a difference and is being heard on Smith Hill,” added Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the RI Center for Freedom of Prosperity.

The group congratulates Representative MacBeth for resuming hearings; expresses gratitude to the over the 1100 Rhode Islanders who signed the online petition or sent emails to their representatives; and thanks the dozens of legislators who publicly supported investigations (Investigate38StudiosNow.org).

The good government groups behind Investigate38StudiosNow.org continue to ask every sitting Rhode Island legislator to take a stand and go on the record in support, or not, of each of these paths. Lawmakers are still requested to send an email from their official state email address to info@Investigate38StudiosNow.org stating whether they “Support” or “Not Support” each of these two questions. Over 3 dozen lawmakers have already responded with their positions.

Media Contacts:
Mike Stenhouse, CEO, RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity
401.429.6115 | info@rifreedom.org

About the Center
The nonpartisan RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is Rhode Island’s premiere free-enterprise research and advocacy organization. The mission of the 501-C-3 nonprofit organization is to return government to the people by opposing special-interest politics and advancing proven free-market solutions that can transform lives by restoring economic competitiveness, increasing educational opportunities, and protecting individual freedoms.

Rhode Island Employment Snapshot, September 2015: Growth Stops in Employment and Jobs

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[Click here for the printable one-page PDF of this post.]

 

Once again, Rhode Island’s unemployment rate dropped, from 5.7% in August, to 5.4% in September, according to data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That was, however, a silver lining built on an entirely dark cloud. Employment actually dropped by 521 people, but 1,860 Rhode Islanders gave up looking. At the same time, the number of jobs based in the state fell by 1,800 — for a total drop of 3,700 from July.

The first chart below shows that this dip follows a long increase in employment and labor force. However, the number of jobs based in the state has been relatively stagnant, suggesting that the employment numbers will be revised downward at the end of the year. Employment data is based on a phone survey that the BLS conducts in each state and heavily adjusts according to benchmarks and assumptions about seasonal changes.

In the second chart, both Massachusetts and Connecticut are down from last month’s results. Still, Rhode Island alone remains well below its employment and labor force as of January 2007.

The third chart is the most illustrative of the skepticism that readers should have when watching the unemployment rate. The red line shows what the curve would have been if the labor force had not shrunk since January 2007. In that case, the unemployment rate would still be 8.1% and would have begun edging back up, in September.

RI-laborforceandemp-0107-0915

RIMACT-laborforceandemp-0915perc0107

RI-unemploymentrate-steadyLF-0107-0915

STATEMENT: Speaker Mattiello’s Deliberative Process on Tolls Did Not Include the P3 Delivery Concept

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STATEMENT
October 20, 2015

Speaker’s Support of Tolls Fails to Consider Lower-Cost P3 Delivery Model
State can still enjoy benefits of jobs and economic development at lower cost and risk

Providence, RI — No response or curiosity was expressed by the Speaker’s office after it received an advanced copy of the P3 policy paper released last week by the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity that could deliver the Governor’s ambitious bridge and road upgrade project in a safer, timelier, and less costly manner, and with less debt and risk under a proven model that has been successfully deployed in many other states.

“The Speaker indicated on the radio today that he conducted a deliberative process before agreeing to accept some version of the Governor’s toll scheme,” commented Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. That deliberative process apparently did not include consideration of the potentially significant alternative that the Center put forth. “Our Center maintains, that if the Speaker’s and the Governor’s policy teams were to honestly evaluate the benefits of a P3 delivery model, that the significantly lower funding requirements would likely preclude the perceived need for establishing a costly new tolling infrastructure.”

Under a P3 delivery model, a private sector partner who wins an open bidding process, would self-finance and deliver all specified construction upgrades and maintenance services in exchange for a guaranteed revenue flow from the state over a defined period of time.

Combined with a PayGo funding approach, and based on a case study for a similar bridge repair project in Pennsylvania, Ocean State drivers and taxpayers could potentially realize significant benefits, including:

  • Elimination of the risk of Rhode Islanders bearing the burden potential cost overruns by transferring 100% of such risk to the private sector partner
  • Elimination of the need and related costs to impose tolls on truckers or any other RI driver
  • Delivery of the necessary upgrades in a timelier and safer manner
  • Up to $165 million, or a 33% savings in base program costs, derived from private sector efficiencies in innovation, execution, and procurement
  • Up to $67 million, or a 20% savings in program costs, via exemptions from costly state laws mandating Project Labor Agreements and prevailing wages
  • Savings of $43 million in gantry substructure costs
  • Up to $286 million in financing cost savings due to lower bond face-value from lower program costs

The Center urges lawmakers to conduct the due diligence necessary in the coming months to properly evaluate whether or not the P3 model can deliver some or all of the above potential benefits and become a viable alternative to certain aspects of the Governor’s plan that ‘s now on the table.

The full report and other related information can be found on the Center’s P3 homepage at RIFreedom.org/P3.

Media Contact:
Mike Stenhouse, CEO
401.429.6115 | info@rifreedom.org

About the Center
The nonpartisan RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is Rhode Island’s premiere free-enterprise research and advocacy organization. The mission of the 501-C-3 nonprofit organization is to return government to the people by opposing special-interest politics and advancing proven free-market solutions that can transform lives by restoring economic competitiveness, increasing educational opportunities, and protecting individual freedoms.

P3 PayGo Model for RhodeWorks

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[button url=”https://rifreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/RICFP-P3-PayGo-101515.pdf” target=”https://rifreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/RICFP-P3-PayGo-101515.pdf” size=”medium” style=”royalblue” ]Click for full “P3 PayGo Model” report[/button]

Beginning this spring, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo proposed a controversial RhodeWorks program to implement a toll system for commercial trucks as the foundation for a massive revenue bond that would not require voter approval. RhodeWorks is the governor’s strategy for repairing and maintaining a statewide road and bridge system that is undeniably in poor condition.

Despite a report from an insider government vendor, many are concerned that the governor’s plan would place yet another tax on Rhode Islanders — in the guise of highway tolls — putting unnecessary downward pressure on an already depressed state economy and placing taxpayers and drivers at further risk for inevitable cost overruns.

More recently, to address this concern, a Republican Policy Group (RPG) of state lawmakers has proposed a pay-as-you-go (PayGo) alternative that would find an annual sum of money derived from cuts and reform to existing state expenditures in order to fund the annual cost.

The mission of the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity is to advance market-based solutions for the Ocean State through a rigorous exchange of ideas, as well as to provide alternative perspectives in the debate about important public policy issues. We agree with the priority on infrastructure established by the governor and the RPG’s directive to fund and build a sustainable repair and maintenance program within the state’s already high tax and fee regime. However, with Rhode Island’s infrastructure in such bad condition, a large up-front investment of money may be unavoidable.

The Center proposes an out-of-the-box concept for “delivery” of this massive public works project utilizing a proven model utilized in many other states for similar projects.  Lawmakers should conduct the detailed due diligence necessary to properly consider a public-private-partnership (P3) delivery model, with a pay-as-you-go (PayGo) funding foundation.

All combined this approach would fund much needed infrastructure upgrades largely from existing general revenue, yet would offload the debt, risk, and delivery of the project to a private sector partner.

The P3 PayGo model would preclude the need for tolling and would  provide substantial benefits for Rhode Island taxpayers and drivers by:

  • Removing the risk of taxpayers’ or ratepayers’ bearing the burden of likely cost overruns
  • Requiring no major new revenue streams, such as tolls, taxes, or fees
  • Removing project management from the RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT), which has recently come under intense public criticism for ongoing internal inefficiencies
  • Delivering bridge and road repairs in a more timely manner
  • Potentially saving hundreds of millions of dollars in overall project costs

Compiling this paper, the Center found the potential cost savings of a P3 PayGo project to be massive, reducing project costs by nearly half and potentially reducing annual costs to nearly one-third of the proposed spending. However, the primary goals of this proposal are to allow an upfront infusion of money without the need for tolls or other new revenue or long-term general obligation debt and to mitigate the risk associated with a project of this size. We therefore consider cost savings to be a secondary benefit, with the expectation that the numbers will become clearer as the public debate proceeds. At the very least, it is clear that, like the state’s bloated budget, P3 PayGo has plenty of slack to make the proposal feasible.

Important note: The term “public private partnership” is often used to describe government subsidies arbitrarily handed out to private ventures, such as 38 Studios. The P3 described in this paper is very different, with delivery of a vital public works project farmed out to a private sector partner in order to achieve market-based efficiencies and risk management not usually available to the government.

[button url=”https://rifreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/RICFP-P3-PayGo-101515.pdf” target=”https://rifreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/RICFP-P3-PayGo-101515.pdf” size=”medium” style=”royalblue” ]Click for full “P3 PayGo Model” report[/button]

MEDIA RELEASE: P3 Delivery Model Bypasses RI DOT to Conduct Infrastructure Upgrades

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2015

P3 Delivery Model for Infrastructure Upgrades Has Multiple Benefits for Rhode Islanders
Private Sector Partner Would Deliver Governor’s Project Goals More Efficiently than RI DOT

Providence, RI — The Governor’s ambitious bridge and road upgrade project can be delivered in a safer, timelier, and less costly manner, and with less debt and risk under a public-private-partnership model; similar “P3” models have been successfully deployed in many other states, according to a new policy paper released today by the Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity.

Under a P3 delivery model, a private sector partner who wins an open bidding process, would self-finance and deliver all specified construction upgrades and maintenance services in exchange for a guaranteed revenue flow from the state over a defined period of time.

“To execute this vital infrastructure project, we have great concerns about the wasteful spending, insider politics, and other inefficiencies if we continue to follow the status quo process by handing-over half-a-billion dollars or more to the troubled RI Department of Transportation,” commented Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “Other states have greatly benefited from similar P3 arrangements, and we trust that Rhode Island’s political leaders will show enough intellectual curiosity to want to know more about how taxpayers might bear less of a burden in completing this important public works project.”

Former state budget director, Gary Sasse, concurred, saying “lawmakers should remember that Rhode Island’s transportation funding crisis evolved primarily from debt-driven financing practices. In order to serve the best interests of Rhode Island taxpayers and drivers, the General Assembly should take the time to fully evaluate this P3 model and all other options, with no stone left unturned.” Sasse’s full statement can be viewed here.

Combined with a PayGo funding approach, and based on a case study for a similar bridge repair project in Pennsylvania, Ocean State drivers and taxpayers could potentially realize significant benefits, including:

  • Elimination of the risk of Rhode Islanders bearing the burden potential cost overruns by transferring 100% of such risk to the private sector partner
  • Elimination of the need and related costs to impose tolls on truckers or any other RI driver
    Delivery of the necessary upgrades in a timelier and safer manner
  • Up to $165 million, or a 33% savings in base program costs, derived from private sector efficiencies in innovation, execution, and procurement
  • Up to $67 million, or a 20% savings in program costs, via exemptions from costly state laws mandating Project Labor Agreements and prevailing wages
  • Savings of $43 million in gantry substructure costs
  • Up to $286 million in financing cost savings due to lower bond face-value from lower program costs

The Center urges lawmakers to conduct the due diligence necessary in the coming months to properly evaluate whether or not the P3 model can deliver some or all of the above potential benefits.

The full report and other related information can be found on the Center’s P3 homepage at RIFreedom.org/P3.

Media Contact:
Mike Stenhouse, CEO
401.429.6115 | info@rifreedom.org

About the Center
The nonpartisan RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is Rhode Island’s premiere free-enterprise research and advocacy organization. The mission of the 501-C-3 nonprofit organization is to return government to the people by opposing special-interest politics and advancing proven free-market solutions that can transform lives by restoring economic competitiveness, increasing educational opportunities, and protecting individual freedoms.

STATEMENT: Center Supports GOP Policy Group Infrastructure Strategy

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 7, 2015

Legislators Should Not be Rewarded for Their Past Negligence

Tough Budget Priorities Must be Made

Providence, RI – Having put forth its own Pay-As-You-Go concept earlier this year, the nonpartisan RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity supports the general approach put forth by the RI Republican policy group earlier today to fund necessary infrastructure upgrades – without tolls and without an overly costly bond as proposed by the Governor.

“If fixing our bridges and roads is a top policy priority, as it should be, then that priority should be reflected in our existing state budget, without new revenues being extracted from our struggling state economy,” suggested Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “Legislators should not be rewarded for their past negligence of this issue; it is now time to make the tough budget decisions necessary to fund upgrades to our bridges and roads largely out of existing revenues.”

The Center plans to release a third funding model next week, a hybrid plan that incorporates a PayGo funding approach and that also removes direct management of this major public works project from the inefficient RI Department of Transportation.

Media Contacts:
Mike Stenhouse, CEO, RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity
401.429.6115 | info@rifreedom.org

About the Center:

The nonpartisan RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is Rhode Island’s premiere free-enterprise research and advocacy organization. The mission of the 501-C-3 nonprofit organization is to return government to the people by opposing special-interest politics and advancing proven free-market solutions that can transform lives by restoring economic competitiveness, increasing educational opportunities, and protecting individual freedoms.

JOINT STATEMENT: Legislators Challenged to Take Position on 38 Studios Investigations

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JOINT STATEMENT; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 6, 2015

Good Government Groups Demand 38 Studios Accountability; Ask Lawmakers to Take a Position
Over Two Dozen Lawmakers Already on Record

Providence, RI – The five good government groups who banded together to push for complete and thorough investigations of the 38 Studios debacle (the Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity, WatchdogRI, RI Taxpayers, Operation Clean Government and Occupy Providence) today released the following joint statement regarding the document release from the State’s civil lawsuit:

It is now beyond apparent that the documents released by the courts will not provide Rhode Islanders with a complete accounting of the 38 Studios debacle. Because both sides in this lawsuit were not interested in fully accounting for the disaster, but, rather, were interested in simply winning their case, many leads were not adequately pursued.

What Rhode Island voters need and demand is accountability and the full story of how the scam went down. We want to know how this bad deal managed to sail through every existing check and balance in our government, so that we can implement reforms to prevent future failures.

To get the answers to these questions, two investigatory paths must be pursued. First, the Governor must initiate a truly independent investigation into potential criminal activity and how Rhode Island government’s process failed to protect the taxpayer. Second, legislative Oversight Committee hearings must reconvene with the support of leadership, and with subpoena powers as necessary, in order to determine if any political manipulation or ethical wrongdoing occurred.

The good government groups behind www.Investigate38StudiosNow.org now ask every sitting Rhode Island legislator to take a stand and go on the record in support, or not, of each of these paths.

The two questions being posed to legislators are:

  • Do you SUPPORT or NOT SUPPORT publicly open and unfettered legislative Oversight Committee hearings – now – including the granting of all subpoena powers requested by said committees, that will look into potential manipulation of the political and governmental process that led to the 38 Studios affair?
  • Do you SUPPORT or NOT SUPPORT a call to the Governor to appoint an outside, independent investigator – now – with subpoena powers to produce to a report on any potential criminal or ethical wrongdoing with regard to the 38 Studios affair?

Lawmakers are requested to send an email from their official state email address to info@Investigate38StudiosNow.org stating whether they “Support” or “Not Support” each of these two questions. About 2 dozen lawmakers have already responded with their positions.

We are not accepting as a positive answer to the Governor’s investigation a state police probe, since the state police would be looking for criminal activity only.

Rhode Islanders will not tolerate any further delay in obtaining a full explanation of this scandal. We will vigorously pursue getting answers from every legislator to our questions, and will post those results on our website. Responses from Representatives can be found here: www.Investigate38StudiosNow.org/Representatives.php and responses from Senators here: www.investigate38studiosnow.org/senators.php.

Media Contacts:
Mike Stenhouse, CEO, RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity
401.429.6115 | info@rifreedom.org

About the Center
The nonpartisan RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is Rhode Island’s premiere free-enterprise research and advocacy organization. The mission of the 501-C-3 nonprofit organization is to return government to the people by opposing special-interest politics and advancing proven free-market solutions that can transform lives by restoring economic competitiveness, increasing educational opportunities, and protecting individual freedoms.