Governor, Treasurer, Plaintiffs Issue Joint Statement Regarding Pension Lawsuit

Governor Lincoln D. Chafee, General Treasurer Gina M. Raimondo and plaintiffs challenging changes to Rhode Island’s state-administered pension system today issued the following joint statement:

“More than one year ago, Superior Court Judge Sarah Taft-Carter ordered the parties involved in numerous pension lawsuits into mediation. With the help of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the parties to this litigation have worked collaboratively on a proposed resolution.

“The settlement agreement marks an important first step forward, and the beginning of a process that will benefit all Rhode Islanders. It is a proposal that we all support and jointly offer to the General Assembly, members of the retirement system, and to the public.

“Government cannot work without committed and dedicated public servants. Whether they serve our state by keeping us safe, teaching our children, repairing our roads, or in so many of the unheralded roles that keep our government running, they command our respect, and deserve a dignified and secure retirement. At the same time, too many of our cities and towns continue to face financial challenges. The proposal we jointly offer provides certainty and predictability for our public servants and municipalities to appropriately plan for the future.

“This proposal should not be perceived as a victory by one side over another, rather it is a positive first step forward providing for the continued stability and predictability of the retirement system for decades to come. Crucially, this proposal does more than end the risks associated with a costly and protracted litigation. This settlement proposal would resolve six pending lawsuits contesting changes made in 2009, 2010 and 2011. It also demonstrates that our small state can lead the rest of the nation and come together to solve big problems.

“We believe this proposal is fair for our public employees, retirees, taxpayers and cities and towns. We look forward to working together with all concerned as we begin this process.

“We would like to thank the Court and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service for all their efforts in helping the parties to achieve this result.”

Statement from Governor Chafee on Signing House Bill 7050 and Senate Bill 2008

Governor Lincoln D. Chafee said: “I wish to thank members of the General Assembly for their swift passage of this bill. I am grateful for their assistance, as this legislation will enable us to pursue our legal options to the best of our ability. The Governor’s Joint Tortfeasor Bill is geared toward facilitating a settlement of claims arising out of 38 Studios.In general, this kind of legislation addresses legal cases where there are multiple defendants. Similar measures were passed to deal with resolution of the Station Fire lawsuits, as well as claims made by DEPCO arising out of the RISDIC scandal. The statute is also consistent with the way the federal government handles the settlement of toxic tort cases.”

Statement from Governor Chafee and R.I. Director of Health Regarding CVS/Caremark’s Decision to Halt Tobacco Sales

Congratulations to CVS/Caremark for the courageous move to stop selling tobacco products in stores nationwide.

Governor Lincoln D. Chafee said, “This must have been a difficult decision for the corporation and the board to weigh the benefits of making the conscientious choice versus the possibility of jeopardizing the bottom line. I applaud CVS/Caremark for taking the right fork in the road.”

Director of Health Michael Fine, M.D., said, "In public health we know that the reduction of access to tobacco is the best way to reduce smoking. This may be the biggest advance in smoking cessation since the tobacco settlement in 1998, and we should be proud that a Rhode Island company is leading the way. The Department of Health calls on all Rhode Island retailers to follow this momentous effort by CVS/Caremark and put their customers’ health first.”

Statement from Director Licht of the Department of Administration Regarding the Relocation of the Providence Office of Probation and Parole

Richard A. Licht, Director of the Department of Administration, said today, “Out of respect for the concerns raised by the downtown business community, the Department of Administration (DOA) has decided to again seek proposals for space for the Providence Office of Probation and Parole. The DOA previously had conducted an open competitive bid process during the summer of 2013 and only received one response from the Urban League, which is the existing landlord. Recently, the Urban League has entered into an agreement to sell its property, and the facility is no longer available. Due to the lack of bids, the DOA and the Department of Corrections proposed to relocate these offices in an existing building that houses other State of Rhode Island functions.

“I want to mention the misconception that the rent was ‘tripling.’ The Fountain Street location would have provided much needed additional office space, and the rent was only $707 per year more than the Urban League Proposal. Additionally, the Division of Probation and Parole has nine other offices in the State of Rhode Island, two of which are located in downtown Providence. The police in Pawtucket, Providence, Cranston and Woonsocket have indicated that probation and parole offices do not pose any concerns for public safety.

“In addition, Director Wall and I will meet with Providence business leaders and elected officials to discuss this matter and enlist their support in locating this essential core function of government to a viable location."

Governor Chafee Orders U.S. and State Flags to be Flown at Half-Staff During National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

In honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, December 7, 2013, President Barack Obama has today requested the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff until noon on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control.

Accordingly, Governor Chafee has directed that, in addition to the flag of the United States, the Rhode Island flag fly at half-staff on all public buildings and grounds across the state on Saturday, December 7, until sunset.

Please see the President’s proclamation, here.

New England Governors Sign Energy Statement Committing Region to Cooperation on Infrastructure

NEW ENGLAND GOVERNORS’ COMMITMENT TO REGIONAL COOPERATION ON
ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES

Securing the future of the New England economy and environment requires strategic investments in our region’s energy resources and infrastructure. These investments will provide affordable, clean, and reliable energy to power our homes and businesses; make our region more competitive by reducing energy costs; attract more investment to the region; and protect our quality of life and environment.

As the region’s electric and natural gas systems have become increasingly interdependent, ensuring that we are efficiently using existing resources and securing additional clean energy supplies will be critical to New England’s economic future. To ensure a reliable, affordable and diverse energy system, we need investments in additional energy efficiency, renewable generation, natural gas pipelines, and electric transmission. These investments will also serve to balance intermittent generation, reduce peak demand, and displace some of the least efficient and most polluting fossil fuel generation, enabling the states to meet clean energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals while improving the economic competitiveness of our region.

New England ratepayers can benefit if the states collaborate to advance our common goals. The Governors therefore commit to continue to work together, in coordination with ISO-New England and through the New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE), to advance a regional energy infrastructure initiative that diversifies our energy supply portfolio while ensuring that the benefits and costs of transmission and pipeline investments are shared appropriately among the New England States. At the same time, we must respect individual state perspectives, particularly those of host states, as well as the natural resources, environment, and economy of the States, and ensure that the citizens and other stakeholders of our region, including NEPOOL, are involved in the process. The Governors are committed to achieving consensus as we move forward, consistent with laws and policies across the region.

The New England States believe that investments in local renewable generation, combined heat and power, and renewable and competitively-priced heating for buildings will support local markets and result in additional cost savings, new jobs and economic opportunities, and environmental gains. The New England States further believe that these investments must be advanced in a coordinated approach in order to maximize ratepayer savings and system integrity. We will continue to advocate at ISO-New England, NEPOOL, and elsewhere for greater integration and utilization of renewable generation; development of new natural gas pipeline infrastructure; maximizing the use of existing transmission infrastructure; investment, where appropriate, in new transmission infrastructure; and continuation of the inclusion of energy efficiency – and the addition of distributed generation – in load forecasting and transmission planning.
New England Governors’ Commitment to Regional Cooperation on Energy Infrastructure Issues

We have directed our appropriate staff to work together with NESCOE to ensure that we are
taking all necessary steps to meet our common needs and goals. Our commitment to work
together on energy infrastructure issues will be informed by recent regional energy infrastructure
studies conducted by the States, ISO-New England, and other regional organizations. We
believe that by working together we can expand economic development, promote job growth,
improve the competitiveness of our industries, enhance system reliability, and protect and
increase the quality of life of our citizens. Expanding our existing efforts will ensure that we are
on a course toward a transformed energy, environment, and economic future for our region that
offers a model for the nation.

Signed,