Government
Public services and government action
Local peace groups support state legislation on nuclear weapons and state investments in war
“A nation’s power is not measured by the level of destruction its arsenal can inflict," said Senator Tiara Mack. "It’s in the sort of life its people enjoy. Our country would be so much stronger if we spent more money eliminating poverty and investing in education and housing rather than in creating and maintaining weapons to prove our might and our ability to annihilate other nations.
LGBTQ students decry anti-trans legislation at State House protest
"I'm hoping to let some people that work in our State house know that this is not okay. I want them to be able to see the faces of the people they're going to be affecting," said organizer Sabrina. "I want them to see us standing out here and realize that these are the faces of the people standing behind the papers that they're signing and that these are the people who are going to be directly affected."
General Assembly can and must do more to lift children out of deep poverty says Raising RI Coalition
"After being ignored for so long, Rhode Island Works needs updating to better prepare parents to succeed in the workforce of today," said Representative Art Handy. "Improving the support is a smart investment of state resources that would truly help families succeed.”
Revenue for Rhode Island coalition looking to tax the one percent
“While we have seen an influx of federal pandemic relief money into our State’s coffers, these are one-time funds and will soon be dried up," said Representative Karen Alzate. "Looking forward, it is imperative that our state raise revenue so that crucial and often life-saving programs and services remain available to Rhode Islanders in need."
Your donations needed: Governor McKee is charging Uprise RI $150 or more for an Access to Public Records Act request
UpriseRI is asking for donations to help cover the cost of this APRA and any future charges the Governor right throw our way.
Proposed bus hub to rely on privatization for funding - What are we giving away in the process?
"Here's the thing," said privatization expert Donald Cohen. "There's only one group of people that will pay back the hundred million in debt. Only one. Us. We'll pay with taxes. We'll pay with tolls. We'll pay with prices for concessions, but it has to be paid back and private capital is more expensive than public capital."
Governor McKee is preventing the release of paroled men convicted as juveniles because "it's an election year"
It is within Governor Daniel McKee's power to instruct the DOC to interpret the law in line with legislative intent. The reason he has chosen not to, according to several sources who have chosen to remain anonymous, is that it's an election year and the Governor does not want to look soft on crime.
Advocates push for expungement of criminal records as General Assembly moves towards legalized marijuana
“In order to begin to repair the harm of this failed war on cannabis,” said Cherie Cruz, co-founder of the Formerly Incarcerated Union of RI, "we need to ensure that a state-initiated record clearance process is put in place to expunge the records of thousands of Rhode Islanders who have been criminalized for the same activity that is now legal."
Mushrooms sprouting from the ceiling: Providence Living Tenants Union protests their unhealthy apartments
"When I had first come to see the apartment it seemed nice," said John Vatkevich. "I reported water damage in April and mushrooms grew out. Literal mushrooms growing out of the ceiling. Not mold, but mushrooms…"
Speaker Shekarchi and Rep Speakman introduce a series of housing bills
The bills, said the Speaker in his press release, "aim to streamline development, provide more complete and timely information about housing and help municipalities meet their affordable housing goals."