Governor Delivers State of the State Address: “The Year of the Cities and Towns”

“The status quo is unacceptable,” said Governor Chafee in his 2012 combined State of the State and Budget Address. “Everything good occurs when our people are working.” The Governor delivered his speech at a Joint Session of the House and Senate, also attended by members of the Judiciary, municipal leaders, general officers, education officials, and citizens on Tuesday night.

The Governor’s remarks, titled “The Year of the Cities and Towns,” emphasized his commitment to investing in the future through education funding and relief for the Rhode Island property taxpayer through state aid to cities and towns. 

“I am proud to announce tonight that my budget maintains my commitment to education, while also reducing the financial burden on Rhode Island property taxpayers. My budget devotes nearly $40 million in additional education funding to cities and towns,” Governor Chafee said.

Governor Chafee’s proposed plan for economic success in Rhode Island calls for going “back to basics” – what he calls the “ABCs of Rhode Island’s economic revival”:

• Assets: taking what we have that others don’t and making them work for us economically.
• Budget: being fiscally conservative but honest about paying for our basic needs.
• Corruption: having none of it.

In addition to outlining his priorities for fiscal year 2013, Governor Chafee also spoke about the difficult cuts in his budget, particularly in the area of health and human services.

“The budget I present to you tonight contains painful cuts,” Governor Chafee said. “Cuts that, in more prosperous times, I would never choose to make. But given where we are, where we need to be, and the difficult road ahead, the priorities in this budget are necessary.”

“When preparing this budget, we looked across government and found many targets for efficiencies, and my budget request includes program consolidations and eliminations.”

The Governor’s budget does include new funding, however, for the Office of Health and Human Services to make sure the services our state provides are working effectively.

“Rhode Island’s path to prosperity cannot be built on cuts alone,” the Governor continued. “We must preserve the basic, necessary services for the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders – services such as Medicaid prescription drug coverage for the poor and subsidized child care for low-income families as they get back to work.”

The Governor also discussed the successes of the past year, including the $58 million level II health care grant, the $50 million Race to the Top Early Learning grant, bringing America’s cup to Newport, and state pension reform. Also noted were the transformation of the Department of Motor Vehicles and the progress at Warwick’s Station District with airlines and rail carriers. 

The Governor’s top priorities and initiatives, as outlined in his fiscal year 2013 budget, include:

• Measures to address Rhode Island’s municipal pension crisis.
• Creating a climate of certainty and fiscal stability where businesses will have the confidence to invest and create jobs.
• Property tax relief and K-12 education funding through state aid to municipalities.
• Proactive maintenance and improvement projects for Rhode Island’s crumbling infrastructure.
• Legislation that improves and expands veterans’ services.
• Encouraging job creation through the establishment of a “Governor’s Jobs Cabinet” and through ongoing progress with Rhode Island’s tourism industry and in Providence’s Knowledge District and Warwick’s Station District.