With the revelation of two suspicious RI BOE rules changes, we call on the House Oversight Committee to hold emergency fall hearings.

Unlawful BOE Rules Changes? Center Calls for Oversight Hearings, in Addition to Independent Investigation, to Look Into Rhode Island Election Irregularities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 9, 2017

Board of Election Rules Changes Designed to Lessen Election Integrity in Rhode Island?

In RI, possible to apply, be registered, and vote without ever providing legally required personally identifying information?

Center adds call for House Oversight hearings, in addition to Independent Investigation, re. apparent election irregularities

Providence, RI – The revelation today of two past cases of suspicious RI Board of Elections (BOE) rules changes prompted the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity to call on the House Oversight Committee to hold emergency fall hearings to look into potential illegal registration and voting guidelines. This, in addition to the Center’s previous call on the Governor and/or the Attorney General to initiate an independent investigation.

The Ocean State Current (The Current) published today an analysis of a 2008 BOE rules change that removed an important section on the state’s application form for voter registration. Prior to 2008 and after new federal law in 2003, an applicant had to check a box … stating that no drivers license or social security number had (ever) been issued to the person by the state or federal government … as reason to accept alternative (less conclusive) identification credentials. Since 2008 this section and checkbox no longer appears on the form (lessening legal risk to disingenuous applicants?). Comparative images of the altered forms can be found in the article on The Current, which is the Center’s own journalism and blog website.


Rhode Islanders need a credible alternative to the status quo and its destructive progressive ideas. You can help.

Click here to find out more >>>

The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is the Ocean State’s leading voice against the wreckage caused by our state’s progressive agenda.

As the state’s leading research organization, advancing family and business friendly values… the mission of our Center is to make Rhode Island a better place to call home – to raise a family and to build a career.

While progressives value government-centric, taxpayer-funded dependency… our Center believes in the value of hard work and the free-enterprise system.

We understand that in order for more Rhode Island families to have a better quality of life, that more and better businesses are needed to create more and better jobs.

Your donation will help us fight the union-progressive movement and, instead, advocate for pro-family, pro-business policies and values.

Please make a generous, tax-deductible gift to support our Center today!

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Also today, Ken Block published new research about another questionable BOE rules change in 2012. This promulgated rule effectively exempts anyone who votes via mail ballot or via emergency voting from state voter ID requirements. According to Block, over 40,000 such votes were cast in 2016 by voters who have been improperly exempted from providing voter identification as required by Rhode Island’s voter ID law, RI General Law 17-19-24.2. This improper exemption may have also led to violations of federal voting law, specifically the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) which requires that voters who do not supply personally identifying information when they register, must submit that information the first time that they vote.

“In addition to the Governor and Attorney General, it is the responsibility of Chairwoman Serpa to call her committee into session to determine if the State of Rhode Island is violating state and federal elections law,” said the Center’s CEO, Mike Stenhouse. “In Rhode Island, it appears that the BOE and the Secretary of State’s office, over the years, have purposely left the door open for individuals to register to vote … and cast a vote … without ever providing personally identifying information as required by state and federal law. As I previously commented, the magnitude of these findings potentially shake the very foundation of our state’s democracy … and must be officially investigated.”

The Center has also demanded a public statement from the Office of the Secretary of State and from the Board Of Elections ,s which meets this Wednesday to consider these claims, to specifically declare whether or not current voter registration practices are in compliance with federal law.

The Center further recommends additional items be investigated and that potential actions be taken, with regard to the state’s overall election process:

  • Executive order or legislation requiring Rhode Island’s Secretary of State to backfill PII information for the hundreds of thousands of voter registrations that are missing this information.
  • Review of Rhode Island’s “Motor Voter” and automatic registration policies to determine if they comply with federal law
  • Review of state’s absentee mail ballot, emergency voting, and voter ID laws to ensure they comport with the reformed voter registration process
  • Consider a constitutional amendment to codify appropriate reforms so as to ensure election integrity for future generations
  • State or Federal lawsuit on behalf of potentially disenfranchised voters, in order to assure prompt and clear action to cure any legal defects in advance of the next election cycle

Last month Block previously released research of 2016 election voting research showing that every RI city and town had registered voters with missing personally identifying information, as required by federal law. Block also sent a letter of complaint to the US Justice Department, along with detailed city-by-city and district-by-district charts – both can be viewed here.

According to Block’s research, results from the 2016 General Election show that more than thirty percent (over 143,000 votes) of the total votes cast were from voters who did not have a validating drivers license or social security number on file in Rhode Island’s voter registration system. In every city and town in the Ocean State at least 20% of all votes cast last November, were by individuals without such personally identifying information (PII) on record. In five towns, over 40% of voters had no listed PII.


The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is the Ocean State’s leading voice against the wreckage caused by our state’s progressive agenda.

As the state’s leading research organization, advancing family and business friendly values… the mission of our Center is to make Rhode Island a better place to call home – to raise a family and to build a career.

While progressives value government-centric, taxpayer-funded dependency… our Center believes in the value of hard work and the free-enterprise system.

We understand that in order for more Rhode Island families to have a better quality of life, that more and better businesses are needed to create more and better jobs.

Your donation will help us fight the union-progressive movement and, instead, advocate for pro-family, pro-business policies and values.

Please make a generous, tax-deductible gift to support our Center today!

High profile organizations & individuals in Rhode Island offer a bizarre response to voter registration controversy. Center renews calls for investigation.

STATEMENT: Bizarre & Inadequate Response to Voter Registration Controversy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

High Profile Orgs & Individuals Defend Broken Status Quo Even After Admission of Wrongdoing by S.O.S.

Renews Call for Governor to Appoint an Independent Investigator

Providence, RI – Even after a statement from Rhode Island’s Secretary of State acknowledging that the research released yesterday by Ken Block exposed a problem that needs fixing, supporters of the state’s status quo quickly and dutifully fell in line to cast inaccurate accusations about the message and the messenger.

Conversely, the Governor and the Secretary of State remained silent with regard to the calls to action issued by the Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity yesterday. Bold action and clear statements from political leaders would help comfort the voters of Rhode Island that the state’s election process is being conducted legally and with proper integrity.

“The responses so far are both inadequate and bizarre. While one might expect the state’s Democrat Party to blindly defend the practices of its own, I did not expect a commissioner of the Board of Elections and Common Cause to run to the defense of a purposely broken voter registration system,” said the Center’s CEO, Mike Stenhouse. “Attacks on the messenger are usually designed to deflect attention from the truth of the core issue.”


Rhode Islanders need a credible alternative to the status quo and its destructive progressive ideas. You can help.

Click here to find out more >>>

The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is the Ocean State’s leading voice against the wreckage caused by our state’s progressive agenda.

As the state’s leading research organization, advancing family and business friendly values… the mission of our Center is to make Rhode Island a better place to call home – to raise a family and to build a career.

While progressives value government-centric, taxpayer-funded dependency… our Center believes in the value of hard work and the free-enterprise system.

We understand that in order for more Rhode Island families to have a better quality of life, that more and better businesses are needed to create more and better jobs.

Your donation will help us fight the union-progressive movement and, instead, advocate for pro-family, pro-business policies and values.

Please make a generous, tax-deductible gift to support our Center today!

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Inadequate … in that the Governor, who refused to fulfill her campaign promise to appoint an independent investigation into the 38 Studios debacle, has not responded to Center’s call for such an investigation after clear evidence was presented that our state’s voter registration process may violate federal law, potentially opening the door to illegitimate votes being cast.

Further, the Secretary of State similarly has yet to issue a clear and unequivocal statement declaring whether or not Rhode Island’s current voter registration practices are in compliance with federal law, as the Center also demanded.

Bizarre … in that the statement from the Democrat Party directly contradicts the statement from the Secretary of State; and also improperly attacks the messenger by falsely claiming that Block’s research, that has brought these voter registration problems to light, is an assault on voting rights.

Similarly odd is that the good-government group, Common Cause RI, departed so wildly from its normally measured, policy-oriented approach. Instead, it launched a highly personal and unsubstantiated attack on Block, by claiming his research insinuated that fraudulent votes have been cast. Block did not make such a claim.

Perhaps most bizarre was the unhinged reaction from a sitting Commissioner of the Board of Elections, Steve Erickson, who on social media and on radio all but admitted voter registration problems. Erickson also seemed to advocate that the potential illegalities be swept under the rug, with problems instead addressed in a non public manner, behind the scenes. He also accused Block and the Center of engaging in in partisan politics.

“This is not a partisan issue, Steve, this is an American democracy issue,” replied Stenhouse from his Twitter account.

The Center’s full statement yesterday highlighted bi-partisan support for its call for an independent investigation and put forth additional recommended action items.

Earlier this week, Stenhouse, as guest-host for the award winning public affairs television program, State of the State, interviewed Ken Block about his research and the surprisingly dismissive reaction from the Secretary Of State. The 30-minute interview can be watched here.


The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is the Ocean State’s leading voice against the wreckage caused by our state’s progressive agenda.

As the state’s leading research organization, advancing family and business friendly values… the mission of our Center is to make Rhode Island a better place to call home – to raise a family and to build a career.

While progressives value government-centric, taxpayer-funded dependency… our Center believes in the value of hard work and the free-enterprise system.

We understand that in order for more Rhode Island families to have a better quality of life, that more and better businesses are needed to create more and better jobs.

Your donation will help us fight the union-progressive movement and, instead, advocate for pro-family, pro-business policies and values.

Please make a generous, tax-deductible gift to support our Center today!

Following the voter registration research by Ken Block, Center Calls for independent investigation Into potential illegal voter registration practices.

Center Calls for Independent Investigation to Look Into Rhode Island Voter Registration Irregularities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Center Calls on Governor, Attorney General to Initiate Independent Investigation Into Potential Illegal Voter Registration Practices

Resignations In Order?

Bi-Partisan Support for Investigation and Comprehensive Election Reform Analysis

 

Providence, RI – Following the release today of city-by-city and district-by-district voter registration and 2016 election voting research by Ken Block, via his Simpatico Software Systems data analysis company, the Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity calls on the Governor and/or the Attorney General to initiate an independent investigation.

“Claims that the State of Rhode Island is violating federal elections law, specifically the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), must be formally investigated and addressed,” urged the Center’s CEO, Mike Stenhouse.“This shocking data means our current registration practices may need to be amended, with individuals appropriately held accountable, if voters are to maintain confidence in our State’s elections integrity. Today, our Center calls on the Governor to publicly respond. The magnitude of these findings potentially shake the very foundation of our state’s democracy.”

The Center also demands a public statement from the Office of the Secretary of State and from the Board Of Elections, specifically declaring whether or not current voter registration practices are in compliance with federal law.

According to Block’s research, results from the 2016 General Election show that more than thirty percent (over 143,000 votes) of the total votes cast were from voters who did not have a validating drivers license or social security number on file in Rhode Island’s voter registration system. In every city and town in the Ocean State at least 20% of all votes cast last November, were by individuals without such personally identifying information (PII) on record. In five towns, over 40% of voters had no listed PII.


Rhode Islanders need a credible alternative to the status quo and its destructive progressive ideas. You can help.

Click here to find out more >>>

The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is the Ocean State’s leading voice against the wreckage caused by our state’s progressive agenda.

As the state’s leading research organization, advancing family and business friendly values… the mission of our Center is to make Rhode Island a better place to call home – to raise a family and to build a career.

While progressives value government-centric, taxpayer-funded dependency… our Center believes in the value of hard work and the free-enterprise system.

We understand that in order for more Rhode Island families to have a better quality of life, that more and better businesses are needed to create more and better jobs.

Your donation will help us fight the union-progressive movement and, instead, advocate for pro-family, pro-business policies and values.

Please make a generous, tax-deductible gift to support our Center today!

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“That the voter registration process in Rhode Island may have been corrupted is a very serious issue. Whether or not this has led to actual voter fraud is one of the reasons a thorough and nonpartisan investigation is required,” continued Stenhouse. “For starters, any public official knowingly involved in any unlawful registration process, should resign immediately.”

Given the apparent disinterest in this issue by Secretary Of State, Nellie Gorbea, the Center argues that this issue cannot be adequately self-policed, therefore its call for an independent investigation. Earlier this week, Stenhouse, as guest-host for the award winning public affairs television program, State of the State, interviewed Ken Block about his research and the surprisingly dismissive reaction from the Secretary Of State. The 30-minute interview can be watched here.

The Center has already received bi-partisan support for its call for an independent investigation and for potential future legislative action. State Representatives Jared Nunes (D, Coventry) and Blake Fillippi (R, Block Island) have pledged to support and work with the Center, and other concerned parties, on these calls to action.

The Center further recommends additional actions regarding reforms to the state’s overall election process:

  • Executive order or legislation requiring Rhode Island’s Secretary of State to backfill PII information for the hundreds of thousands of voter registrations that are missing this information.
  • Review of Rhode Island’s “Motor Voter” and automatic registration policies to determine if they comply with federal law
    Review of state’s absentee mail ballot, emergency voting, and voter ID laws to ensure they comport with the reformed voter registration process
  • Consider a constitutional amendment to codify appropriate reforms so as to ensure election integrity for future generations
  • State or Federal lawsuit on behalf of potentially disenfranchised voters, in order to assure prompt and clear action to cure any legal defects in advance of the next election cycle

Contents of Block’s letter of complaint to the US Justice Department, along with detailed city-by-city and district-by-district charts can be viewed here.


The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is the Ocean State’s leading voice against the wreckage caused by our state’s progressive agenda.

As the state’s leading research organization, advancing family and business friendly values… the mission of our Center is to make Rhode Island a better place to call home – to raise a family and to build a career.

While progressives value government-centric, taxpayer-funded dependency… our Center believes in the value of hard work and the free-enterprise system.

We understand that in order for more Rhode Island families to have a better quality of life, that more and better businesses are needed to create more and better jobs.

Your donation will help us fight the union-progressive movement and, instead, advocate for pro-family, pro-business policies and values.

Please make a generous, tax-deductible gift to support our Center today!

NEW: Ballot Voter Guide. REJECT QUESTIONS #4-7 over Debt Concerns; APPROVE #2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 18, 2016
REJECT QUESTIONS #4-7
RI Families, our Children Cannot Afford Increased Debt Burden

Only Question #2 Ethics Reform Recommended for Approval

Providence, RI — In heaping over $321,000,000 of additional debt burden on Rhode Island families, as well as on future generations, the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity recommends that voters “reject” bond Questions #4-7. Just like families who must tighten their credit card debt and avoid luxuries they cannot afford, voters should reject the exorbitant spending proposed by the state, much of which is earmarked to benefit special interest insiders.

The 2016 Ballot Question Voter Guide, released today by the Center, documents how the state’s ‘interest on debt’ burden has already increased by 90% since 2005, almost four-times as much as the national average and double any other known state.

“The bond questions this year are just more corporate welfare to special interests, while also advancing the RhodeMap RI agenda,” commented Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “This is not a popularity contest. Quite simply, Rhode Island families and businesses cannot afford the higher tax burden that approval of these irresponsible spending measures would inevitably lead to.”

Only Question #2 – to amend the state constitution restore Ethics Commission authority – received an “Approve” recommendation from the Center. The Center did not take a firm position on Question #1 or #3.

The voter guide PDF provides a brief discussion of each of the seven statewide ballot questions, with the Center’s final recommendations summarized as:

  • Q1 NO POSITION on the “Tiverton Casino”
  • Q2 APPROVE Ethics Commission “Constitutional Amendment”
  • Q3 NO POSITION on “Veterans Home” Bonds
  • Q4 REJECT Wasteful “Innovation Campus & Higher Ed” bonds
  • Q5 REJECT Corporate Cronyism “Infrastructure” bonds
  • Q6 REJECT RhodeMapRI & Property Takeover “Green Economy” bonds
  • Q7 REJECT RhodeMapRI “Affordable Housing” bonds

2016 Ballot Question “Voter Guide”

 

REJECT QUESTIONS #4–7 AND $321,000,000 IN WASTE

Time for Rhode Island to Exercise Fiscal Restraint… Like Families Do

Rhode Island cannot afford to sink any deeper into debt by passing unnecessary, wasteful, and costly new bond measures. Voters should keep in mind that ballot bonds are not a popularity contest, but rather, by approving any of the five state bond offerings in 2016 (questions # 3–7), voters will be putting the State of Rhode Island into even greater debt.

Ocean State taxpayers already are suffering from the largest “interest on debt” burden of any state in New England, with interest around $550 per year for every man, woman, and child in the state, compared with a $300 average for all states. Since 2005, related interest payments have increased by 90% in Rhode Island, with Connecticut at 25%, and New Hampshire at 10%. The three other New England states actually saw decreases.

ne-interestchained2005-2014-web

Nationally, the average increase is just 25%, while Illinois, considered by many to be the most fiscally troubled state in the nation, saw a 45% increase.

By these measures, Rhode Island’s 90% increase in debt-interest payments dwarfs other states. This level of fiscal irresponsibility by our state’s political class should not be worsened by voters in 2016.

Rhode Island families, who rank just 48th on the national Family Prosperity Index, have long had to tighten their belts when it comes to spending and debt. Approving any of these bond measures would place a future debt burden on our own children!

It is time for the State of Rhode Island to show similar restraint. On November 8, it is up to voters actually to do the tightening by voting to reject state questions #4–7. These bonds, totaling $200,500,000 in new debt — over $321,000,000 including interest payments — will also advance the controversial RhodeMap RI agenda as well as more 38 Studios–style corporate-welfare programs as recommended by the discredited Brookings Institution report.

It is a myth that advancing smart growth and sustainable development boondoggles such as campus innovation centers, subsidized affordable housing, green infrastructure, and government land acquisition programs can produce a positive return on investment. The reality is these programs merely increase the level of government intervention in our lives, while costing millions to taxpayers.

Summary: Voters should decide their own priorities, of course, but for the reasons described below, the Center can clearly recommend to approve only one ballot measure: #2, asking for “ethics reform” approval. Of the five spending bonds, as discussed below, only #3, $27 million for veterans homes, should be given any serious consideration by voters.

FIRST THE REJECTIONS (QUESTIONS #4–7)

#4: Higher Education Bonds

Principal: $45,500,000
Total estimated cost: $72,937,126
Discussion: Not only does this bond increase Rhode Islanders’ debt burden, but it also puts taxpayers, the state government, and college students in bed with private, for-profit companies. The money wouldn’t just invest in new buildings, but it would also fund a new program that helps private corporations use public resources to develop “products, services, and businesses.”

#5: Port Infrastructure Bonds

Principal: $70,000,000
Total estimated cost: $112,210,962
Discussion: This new debt would not only move business costs off of the private businesses that use the ports in Quonset and Providence, but it would also hand 25 acres of Providence real estate over to the government and a non-profit company acting in its behalf.

#6: Property Takeover and Development Bonds

Principal: $35,000,000
Total estimated cost: $56,105,481
Discussion: Of all the bonds on the ballot, this one teaches most clearly the lesson that bonds are not just borrowing for infrastructure, but are policy decisions. Of the total, $8,000,000 will go toward the direct government purchase of land or property rights, some of it for resale or lease at heavy discounts to preferred individuals and businesses. When the Center began investigating the new practice of the state’s purchasing farmland, officials pointed to a bond on the 2014 ballot that had authorized such action. These bonds allow the state government to buy up even more open space, recreation land, and farmland while also creating a windfall for private construction companies and non-profits.

#7: Affordable Housing Bonds

Principal: $50,000,000
Total estimated cost: $80,150,687
Discussion: These bonds would feed what has become an affordable housing industry in Rhode Island, with overlapping interests of construction companies, non-profits, politicians, and government agents. Burdening Rhode Islanders with yet more unaffordable debt is not the way to help us pay our housing bills.

MAYBE, APPROVE, MAYBE (QUESTIONS #1–3)

#1: Tiverton Casino

Maybe
Discussion: The first question on the ballot will essentially allow the state government, acting through the private Twin River Management Group, to construct and operate a casino in Tiverton, on the border of Fall River, Massachusetts. (Tiverton residents will also have to pass their own local ballot question.)

The Center’s emphasis on freedom would generally lead us to support the right of individuals to engage in activities such as gambling if that is what they want to do. On the other hand, our preference for a very limited scope for government leaves us wary of creating a monopoly market for government to enter as if it were some sort of organized crime syndicate. The case for gambling on principles of freedom weakens to the extent that Americans are only able to gamble under the watchful eye — and for the direct profit — of the government.

However, this ballot question does not create that dynamic. Indeed, one could characterize the Tiverton casino not so much as a new operation, but as a new location for Newport Grand, which would be closed if Tiverton opens. Granted, a Tiverton casino will be an expanded casino, but voters may reasonably see the difference as minimal and balance it against an expected relief of pressure to increase Rhode Island’s already-high taxes.

#2: Ethics Commission Authority over the General Assembly

Approve
Discussion: A member of our staff recently received the intriguing question of whether giving the unelected Ethics Commission authority over the elected General Assembly contradicts the Center’s preference for smaller, less-intrusive government. To the contrary, our state and our nation are constructed so as to ensure a balance of powers, and in the case of legislators’ immunity to Ethics Commission investigation, the legislature is dramatically unbalanced.

In offering this assessment, we would stress our skepticism of the Ethics Commission’s execution of its role. With members’ terms extending into decades, even though state law is supposed to limit them to five years, and with the commission’s decisions sometimes seeming to float between arbitrary and abstruse, we aren’t confident that this renewed oversight power will make a great deal of practical difference.

But these are pragmatic considerations, whereas the ballot question would be procedural. A future governor and legislature appointing a different sort of commissioner, with greater turnover, will do the state government more good if those commissioners can address corruption among legislators.

#3: Veterans Home Bonds

Maybe
Principal: $27,000,000
Total estimated cost: $43,281,371
Discussion: As a baseline judgment, we oppose any and all new debt for the state government of Rhode Island at this time. Too often, it seems, voters see bonds as a way to access free money for projects that the profligate spending of the government precludes.

Nonetheless, we cannot ignore the sacrifice and dedication of America’s veterans or the unacceptable treatment that they have received so visibly from our government in recent years. Voters should therefore weigh the practice of borrowing and the implicit boon to labor unions that it represents with the value of developing infrastructure for the benefit of those to whom we owe our freedom.

The 2016 “Sheeple” Index: Alarming Number of Lawmakers Vote in Lock-step with Leadership

Despite polices that have caused the Ocean State to suffer the 50th ranked business climate, the 48th rank in Family Prosperity, and the 47th rank in Jobs & Opportunity, our new 2016 “Sheeple” index demonstrates that there is scant dissent among Rhode Island lawmakers who vote for such policies.

This index ranks how often state Representatives and Senators voted in lock-step with leadership. Even with the 2016 General Assembly scoring a dismal (-54.1) on the Center’s 2016 Freedom Index, there was little opposition as more than half of all lawmakers voted with the House Speaker or the Senate President over 95% of the time.

The 2016 “Sheeple” index is a collaboration between WatchdogRI.org and our Center.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Lawmakers who were not present and missed votes are artificially credited in this “sheeple” index as having not voted with leadership. Please refer to the “missed votes” (or Walker) index here to see how many votes any particular lawmaker incurred.

Of the 2016 House’s 489 bills examined, excluding resolutions and solemnizations: 24 Representatives voted at least 98% of the time with the Speaker, with the worst-five “sheeple” offenders are:

  • John DeSimone (99.8%)
  • Ray Johnston, Jr (99.8%)
  • Michael Morin (99.6%)
  • Brian Kennedy (99.39%)
  • Lauren Carson (99.2%).

Of the Senate’s 487 bills, 11 Senators surpassed the 98% sheeple threshold, the five least independent when it came to casting votes in lock-step with the Senate President are:

  • Susan Sosnowski (99.6%)
  • Dominick Ruggerio (99.2%)
  • Erin Lynch (99.2%)
  • Steve Archambault (98.8%)
  • Hanna Gallo (98.6%)

“In a healthy democracy, there should be a rigorous debate of diverse policies. Sadly, and conversely in Rhode Island, it seems that when leadership authorizes bills to move forward, legislators feel compelled to automatically support them,” commented Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “The statistics in this report present an alarming pattern of elected officials blindly following the leader. Voters this November must decide if this is how they want their government to be run.”

EXETER top-ranked delegation; NEWPORT last on 2016 Freedom Index

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 16, 2016
Only 3 Towns Scored in Positive Territory; 16 Cities & Towns Below General Assembly Average

Providence, RI — Following yesterday’s release of its annual Freedom Index and Legislator Scorecard, the nonpartisan Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity today published a 2016 ranking of the General Assembly delegations from the Ocean State’s 39 cities and towns. The Exeter delegation of House and Senate lawmakers, based on their individual floor-votes, was the highest ranked in the state, while the Newport delegation ranked lowest.

EXETER’s top-rated score of +19.37 by its delegation, consisting of Representatives Price and Costa, and Senator Morgan, was higher than the General Assembly’s overall score of negative (-54.1). During the 2016 legislative session, the Exeter lawmakers generally voted to advance freedom in the Ocean State.

Sen. Elaine J. Morgan (R) of district 34 in Exeter scored a +23.73 overall on the 2016 Freedom Index, while Rep. Doreen Costa (R) scored a +20.8 and Rep. Justin Price (R) scored a +13.60.

Conversely, NEWPORT’s score of (-68.5) by its delegation of Representatives Carson and Abney, and Senators Paiva Weed and DiPalma. was worst in the state in 2016, reducing the freedom of Rhode Islanders.

Rep. Lauren Carson (D, district 75) scored a (-67.8), while Rep. Marvin Abney (D, district 73) scored a (-67.8), Sen. Teresa Paiva Weed (D, district 13), scored a (-68.4), and Sen. Louis DiPalma (D, district 12) scored a (-71.2).

TOP-3, BOTTOM-5. Joining Exeter as the only 3 towns to achieve a positive score was Richmond and Charleston. In addition to Newport, the bottom five towns were Pawtucket, East Providence, Providence, and Jamestown, all of which are part of the 16 cities and town that scored below the average General Assembly score.

On the main RIFreedom.org/FreedomIndex home page, voters have access to a multitude of data and tools, including links to:

  • Legislator Scorecards for 2016 as well as for the prior 4 years
  • Interactive data from 2012-2016 that can be filtered by a number of criteria including city/town, party, lawmaker, year, category, etc …
  • 38 Studios Scorecard, released last month
  • “Walkers” Index, which tallied missed votes by lawmakers over the past 3 years, released in collaboration with WatchdogRI.org

Later this month, again in collaboration with WatchdogRI.org, the Center also plans to release its first-ever “Sheeple Index“, which rates how often lawmakers vote in lock-step with political leadership.

How Does Your Delegation Rank On The 2016 RI Freedom Index?

Based on the 2016 individual floor-votes of each city’s & town’s entire delegation of General Assembly House and Senate lawmakers on bills appearing on the Center’s “Freedom Index”,  a ranking of the 39 municipalities is provided below.

See the 9/16/16 media release here … 

EXETER’s top-rated score of +19.37 by its delegation, consisting of Representatives Price and Costa, and Senator Morgan, was higher than the General Assembly’s overall score of negative (-54.1). Conversely, NEWPORT’s score of (-68.5) by its delegation of Representatives Carson and Abney, and Senators Paiva Weed and DiPalma, was worst in the state.

TOP-3, BOTTOM-5. Joining Exeter as the only 3 towns to achieve a positive score was Richmond and Charelestown. In addition to Newport, the bottom five towns were Pawtucket, East Providence, Providence, and Jamestown, all of which are part of the 16 cities and town that scored below the average General Assembly score.

How Does Your City/Town Delegation Rank?

  1. Exeter  (+19.37)
  2. Richmond  (+18.65)
  3. Charlestown  (+1.20)
  4. West Greenwich  (-4.48)
  5. Hopkinton (-9.57)
  6. Foster (-10.95)
  7. Coventry (-15.96)
  8. East Greenwich (-15.97)
  9. New Shoreham (-28.70)
  10. Portsmouth (-29.86)
  11. North Kingstown (-30.68)
  12. North Smithfield (-34.58)
  13. Scituate (-37.85)
  14. Westerly (-38.28)
  15. West Warwick (-41.62)
  16. Bristol (-42.70)
  17. Burrillville (-42.80)
  18. South Kingstown (-43.86)
  19. Glocester (-48.10)
  20. Tiverton (-51.08)
  21. Cumberland (-52.17)
  22. Narragansett (-53.43)
  23. Lincoln (-53.44)
  24. Warwick (-54.27)
  25. Middletown (-54.35)
  26. North Providence (-60.14)
  27. Cranston (-61.04)
  28. Woonsocket (-62.82)
  29. Central Falls (-63.83)
  30. Smithfield (-64.67)
  31. Johnston (-64.98)
  32. Barrington (-66.00)
  33. Little Compton (-66.20)
  34. Warren (-66.33)
  35. Jamestown (-67.30)
  36. Providence (-67.30)
  37. East Providence (-67.91)
  38. Pawtucket (-68.04)
  39. Newport (-68.85)

VOTER GUIDE: Final Legislator Scorecard & Freedom Index

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 15, 2016

Failed Status Quo Exemplified by Continued Deeply Negative Overall General Assembly Scores

However, real-time ratings led to more positive individual scores

Providence, RI — Loaded with information that may be useful to voters this fall, the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity published today the final report for its annual Freedom Index and Legislator Scorecard, as part of its larger transparency initiative.

Led by Representative Patricia Morgan (R, West Warwick) and Senator Elaine Morgan (R, Exeter) only 11 of 113 lawmakers, on a scale of (-100) to +100, earned positive scores: 10 Republicans and one independent; with nine in the House and two in the Senate.

Overall, however, the General Assembly as a body scored a negative (-54.1), continuing its five-year trend deep in red numbers, meaning Rhode Islanders have less freedom than they did last year.

“It is a result of this failed status quo of increased government intervention in our personal and business lives that we believe is why the Ocean State ranks so poorly in so many national indexes,” commented Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “It is not acceptable that we rank 50th, with the worst business climate in the nation; 48th on the national Family Prosperity Index (FPI); and 47th on the Center’s Jobs & Opportunity Index (JOI). It’s up to voters to review this data and decide whether or not to hold lawmakers accountable for their voting records this November.”

On the RIFreedom.org/FreedomIndex home page, voters have access to a multitude of data and tools, including links to:

  • Legislator Scorecards for 2016 as well as for the prior 4 years
    Interactive data from 2012-2016 that can be filtered by a number of criteria including city/town, party, lawmaker, year, category, etc ..
  • 38 Studios Scorecard, released last month
  • “Walkers” Index, which tallied missed votes by lawmakers over the past 3 years, released in collaboration with WatchdogRI.org

Among other findings:

  • The Exeter contingent of House and Senate lawmakers was the highest ranked in the state, while the Newport contingent ranked lowest
  • House Republicans were the only major party caucus to score in positive territory (+7), while Senate Democrats were the lowest scoring (-68.8)
  • Overall, Republicans moved significantly higher, while Democrats dropped lower, further widening the partisan gap

Also, as a result of its new 2016 policy to post online real-time bill ranking and lawmaker scores, the Center was successful in proactively influencing future votes as opposed to just a reactive scoring of past votes. This can be evidenced by the fact that a number of lawmakers who followed the Center’s recommendations scored in positive territory in 2016, after years of almost no lawmakers scoring above zero.

Later this month, again in collaboration with WatchdogRI.org, the Center also plans to release its first-ever “Sheeple Index”, which rates how often lawmakers vote in lock-step with political leadership.