STATEMENT: RI & Department of Health Reality Check; Center Renews Call for Inspector General

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 30, 2016

State Lawmakers Need to Face the Realities of a Trump Administration

Providence, RI– As it warned four years ago, when it advised against Medicaid expansion and the Unified Health Infrastructure Project (UHIP), the Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity again warns against the ‘business as usual approach’ on display this past week by state officials. The Center suggests that the Rhode Island Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the state administration need a reality check with regard to the now epic UHIP computer systems disaster and the recent announcement of more funds planned to be sunk into expansion of the state’s Medicaid infrastructure.

“Newsflash: in seven weeks, Barack Obama will no longer be President. There is a shifting healthcare landscape and state officials need to recognize that unlimited federal support to continue these costly boondoggles is going to end,” suggested Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “At a time when the federal government will be making dramatic new course changes towards making private health insurance more accessible to more American families, our state, stubbornly, is doubling down on its plans to keep plowing ahead with the failed government-centric approach.”

The Center believes it is irresponsible to plan to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to expand our state’s Medicaid capacity at a time when the federal government and many other states will be moving in the opposite direction: towards reducing enrollment in the government’s public health insurance offering and, instead, towards increasing private health insurance enrollment through an aggressive offering of premium subsidies and/or tax credits. An even more poignant question is whether or not the new presidential administration and Congress will even re-authorize these funds?

The Center expresses further concern that the hundreds of millions of dollars of planned federal and state spending will do little to help working families and small businesses, who will be expected to pay for this spending, most of which go to enriching insider institutions that are part of the Medicaid system. “For every dollar we spend on this wayward path, that’s one less dollar we can proactively spend on education reform or tax cuts,” suggested Stenhouse.

As it has also maintained for years, the Center continues to warn that the real costs of UHIP have not yet fully materialized. The one-stop-shopping aspect of UHIP will purposely lead to increased enrollment in various government services – resulting in new costs that our state cannot afford and – because of the changing landscape – that the federal government may cut funding.

Based on these examples of government incompetence and the continued hemorrhaging of taxpayer money, the Center renews its call for government checks-and-balances via legislation that would create an Office of the Inspector General. The Center believes it is vital than an independent, non-partisan entity should keep watch over state spending in order to prevent the squandering of taxpayer money as has been seen with the UHIP and DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) computer systems. Similarly, major spending projects in other state agencies, such as the multi-billion dollar RhodeWorks program to repair the state’s crumbling bridges and roads, must also be subject to close fiscal oversight of this kind.

10 Multi-partisan Policy Principles to Improve on RI’s 48th Ranking in Family Prosperity

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Two-Page Policy Brief

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 6, 2016
Multi-partisan Policy Recommendations to Improve Family Prosperity and Upward Mobility

Offers public policy ideas for 2016 State candidates to consider

Providence, RI — With statewide elections in just two months, voters must consider whether a turnover in elected officials is necessary to to see a turnover in public policies that may actually improve their families’ prosperity.

Ranking just 48th on the national Family Prosperity Index (FPI) published earlier this year, the broadest available measure of family well-being, the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity (Center) today published a summary of the state’s rankings in dozens of FPI categories along with a set of policy principles that lawmakers are encouraged to consider.

“What if we were to realize that the status quo public policy approach, as well-intended as it may be, in reality, has had the unintended consequence of reducing the overall prosperity of our Rhode Island families,” suggested Mike Stenhouse, the Center’s CEO.”The FPI research clearly demonstrates that cultural, social, and demographic factors must also be considered, in addition to economic factors, when formulating effective public policy.”

The Center maintains that a new public policy approach – an approach that considers the whole person, not just his/her material needs – and that takes the best ideas from across the political spectrum – is required to improve the lives of Ocean State families and individual taxpayers.

The two page policy brief provides a color coded summary of the Ocean State’s rankings. As part of its 48th place ranking among all states, Rhode Island: ranked in the bottom-third in 5 of the 6 major categories, and 18 of the 30 sub-categories; ranked in the middle-third in 1 of 6 major categories and 8 sub-categories; and in the top-third in zero major categories and just 4 sub-categories. The state’s worst rankings are in the major category of Family Demographics, where it ranks red in all 5 sub-categories.

To directly address these problems the Center has developed 10 guiding policy principles that candidates should debate this fall and that lawmakers should consider in the 2017 session. “The solution for our families is not about corporate welfare to targeted ‘advanced industries,’ but rather broad-based policies that enhance opportunity for every family and business,” continued Stenhouse.

In this regard, the Center’s ten policy principles include ideas from the playbooks of both the right and the left. “A new spirit of across-the-aisle and civic cooperation is required if our state government is to effectively serve its constituents. Additionally, community, religious and business leaders also have a very important role to play as public policy cannot address many of the problems Rhode Island must overcome if our families are to improve their chances of upward mobility,” concluded Stenhouse.

Two-Page Policy Brief
School Choice

Center Releases Bright Today School Choice Video to Celebrate Milton Friedman Legacy Day

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 29, 2016

NEW VIDEO: Parents Discuss Why School Choice Would Benefit Their Families as Part of Friedman Legacy Day Celebration

Bright Today Educational Scholarships Would Empower Parents to Choose the Best Educational Path for their Children

Providence, RI —  The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity (Center) joined in the national celebration of the 10th annual Milton Friedman Legacy Day by releasing a new school choice video, featuring two Rhode Island families. Milton Friedman, regarded as the ‘father of school choice’ , would have been 104 years old today.

SCAs creator of and lead advocate for Educational Scholarship Accounts (ESA) in Rhode Island, the Center encourages families concerned about the lack of educational options available for them to learn more about its “Bright Today” ESA scholarship program, Bright Today legislation, which would empower all Ocean State families with new capacities to choose alternative public or private schools for their children, has not moved in the state’s General Assembly over the past two years.

“Everybody agrees that educating our youth is a moral obligation and a vital basis for renewed economic growth. Yet very few in our political class have the courage to stand up to the special interests who want to maintain a government-run school monopoly,” commented Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “Just look at the kids in our new video and tell me how we can deny them a better opportunity to improve their chances to go to college, to build a career, and to succeed in life.”

The video, featured on the BrightToday.org website, includes commentary from Gertrude Jones, former President of the Providence School Board and Lifespan Vice President and diversity consultant, who is also an adjunct educational scholar to the Center.

Improving educational outcomes for Rhode Island students is a key component towards improving the state’s dismal 48th place national ranking on the Family Prosperity Index. The Ocean State Current, the Center’s blog and journalism website, also published today a related op-ed – Doing Better by RI’s Children – on the school choice issue.

Over recent year, the Center has partnered with the national Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice and with the local RI Families for School Choice to promote the ESA legislation

New: JOBS & OPPORTUNITY INDEX – RI’s Score Drops; Still Mired in 48th Place

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 21, 2016

Rhode Island loses ground, based on lag in long-term employment security

Providence, RI — Despite October data that showed an end to a two month job-loss skid and a slight improvement in its unemployment rate, Rhode Island actually lost ground and is still mired in 48th place by a broader measurement of overall employment opportunity. This according to the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity which noted today that relative long-term unemployment security concerns dropped the state’s total score, keeping the Ocean State stuck with the 48th rank nationally in the Center’s October Jobs & Opportunity Index (JOI).

The state’s weak JOI score (which dropped in October to 17.5 on a scale of 0-100 from its September score of 17.9) parallel findings from another national study, the Family Prosperity Index (FPI), where it ranks 43rd overall in “economics” and 44th and last in New England in the sub-category of “entrepreneurship”, which can be largely attributed to an overly-burdensome governmental regulatory regime.

Rhode Island’s poor JOI and FPI rankings are personified by Robert Martinez, a US Navy veteran, who fought a losing battle against oppressive local government regulations and a statewide hostile business climate that has derailed his dream of forging a better quality of life for himself by developing a successful mobile food vendor business.

“The notion that a falling unemployment rate is indicative of improved job prospects and financial security is false,” commented Justin Katz, research director for the Center. “Meaningful long-term work and high-paying jobs that are vital to individual dignity and family self-sufficiency are not in high supply in Rhode Island as compared with other states.”

A more detailed analysis of the October data can be found on The Ocean State Current, the Center’s journalism and blog website.

Of the three factors that make up JOI, the Ocean State ranks:
  • 39th on the Job Outlook Factor (measuring optimism that adequate work is available): a drop of 3 spots from last month.
  • 39th on the Freedom Factor (measuring the level of work against reliance on welfare programs): no change from last month
  • 47th Prosperity Factor (measuring the financial motivation of income versus taxes): no change from last month

The Center’s monthly JOI report is based on state and local tax collection data from a a variety of federal agencies including the U.S. Census and on income data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

Rhode Island has not gained ground on the national JOI metric, remaining – as it has for years – in the bottom five among all states. JOI is a broader and more accurate measure of employment and well-being than the traditionally cited and highly narrow unemployment rate, which has fluctuated more dramatically in recent years for Rhode Island, but which is not an accurate barometer of economic growth or family prosperity.

Supporting the findings of the JOI metric, Rhode Island also ranks 48th in the Family Prosperity Index, the broadest national measure of family well-being.

For the JOI homepage, click here. 

For a description of JOI and its three sub-factors, click here.

Jobs & Opportunity Index (JOI), October 2016 Lagging on Long-Term Unemployment; Leading with Welfare

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Printable report and national ranking table.

For the October Jobs & Opportunity Index (JOI) report from the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity, our methodology changed slightly. All numbers in the Prosperity Factor (income over taxes) are now annualized.The change made no ranking difference for Rhode Island, which remains 48th, but Vermont did move back into third place in the New England race.

Of the 13 datapoints used for the index, nine are updated for the October report, including measures of long-term employment weakness, on which Rhode Island did poorly, compared with the rest of the country. Employment was up 292 from the previously recorded number, while labor force fell 188, and RI-based jobs increased by 2,200. (Note that these are calculated with pre-revision data for the prior month, but using our new methodology.) Medicaid enrollment increased by 3,183 and SNAP by 267, although TANF dropped by 98. Long-term unemployment was down 300 people and marginally attached workers 100, but the number of Rhode Islanders working part-time against their will remained exactly the same.

The first chart at right shows Rhode Island still hopelessly the last state in New England on JOI. New England experienced a mix of improved and declining JOI scores. New Hampshire remained 1st in the nation, and Maine held firm at 20th. Vermont moved up two slots, to 21st, on Maine’s heals. Connecticut moved in the other direction, falling to 34th in the country, while Massachusetts moved up two, to 35th.

ne-joirace-1016

The second chart at right shows the gap between Rhode Island and New England as well as the United States, with the Ocean State gaining slightly on the U.S., but slipping against the region. However, Rhode Island’s gap worsened on the unemployment rate (third chart).

rineus-joi-2005-1016

rineus-unemployment-2005-1016

Results for the three underlying JOI factors were:

  • Job Outlook Factor (measuring optimism that adequate work is available): RI fell from 36th to 39th.
  • Freedom Factor (measuring the level of work against reliance on welfare programs): RI remained at 39th.
  • Prosperity Factor (measuring the financial motivation of income versus taxes): RI remained at 47th by this factor.
Printable report and national ranking table.

Executive Assistant

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Job Description

THE POSITION: The Center is seeking to hire an Executive Assistant (EA), on a part-time contractor basis, who will assist the CEO in achieving the organization’s development, coalition building, and other outreach goals. The position’s mission is to ensure that key partners are contacted and regularly updated on the Center’s various initiatives. The primary objective of the position is to ensure that successful meetings with major-gift donors and donor prospects are secured and prepared for the CEO. Emphasis will be placed telephone outreach as the primary means to build relationships with major gift prospects. The secondary objective is to similarly secure meeting with key and potential coalition partners.

DUTIES: The Executive Assistant will report to the CEO. It is a new, part-time position that will be remotely based as part of the Center’s ‘virtual’ office environment. The EA is expected to participate in online-video staff meetings two-three times per week, and to occasionally participate in physical staff meetings in Cranston or Lincoln. The EA will perform the following duties:

  • Contact targeted development and coalition partners with the goal of arranging personal meetings with the CEO or other staff members.
  • Preparing pre-meeting briefs and essential materials; and conduct post-meeting follow-up and action reports
  • Expand and update list of potential partners by securing referrals from contacted prospects, add new contact information, and identify particular areas of interest
  • Log all activities in the Center’s online database, including call and meeting notes, and comprehensive contact tracking, whether by the EA or the CEO
  • Assist in the planning and execution of organizational events (Issuing invitations and follow-up, managing RSVP tracking and VIP participation, etc )
  • Execute donor/partner cultivation activities that maintain involvement in the Center

REQUIRED SKILLS and EXPERIENCES: The position requires a person with ample experience dealing with business executives and/or community and civic leaders.

  • A “whatever it takes” and “customer service” mentality, combined with the grace and professionalism to handle high-pressure situations
  • Excellent verbal communications and interpersonal skills with cheerful and positive demeanor. Advanced proficiency in telephone outreach and etiquette, with efficiency with written email and text platforms
  • Minimal five years executive administrative experience, with ample experience in providing executive scheduling support, including calls and appointments and post-meeting follow-up.
  • Solid organizational skills and attention to detail
  • A self-starter attitude with the ability to work effectively in a largely unsupervised, home environment, and to add value both independently and in a team setting
  • Experience with basic Microsoft Office products, as well as with online database management systems. Experience with Salesforce platform is preferred.
  • Should be conversant with, and enthusiastic about, free-market or conservative public policy philosophies

COMPENSATION: Base compensation will be negotiated in the form of a monthly retainer, on a nonguaranteed contract basis, with specified milestone objectives. In keeping with the Centers’ entrepreneurial structure, compensation will likely also include a discretionary quarterly bonus opportunity. There are no other employee benefits offered.

HOW TO APPLY: Interested candidates should submit the following materials:

  • Cover letter with an explanation of the applicant’s interest in the mission of the Center as well as the applicant’s capacity to meet the position’s Duties and Required Skills.
  • Résumé
  • Applicable references (critical to the process)

Email materials to the RI Center for Freedom and Prosperity at: mstenhouse@rifreedom.org. No phone calls please, we will follow up with you.