Some good news via PBN: Personal income in Rhode Island increased at one of the fastest paces in the nation last spring, according to figures released Tuesday by the U.S. Commerce Department…. In all, 36 states saw personal income rise in the second quarter. By contrast, all but one state saw it decrease in the …
Once again, Rhode Island makes a Forbes list. Last time around, Providence made 10th Most Miserable City. This time, we’ve hit the top — as Worst State for Business. But this may say more about them than about us.
The World Trade Organization has been such a bugaboo for progressives that it might be surprising to learn that they could rule in a way that helps break the regular rhythm of state and municipal giveaways to large corporations — tax breaks which smaller businesses don’t tend to get, and effectively force everybody else to …
Wesli wrote this a couple of weeks ago, but we just noticed that it was languishing on the Side Blog. Also, there was a caption under the photo which was screwing around with the formatting. It read “Hartford and Atwood, in Johnston: Our economy, and our business appeal, can only move as fast as our …
I’ve been writing for the Huffington Post here-and-there of late. Just authored this piece with my FairVote colleague Rob Richie. John Gideon was a prominent voting rights activist who sadly passed on Monday night. Rob proposes a “Gideon Initiative” which would rein in voting equipment contractors — who stymie electoral reform, increase chances of malfeasance, …
Uh-Oh. Incendiary email alert. Apparently, rich people are still leaving Rhode Island because taxes are too high: Did you know that 8,296 taxpaying families left Rhode Island between 2005 and 2006? Some analysts are calling that a “stampede.” The exodus resulted in $485 million in lost tax-generating income to Rhode Island’s budget coffers. Imagine if …
Tom Sgouros is right on the money with this one, though I wish he’d included his “starve the beast” riff: Over the last 30 years there has been an intentional attempt by the right-wing to lower government spending — by starving the system through preemptive tax cuts. The whole thing reduces to a tragic absurdity …
Here’s an update on all things green, from Sara Zurier. First, she draws us to this column from the Projo, calling for a state community gardening initiative. (That photo at right is from circa 1921.) And then, two upcoming events: On Tuesday, May 5, join me at two back-to-back FREE events at Firehouse 13, 41 …
Forgotten Providence is an interesting and useful new site, which is serving to document the more tangible outcomes of the foreclosure crisis: empty and burnt-out structures littered throughout the city’s poorest neighborhoods. A bittersweet appreciation of the aesthetic of post-industry defines much of Providence’s arts and culture, so I really appreciate this disclaimer of sorts, …
And they’d decided to hire an adorable bearded man to be their butler. The ProJo has a charming little video about Bonniedale Farm, over here. Help save the animals! Foreclosure threatens Bonniedale Farm on Snake Hill Road in Glocester where Dan MacKenzie takes in unwanted animals that would otherwise be destroyed. March 21st, 2009 Dan …
It’s As If Snowball Hadn’t Been Purged From Animal Farm… Read More »
John Nichols and Robert McChesney have a compelling article in the upcoming edition of the Nation, wherein they argue that government involvement is key: The founders regarded the establishment of a press system, the Fourth Estate, as the first duty of the state. Jefferson and Madison devoted considerable energy to explaining the necessity of the …
The RI Progressive Dems of America are putting on an event tomorrow (Thurs) night at the Rochambeau Library, called Ten Things You Don’t Know About Rhode Island, featuring the goofy yet graceful wonkiness of Tom Sgouros. In summation, it’ll probably go something like this: “Things in RI don’t suck as much as (or at least …
This site’s actually kind of cool. It lists all of the project requests that were submitted the the US Conference of Mayors by RI cities. (Yes, the polar bears made the list.)
This Wednesday Rhode Island will receive its portion of the gigantic economic stimulus package signed into law just last week, and it’s a whopping 93.5 million dollars. However, in today’s dollars, that’s equal to around $128.50. Anyhoo, legislators and other political types are already squabblin’ about how to spend it. The Legislature maintains it has …
This ad’s been out on the internet for a while, and is now wrapped up in the back-and-forth over the stimulus package with with Congressman Eric Cantor: [youtube]_3mw49mk_x0[/youtube] We find it pretty charming, but suppose Cantor’s intentions weren’t benevolent. It’s hurt him, and helped the union, either which way. Go AFSCME!
From the Projo: State Sen. John J. Tassoni Jr. is proposing an amendment to the state Constitution to allow full-scale casino gambling at both Twin River and Newport Grand…Tassoni said he introduced the bill because: “I think it is time. We don’t have enough revenue for the budget. I believe this would help … [and] …