The Ocean State Republican

No, not that A-Team, but still pretty darn good!

The EAST BAY REPUBLICANS PAC Introduces “The A-Team.”

On Sunday, July 13, 2008, fourteen East Bay GOP Rhode Island Senate and House incumbents/candidates will be introduced, as will the two U.S Congressional candidates.

Hors d’ oeuvres and Cash Bar. Guest Moderator Lynda Adams. Suggested Donation $20.00, to benefit the East Bay Republicans PAC.

This event will be held from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Best Western Mainstay Inn, on Admiral Kalbfus Boulevard in Newport, RI (across the street from Newport Grand).

For more information, contact East Bay GOP Chair Sal De Ruggiero at 401-847-9696 or saverio1 [at] cox [dot] net.

Donna Perry of Jamestown, who last week announced her campaign for State Senate District 13, will host a “Nomination Papers” cocktail party to collect signatures for her campaign on Tuesday evening, July 8th, from 6:00pm-8:00pm at Trattoria Simpatico restaurant (13 Narragansett Avenue, Jamestown).

Perry, who has been Executive Director of the state Republican Party, is challenging Senator Teresa Paiva-Weed for Senate District 13, which encompasses Jamestown and Newport.

“I invite all Jamestowners who are interested in seeing a change of course at the State House to stop by Simpatico and join me,” Perry says.

Light hors d’ oeuvres will be offered at the reception, which will be held in the air-conditioned, inside dining room.

No RSVP is required. Anyone interested in learning more about Donna’s campaign, can contact the candidate at donnaperry [at] cox [dot] net.

[Future Governor] Steve Laffey has a great piece about how to fix Rhode Island’s structural problems in today’s Providence Journal:

R.I still confronts the heavy lifting

WELL, THE Rhode Island budget for 2008-09 is passed. Some are rejoicing that there are no broad-based tax hikes. Others shrug and say, “It’s the best they can do.” For myself, I see another budget that fails to fix the structural problems that have faced Rhode Island for far too long.

While there are some good things in the budget, that it is balanced on over $100 million in savings from Medicaid and personnel that are unlikely to be attained means that elected officials continue to manage the decline of this great state. With a poor economy and a frighteningly high unemployment rate, Rhode Island has yet to turn the fiscal corner with this budget.

To turn the corner we need to reinvent Rhode Island. We need real structural change to lift us from the bottom rung of states and transform Rhode Island into a place where our kids can stay and prosper, and where new businesses can locate and thrive. If our state legislators had the courage to solve just one of our major structural problems this year we would be on our way to being a state that could start to compete.

Let me give you an example: solving our state pension disaster. The problem: Rhode Island ranks 49th out of 50 states in funding its state pensions. We have an unfunded liability of over $4.3 billion and are scheduled to spend $397 million this year alone on state pension benefits. One out of every eight dollars we are taxed is going to the pension system!

Now, the legislature could fix this problem. Under state law, without any negotiations with the unions, it can change the pension system. In 2005 there were much-heralded “reforms” to the system. However, the changes only affected younger workers. Thus, a large majority of the workers were not affected at all. These “reforms” only got the legislators through the 2006 election cycle…

Read More: The Providence Journal

Rhode Island’s largest conservative organization (and sponsor of this blog), the RHODE ISLAND REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY, will hold its next monthly meeting on Thursday, July 10th, 2008.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 P.M. in the Banquet Room at Bickford’s Family Restaurant on Jefferson Blvd. in Warwick (Exit 15, off Rt. 95).

The RIRA is the Rhode Island affiliate of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies, a thoughtful national organization of GOP conservatives working to grow and strengthen the Republican Party in the tradition of President Ronald Reagan. This is a dinner meeting, and if you want to eat, you pay for your own meal. Any like-minded conservative Republican is welcome to attend.

For more information, please contact RIRA President Ray McKay at president [at] ri-ra [dot] org or (401) 487-2514 or NFRA Northeast Region Vice President Will Ricci at NEVP [at] ri-ra [dot] org or visit the RIRA web site at http://www.ri-ra.org.

Jon Scott, who is the endorsed Republican candidate US Congress in District 1, has just started up a page on SLATECARD, which is an online utility to support and enhance Republican activism. If you’d like to give to him online through SLATECARD, click here.

Jon Scott is taking his second run at Patrick Kennedy in Rhode Island’s First District and is running a campaign based on working class common sense and the belief that serving in federal office was never meant to be a family business or a lifetime position.

Scott is a former group home counselor who came of age politically during the Reagan revolution and advocates positions for lower taxes, smaller government, a strong national defense and the power of the individual. He believes in consumer driven health care and an educational system where parents are free to influence their children’s learning, as well as choose their school.

He is currently the RI State GOP Platform Committee Chairman; the Chairman of the Board at Ocean State Policy Research Institute, Rhode Island’s first free market think tank; and a co-founder of the state “center-right coalition” meeting. He is the father of adopted son, Chris (age 25), who lives with him in Providence.

I am excited to report that the Republican Party has put up candidates to run in 14 of the 20 State Legislative Districts in the city of Providence. We have candidates in all 7 State Senate Districts, and in 7 of the 13 State Representative Districts.

So every single voter in Providence will have the opportunity to vote for at least one Republican in November.

But we still NEED YOUR HELP to get them officially on the ballot. Each candidate needs to get signatures on their nomination papers, from registered voters within their District (50 signatures for State Rep. and 100 for State Senate), between July 1 and July 11. That may not sound like a lot, but it is not an easy thing to do in an urban area (where registered voters can be hard to find). Failure to get these signatures would remove the candidate from the ballot.

So we are LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS, who will take nomination papers, and GET SIGNATURES in their own neighborhood for these candidates. (Or in more difficult neighborhoods, if you are willing to do that). We will also be getting signatures for our U.S. Senate & Congressional candidates.

If you are willing to help get even a small number of signatures, just REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL and let us know. Then, on Tuesday July 1 (the first day that we are allowed to pick up the nomination papers), we will get them to you, together with further instructions, and possibly a list of registered Republicans in your precinct. (Any voter can sign, regardless of Party affiliation, but obviously Republicans will do so more easily, and will not give you a hard time).

Here are the Legislative candidates you would be helping.

Senate 1 (Smith Hill, Elmhurst, Mt. Pleasant - Mary Ellen Goodwin) - TONY DEMINGS, owner of the Brooklyn Coffee & Tea House on Douglas Ave.

Senate 2 (Elmwood, Reservoir, West End - Juan Pichardo) - BRIAN MAYBEN, head of maintenance for a major senior citizen high-rise in the District.

Senate 3 (East Side, Fox Point - Rhoda Perry) - ELAINA GOLDSTEIN, who ran in 2006, and narrowly lost. She was recently appointed by Gov. Carcieri to the state Board Of Elections, but the State Senate disgracefully refused to act on the nomination.

Senate 4 (North End, Elmhurst, North Providence - Domenic Ruggiero) - CHRISTINE SPAZIANO, an advertising sales representative for the Providence Journal, who worked in the Giuliani Presidential campaign this year.

Senate 5 (Federal Hill, West Broadway, Silver Lake - Paul Jabour) - KOFUA KULAH, who works for Brown University on campus security.

Senate 6 (South Prov., Washington Park, Camp St., Downtown - Harold Metts) - MARK CODA, the Chairman of the College Republicans at Johnson & Wales University.

Senate 7 (Silver Lake, Hartford, Elmhurst, North Providence - Frank Ciccone) - GREG WRIGHT from North Providence is an Independent running with GOP support.

House 4 (East Side, Camp St. - Gordon Fox) - DAVID ANDERSON, the CEO of an education consulting company, and active in the Ocean State Policy Research Institute.

House 5 (Elmhurst - John Desimone) - TOM DALY, the Chairman of the College Republicans at Providence College.

House 7 (Mt. Pleasant - Joanne Giannini) - PATRICK WARD is an Independent running with GOP support. He is the leader of the fight to allow overnight parking on streets where the neighbors want it.

House 9 (West Broadway, Silver Lake & nearby housing projects - Anastasia Williams) - NOEL SANCHEZ, a contractor who restores historic houses, a former minister, and past Treasurer of the West Broadway Neighborhood Association.

House 10 (Reservoir, South Elmwood, West End - Tom Slater) - DAVE TALAN. That’s me. Past-President of Reservoir Triangle Neighborhood Association and of the Elmwood Little League.

House 11 (Elmwood - Grace Diaz) - RENAY OMISORE, a business management consultant, who formerly handled the finances for the Providence Parks Department.

House 13 (Silver Lake, Hartford - Steven Smith) - DAMIEN BALDINO, a technology specialist.

DAVE TALAN
Chairman, Providence Republican Party
25 Santiago St.
Providence RI 02907
401-941-3662
DaveTalan [at] aol [dot] com

We had an absolutely excellent fundraiser this evening for the East Providence Republican City Committee. A very upbeat Governor Don Carcieri, joined by [Future Governor] Steve Laffey, Warwick Mayor Scott Avedesian, RIGOP Chair Gio Cicone, and Congressional candidates Jon Scott and Mark Zaccaria all addressed the crowd.

Of course, all of our local Republican candidates certainly helped make this years’ event one to remember. We have never had a time that any of us can recall when literally NONE of our Republican incumbents had any opposition. Therefore, we put a special emphasis this evening on promoting our new candidates for RI Senate, RI House, City Council and School Committee. Despite the somewhat mixed mood of Republicans nationally, locally we are very focused and upbeat regarding our prospects for further GOP gains in November (keep in mind that in EP, both our city council and school committee are “non-partisan”). Special thanks to Monique and Andrew from Anchor Rising for dropping by, too.

The food we ordered was as excellent, as it was plenteous. The silent auction went exceedingly well, and of course, we had the “first ever” GOP Vice-Presidential Straw Poll. Not that it was exactly scientific, but I have the “official” results below. This list only includes candidates who actually received votes, and a notation of the percentage each received of the total votes cast, which included “write in” votes:

45% - Gov. Donald Carcieri (Rhode Island)

16% - Gov. Bobby Jindal (Louisiana)

11% - Gov. Mitt Romney (Massachusetts)

11% - Gov. Mike Huckabee (Arkansas)

8% - Gov. Charlie Crist (Florida)

8% - Dave Talan [Yes, that's our Dave Talan!] (Rhode Island)

1% - Gov. Sarah Palin (Alaska)

I’m just guessing here, but I think the personal appearance of the two Rhode Islanders tonight may have had some effect on the results.

This is an update to my last post.

I received several pieces of even better news earlier today regarding several candidate issues that occurred. First of all, there will be a competitive Ward 2 School Committee race after all. On Wednesday, the EP Board of Canvassers made a clerical error, initially indicating to the Secretary of State’s office that Shannon Barbosa was running for School Committee At-Large. That would have meant that a non-partisan primary would have needed to be held in September for the At-Large seat. It turns out that she actually filed for Ward 2. After checking her declaration forms, the error has been corrected. Better yet, as it turns out, Shannon is a registered Republican! We’ve already been in touch. She’ll be running against challenger Brian Monteiro for the open seat.

But wait, there’s more! It also turns out that they made another clerical error regarding the House Dist. 63 race. One of the independent candidates, Maryann Goburn Mathews was erroneously listed on the Secretary of State’s website (and in Thursday’s edition of The Providence Journal) as running as a Republican for this seat, which would have meant a Republican primary against our GOP candidate, Ed Leather. She’s definitely not a Republican (as she’s fond of reminding us regularly). That has also been corrected. So there will be 3 Democrats, 2 Independents, and 1 Republican contending for that one seat!

Lastly, we learned today that the endorsed Democratic candidate for House Dist. 66 (Barrington/East Providence) to replace Rep. Sue Story, William Delaney, was disqualified, because as it turns out, he actually lives in House Dist. 67 and didn’t realize it until after the filing deadline had passed! The Dems were able to appoint someone to replace him, but that can’t be a good omen for them.

Basically, no Republican primaries here, but several potentially divisive Democrat ones. We’re very pleased at the direction things have been going so far.

I was at the East Providence Board of Canvassers at 4:00PM to get “the list” of confirmed candidates for office. It certainly was an interesting scene, as basically anyone with any interest in city politics was present, including a number of bitterly sworn enemies (no violence broke out, despite a half hour wait to get the results).

There were more than a few interesting developments which I will detail below, which should bode very well for the East Providence GOP, as well as for like-minded unaffiated school committee and city council members. How a city with less than 2000 registered Republican voters ends up with the candidate mix I will detail below, is even beyond me. We are stunned (but very happy)!

As I broke on Anchor Rising (through Monique) first, Sen. Paul Moura (Dist. 18) is not seeking reelection. Paul has apparently endorsed real estate agent, Joseph A. Botelho, Jr. as his replacement. However, current EP Mayor Dr. Isadore Ramos, who did not seek reelection to the city council, has also filed for the position. Ramos has high name recognition in EP, but is not part of the group that was with Moura, so that should be very interesting to watch. Frank A. Devall, Jr. has also filed for the seat as a Democrat. Those 3 Democrats will duke it out against Republican candidate Marcel L. Robert. I’ve also been told that there may be one or two independent candidates who filed, but their names were not made available.

For the House (Dist. 63) seat being vacated by Rep. Henry Rose, there’s a virtual free for all. 3 Democrats filed: Roberto (Bob) DaSilva, Thomas A. Rose, Jr. (not sure if there is a relation to Henry Rose), and George Russo. The Republican candidate is retired state department official, Edmund R. Leather. In addition, there were also apparently two independent candidates who filed.

(My) Republican Rep. John A. Savage (Dist. 65) will be running Unopposed.

We believe that Republican Margaret Kane will be facing Democrat William Delaney for the House Dist. 66 seat being vacated by Rep. Susan Story (this is mainly a Barrington seat, but does include the southernmost portion of Riverside).

That’s all well and good, but it gets even better for the EPGOP:

SCHOOL COMMITTEE: Registered Republican school committee members Steve Santos (Ward 4) and Robert Faria (Ward 3) will be running unopposed, as will independent member Anthony Carcieri (Ward 1), who usually votes with the Republicans (who, before you ask, is a distant relative of the Governor). Brian Monteiro (who I’ve been told works for Lt. Gov. Liz Roberts) appears to have been the only candidate to file for the open Ward 2 school committee seat. Three candidates filed for the open At-Large School Committee seat: Luisa Abatecola (Unaffiliated), Francine Brelsford (EPGOP Secretary), and Shannon Barbosa. Assuming all 3 candidates stay in, there will be a “non-partisan” primary in September for this seat.

CITY COUNCIL: For At-Large Council, with Mayor Ramos stepping down, former Mayor Joseph Larisa has filed to take back the seat he lost to Ramos in 2006 by only 22 votes. Facing him will be former EP City Manager Paul Lamont (who I understand has higher political ambitions), as well as Frank Duarte. Ward 1 Republican City Councilman Robert Cusack will be running Unopposed. Ward 2 Dem Councilman Bryan Silva will be facing businessman Brian Coogan. Ward 3 Councilwoman Valerie Perry (who usually votes with the Republicans) will apparently face Dem Richard Smith. Democrat Ward 4 Councilman Bruce DiTraglia will face Republican Richard Croke and George Parker. Assuming all 3 candidates stay in, there will be a “non-partisan” primary in September for this seat.

As you can see, NONE of our incumbent Republicans will have any opposition, so we’ll be able to focus our resources on gaining new seats for the GOP! Unbelievable (we’ll still take your money at our fundraiser on Thursday though)!

UPDATE: If you would like to attend, we’ve already got everything in place for a great event, so please just show up (with a personal check in hand, of course)!

On Thursday, June 26th, the East Providence Republican City Committee will be holding its Annual Fundraiser and Candidates Reception from 6:30 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 50 Crescent View Ave., in Riverside.

Since the EPGOP’s Presidential Straw Poll went so well at last year’s event (Mitt Romney won it), they naturally wanted to repeat it this year. However, since the GOP has long since settled on its presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, they had to make a slight change for 2008. As a result, this year’s EPGOP event will feature the “First Ever” GOP VICE-PRESIDENTIAL STRAW POLL (that we know of)!

Help Sen. John McCain find his VP by “voting” for: Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Charlie Crist, Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Condi Rice, Tom Coburn, and of course, our own Don Carcieri. You can also “write in” your own VP candidate (disgruntled Hillary supporters can “vote,” too)! Straw Poll Votes are only $1 each and ballot stuffing is highly encouraged. Speakers to include Gov. DON CARCIERI, RIGOP Chair GIO CICONE, Warwick Mayor SCOTT AVEDESIAN, Hon. STEVE LAFFEY, State Representatives JACK SAVAGE and SUE STORY, E.P. City Councilman ROBERT CUSACK, and E.P. School Committeeman STEVE SANTOS, plus many state and local GOP candidates! There will also be a great Silent Auction, Catered Hors d’oeuvres and a Cash Bar. Tickets are only $20.00/person or $35.00/couple. As always, College Republicans get in FREE!

For inquiries, contact EPGOP Chair Robert Carlin at 401-345-6608 or chair [at] epgop [dot] org or EPGOP Treasurer Will Ricci at treasurer [at] epgop [dot] org. You can securely RSVP online at: http://www.epgop.org or print out an invitation at: http://epgop.org/rsvp.pdf.

RI GOP Executive Director Donna Perry is announcing she has entered the race to challenge Senator Teresa Paiva-Weed of Newport for Senate District 13.

Perry, a resident of Jamestown, says she decided the time is right to challenge Paiva-Weed who Perry says does not represent the interests of her constituents and whose leadership decisions are wrong for the interests of all Rhode Islanders.

“Teresa Paiva-Weed’s actions and statements during this past session have been a shameful display of incredibly poor leadership,” Perry says. “It seems she would rather defend her corporate casino client on expanded gambling even though Newporters didn’t want it; she doesn’t think legislators need to contribute to their health plan while average Rhode Islanders can barely afford their own family’s health costs; and she thinks no one has a right to find out if a worker is here illegally and she blocked a sensible bill to do that. Who exactly, does she represent? She has a lot to answer for and I look forward to hearing her explain these decisions.”

RIGOP Chairman Giovanni Cicione says the party is fully behind Donnas’ run. “We are very excited to see Donna enter this race,” says Cicione. “Donna will be a terrific candidate who can make a very persuasive strong case against Teresa Paiva -Weed. She has great people skills, she’s a mother, very active in her community and I know she will run strong.”

Perry has worked in government, politics and media on and off over the past two decades. She covered local news as a radio reporter in the 1980’s, then worked on Capitol Hill and at the Republican National Committee in Washington DC. She was affiliated with the Women’s National Republican Club in New York while living in NY City in the late nineties. In recent years, she worked part time in the Governor’s media’s office before becoming Executive Director at the State Party. She is presently chairwoman of the Jamestown Republican Town Committee and is a past co-chair of her community’s Special Education Local Advisory Committee. (Jamestown SELAC) She is the mother of two elementary aged children and has had a home in Jamestown for ten years.

Governor Cites Case of Alleged Rape by Illegal Immigrant Marco Riz

Governor Donald L. Carcieri today decried the City of Providence’s continued refusal to work with Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to prevent illegal immigrants from committing reprehensible crimes against Rhode Island citizens. The Governor said that the recent arrest of Marco Riz, an illegal immigrant who had been ordered deported, is a sad but vivid example of why he issued his Executive Order on illegal immigration.

“It is obvious that Mayor Cicilline and the Chief of Police Dean Esserman are following through with their decision not to support my Executive Order on illegal immigration.” Governor Carcieri said. “Had they checked with ICE after either of this individual’s two previous arrests, he certainly would not have had the opportunity to car-jack and rape a young woman in Roger Williams Park. Unfortunately, inaction by Providence has public safety ramifications for individuals and families across Rhode Island.”

According to reports from ICE, Marco Riz was arrested twice last year and the Providence Police Department failed to use the ICE NLTS system to verify his immigration status. In fact, it has been reported that ICE has even offered assistance to help with illegal immigration issues, but that offer has been declined.

“I have said from the beginning that the main reason for issuing my Executive Order is to get criminal aliens off the street,” Carcieri said. “This is a serious public safety issue and it’s inexcusable that the Mayor of Providence and the Police Chief would rather work on community relationship building than on protecting the public from criminals.”

“Elected officials and law enforcement officers take an oath to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of Rhode Island,” Governor Carcieri concluded.

Source: Office of the Governor

AN OPEN LETTER FROM:

RI GOP CHAIRMAN GIOVANNI CICIONE TO THE CITIZENS OF RHODE ISLAND

Fellow Rhode Islanders:

It is said that every man and every woman - - somewhere over the course of their life- -must have their moment.

It can creep up as a pause that suddenly holds us still while in the midst of the chaos we call everyday life.

It can be a frightening awakening. But it is a moment of recognition that something larger than the day to day details of our own family life is beckoning and we must answer to it.

I would propose to you that such a moment has arrived for Rhode Islanders. Our very own, good Governor, Don Carcieri declared at his State of the State speech this winter that our state is “at the tipping point”. Please understand how lethally accurate the Governor’s words were and understand why you must respond to this very serious state of events we now face.

The checklist of unfavorable economic conditions in which our state now exists should be by now frighteningly familiar:

· A structural deficit at MORE THAN HALF A BILLION DOLLARS and growing.

· 7th highest property tax burden

· Overall 4th highest tax burden

· Worst business climate - - including small business climate - in the nation

· Among most generous states in pay & benefits to state workers

· 8th most expensive education system buying us results in bottom fifth of nation

The hits just keep coming. But it leaves me with one fundamental question: Haven’t you had enough?

If you have, I ask you to take action.

The Rhode Island Republican Party asks you to make a run for the General Assembly to show you are not going to abandon our state. This is your moment. The moment that the citizens take back the state from the special interests.

The Rhode Island Republican Party does not owe anything to the grip of greed of the public employee unions and their contracts- and many who do their bidding in our legislature- which have driven this state to its present condition of bankruptcy.

The Rhode Island Republican Party firmly believes the smallest state in the nation has no business being among the most free spending in the nation to those employees in nearly every measurable benefit, especially for the size of their retirement pensions which we cannot afford.

Rhode Island is still worth fighting for but we are hoisting the white flag if enough of the outraged, tax-burdened, bankrupted men and women of or state don’t recognize that the moment is here. The time is now.

You may have children in local public schools and worry about the quality of the education they will be able to receive as the state loses the ability to properly finance our schools. You may worry about your property taxes being hiked to pay for cuts. You should worry indeed.

A bankrupted state cannot adequately finance its schools or public universities. It will leave all of our school age children with inferior educations when compared to other states and diminished prospects for college and beyond. Haven’t you had enough?

A bankrupted state does not attract businesses that provide jobs, careers and financial stability to college graduates and young people hoping to start families. It drives your own college-educated son or daughter far away from home to more prosperous states where they take their future earning power with them. Haven’t you had enough?

A bankrupted state will not nourish the stable, safe, small business-thriving, friendly communities many of us grew up in. Rhode Island is headed toward deteriorating into a state of more rundown, boarded up, forgotten neighborhoods offering far less prosperity, stability and safety to families here. Haven’t you had enough?

If this is not the future state you want for your children, it’s time to say “Enough”.

Come join us. You still have time to take a stand and defeat the status quo representatives and senators who are marching Rhode Island right off the cliff. We will help you launch your campaign if you will help us fight back.

It doesn’t take lots of money or any sacrifice greater than the ones you would make for your family on any given day. Like all things worth doing in life, it just takes desire and hard work.

When you win, we will together pursue a plan to drastically cut our out of control spending, immediately reduce your property and income taxes, put education dollars back into classrooms not just contracts, protect our environment, and to bring companies and good jobs back to Rhode Island. Oh yes, we can!

Contact our office at 401-732-8282. Contact me personally at 401-289-2380. But do it now.

Make no mistake. We all hear the ticking sound.

Is it a bomb that will destroy what’s left of our great state? Or is it an alarm clock telling you that your chance to become a part of a new Rhode Island revolution is here today?

Sincerely,

Giovanni D. Cicione
Chair, RIGOP

South Kingstown, RI – Strengthened by the overwhelming support received across a broad spectrum of Democrat, Republican, and Independent constituents and topped off by overwhelming support at the RIGOP June 12th Convention, former South Kingstown School Committee Member Dave Coté has officially announced his candidacy for the RI State Representative (District 36) seat.

State Representative District 36 encompasses the shoreline of South Kingstown, Charlestown, Westerly and all of Block Island. Dave joins fellow Republican Candidate Jim Haldeman, who is running for South Kingstown State Representative District 35, in standing up for the South County community as well all citizens of the State of Rhode Island.

After his tenure on the South Kingstown School Committee, Coté has championed several initiatives which resulted in a direct benefit to the SK taxpayers and Local Businesses, most notably of which were the trash hauler monopoly and the exclusivity clause for Blue Cross in the teacher’s contracts. As a member of the SK School Committee, Coté, spearheaded and achieved through, grassroots efforts, the implementation of a co-pay for Teachers health care benefits. In achieving the above success, Coté was able earn the support of taxpayers from all political parties. Coté has shown a remarkable ability to unify individuals regardless of political affiliation to accomplish the objectives directly benefiting the SK taxpayer and Local Businesses.

In addition to Cote’s tireless efforts in the political arena, Dave is a father of three and married to Elizabeth Coté, who is a Marketing Specialist at South County Hospital. He volunteers as an assistant coach for many local youth sports, as well as a Cub Scout Den Leader. Coté is an accomplished athlete and is a 2006 Inductee of the Rhode Island Aquatics Hall of Fame, recognizing his success as a national and state competitive swimmer. He is also an accomplished Triathlete. Coté has an MBA from Seton Hall University and is employed as a Director with AT&T.

(Note: This is the representative seat currently occupied by Donna Walsh)

Representative Amy Rice’s “Kangaroo Court” Proposes Name for Nonexistent Bridge – Current Bridge Continues to Fall Apart

(PORTSMOUTH, RI) – Rep. Amy G. Rice (D-Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport) “has held meetings” and decided that the name for the new Sakonnet River Bridge should be the “Anne Hutchinson Bridge”, though her fellow legislators are calling her meetings a “kangaroo court” and have said that they were never even notified. Rep. Joseph Amaral (R-Tiverton) also accused Rep. Rice of never even informing the Tiverton delegation of the meetings in the first place.

While Rep. Rice was busy trying to name the bridge that isn’t even built, the Department of Transportation on Monday announced that they were further lowering the weight limits on the current Sakonnet River Bridge as the bridge continues to fall apart. However, Rep. Rice continues to believe that the name of the new bridge is more important, though that bridge is not yet in existence. “This is absolutely outrageous. Small business owners in particular are suffering by having to bypass the bridge, but Rep. Rice cares only about the name for the new bridge” said Dan Reilly, the Republican candidate for State Representative in District 72, and Rice’s opponent. “Her actions represent everything that is wrong with Rhode Island’s government: find a problem, ignore the problem, and then form a commission about a more minor issue, to distract the people. What Rep. Rice suffers from, and consequently so do the voters, is a classic case of misplaced priorities. She should be working with her colleagues from the Aquidneck Island and East Bay delegations, members of our congressional delegation, and transportation officials, and push for the construction of a new bridge, and do so quickly. She instead has pushed for a name for the future bridge.”

Reilly also mentioned that, as a representative, he would be taking those exact steps, to “finally build the bridge”. In fact, this has been a major issue on Rep. Rice’s agenda since being elected to the General Assembly in 2004. Since then, however, the people of Aquidneck Island have only been met with further lowering of the weight limits on the bridge. “A politician can push for all sorts of expensive programs, some effective, and some not as effective – but infrastructure is a critical component of our government, society and economy, and to let it fall apart is unacceptable. Amy should focus less on her seemingly fruitless endeavors and pushing loony legislation – naming a nonexistent bridge, taking the 9/10 off of gas station signs, etc. - and do something that would actually help us for once. Sadly, we will have to continue to sit and wait until Rep. Rice decides she is going to work for the people” concludes Reilly.

After you attend Rep. Steve Coaty’s fundraiser over at Olive’s on North Main Street, why not go for a short stroll and enjoy a little WaterFire?

There’s a partial WaterFire tonight being sponsored by the National Association of Attorneys General, beginning just after dusk (8:24 p.m). About two dozen braziers will be lit in the Waterplace Park basin in downtown Providence, and they’ll remain lit until about midnight. For more information, visit www.waterfire.org.

The first two quarters show great interest in the Haldeman campaign

WAKEFIELD, RI- The Committee for Haldeman announces that on Tuesday June 24, Jim Haldeman will be filing his intention to run for the House of Representatives in District 35. The campaign is proceeding according to design and financial targets have been surpassed.

“As a repeat candidate, our costs are lower this time around, yet the campaign is thousands of dollars ahead of where we before” said Sean O’Donnell, Co-Chairman of the campaign committee. “Lessons learned in 2006, along with the increased balance in the campaign account, will guide a comprehensive campaign targeting the more than 7,500 active voters in District 35. Our early campaign has brought in money and volunteers that simply did not exist at this point in the last election cycle.”

Mr. O’Donnell further stated “The anti-Republican sentiment that existed in 2006 has been replaced with a disgust for the way our State has been mismanaged. Anti-incumbency sentiments have the potential to dominate local races. While we don’t expect any surprises in the Presidential race, Rhode Islanders are simply fed up with the condition of our State.”

Jim will be very visible in the upcoming months spreading his message and earning the support of the District 35 voters.