The United Way of Rhode Island held a gubernatorial forum Monday morning featuring four of the six candidates for Governor of Rhode Island. Incumbent Governor Gina Raimondo (Democrat), Cranston Mayor Allan Fung (Republican), Dr Luis-Daniel Muñoz (Independent) and Anne Armstrong (Compassion Party) participated. Candidates William Gilbert (Moderate Party) and Joseph Trillo (Independent) declined to participate.

Cortney Nicolato, the new CEO and President of United Way of Rhode Island hosted the event. Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, HousingWorks Rhode Island, LISC Rhode Island, and Women United also helped to host the event.

Below is all the video.

First up, Cortney Nicolato shared some remarks:

Opening remarks from Governor Gina Raimondo:

Q1. A recent WPRI12/Roger Williams University poll showed that 77 percent of Rhode Islanders think that housing costs are too high. If you are re-elected as Governor what would you do to address affordable housing and homelessness challenges?

Q2. In terms of Rhode Island’s public education system, Rhode Island has widened the achievement gap by race, ethnicity and income, and a recent report by the Annie E Casey Foundation found that Rhode Island’s Latino children are performing worse than all other Latino children in the country. If re-elected Governor what will you do address educational achievement gaps and specifically what would you do to increase access to high quality ESL for Rhode Island students?

Closing remarks from Governor Raimondo:

Opening remarks from Cranston Mayor Allan Fung:

Q1. As our economy continues to improve we still have a number of adults who do not have the skills needed to obtain good paying jobs coming back into the state. How will your administration support these adults gain the skills training or language services they need to succeed?

Q2. On a recent WPRI12/Roger Williams University poll showed that 77 percent of Rhode Islanders think that housing costs are too high. If you are elected as Governor what would you do to address affordable housing and homelessness challenges?

Q3. We know that learning begins at birth and that school readiness is essential in insuring that young children are reading proficient. What will you do as governor to ensure Rhode Islander’s access to high quality child care and public preschool?

Closing remarks from Mayor Fung:

Opening reamrks from Dr Luis-Daniel Muñoz:

Q1. YWCA supports women’s empowerment and economic advancement focused on how race impacts women’s economic opportunities. As governor, how would you take a stand for girls and women economic advancement?

Q2. As Baby Boomers age they need increased care giving support. Currently a family caregiver can take four weeks off work, receiving about 60 percent of their wages to take care of a relative. We also know that one in four of us Americans are caring for an aging loved one. Would you consider improving and expanding our paid family leave program, temporary caregiver insurance, etc. to better support our caregiver efforts?

Q3. A front page story in the New York Times high lighted the challenges that recipients of Section 8 housing vouchers face in many areas around the country finding apartments where they can be spent. What are your thoughts around the Section 8 process, and specifically, what we may be able to do differently?

Closing remarks from Dr Luis-Daniel Muñoz:

Opening remarks from Anne Armstrong:

Q1. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps over 86 thousand hard working Rhode Islanders keep more of their paycheck and helps the state’s economy as well as families to buy the necessities. Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont have higher EITC than Rhode Island’s 18 percent. Would you consider increasing that and what do you think is needed?

Q2. In terms of Rhode Island’s public education system, Rhode Island has widened the achievement gap by race, ethnicity and income, and a recent report by the Annie E Casey Foundation found that Rhode Island’s Latino children are performing worse than all other Latino children in the country. If re-elected Governor what will you do address educational achievement gaps and specifically what would you do to increase access to high quality ESL for Rhode Island students?

Closing remarks from Cortney Nicolato:

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