After months of consuming virtually all of the political oxygen on Smith Hill, the debate over truck tolling and the governor’s RhodeWorks initiative has, for the time being, been settled.
The …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
|
After months of consuming virtually all of the political oxygen on Smith Hill, the debate over truck tolling and the governor’s RhodeWorks initiative has, for the time being, been settled.
The controversial infrastructure improvement plan isn’t going away, of course – certainly not in an election year, and with a potential legal challenge looming. But lawmakers in the weeks to come will turn their attention to other matters of consequence.
Foremost on that list will be the budget for the coming fiscal year. Gov. Gina Raimondo has presented a nearly $9 billion plan, which represents a roughly 3.5-percent increase over the current year.
The proposal continues Raimondo’s economic development focus, largely through new investments in tools included in the current year’s budget. Other provisions include a proposed cigarette tax increase, a request for $4 million to combat the opioid overdose crisis, and educational funding formula changes meant to compensate districts with a large number of students in charter schools.
Also sure to draw continued attention are the governor’s proposed changes to the state’s medical marijuana law, including a plan to put “tags” on plants grown by individuals and caregivers. Advocates argue the measure would effectively put medical marijuana out of the financial reach of some of the most vulnerable patients who benefit from its use.
The legalization of marijuana for recreational use is also again on the General Assembly’s docket, and seems more possible than any time before. A bill submitted annually by state Sen. Joshua Miller of Cranston, which would treat marijuana like alcohol in terms of regulation and taxation, received a major boost in recent days when Senate Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio signed on as a co-sponsor.
The odds remain long that the bill garners the needed approval, particularly in an election year. But the legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado – and the ongoing push for similar measures in other New England states, including Massachusetts – may convince Rhode Island leaders that the state could reap rewards by being ahead of the curve on a change that increasingly seems inevitable.
Ethics reform – another perennial issue at the State House – has also moved to the forefront of debate recently. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday was set to hold hearings on proposed constitutional amendments – sponsored by Sens. James Sheehan and Edward O’Neill – related to the Ethics Commission’s oversight of lawmakers. Rep. Michael Marcello has introduced a proposed constitutional amendment in the House seeking to expand Ethics Commission jurisdiction, with co-sponsors including Reps. K. Joseph Shekarchi, Gregory Costantino, Edith Ajello and Joy Hearn.
Like marijuana legalization, ethics reform has in recent years repeatedly failed to garner sufficient traction. Given the current political environment, however – one driven by frustration with, and distrust of, establishment politics and government – there may now be greater appetite among legislators to heed the call for greater oversight.
2 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
Ken B
If the sale and recreational use of marijuana is legalized, Rhode Island should tax and regulate the use of marijuana like tobacco, not alcohol. Alcohol is found in most homes and businesses in Rhode Island where children are present. This leads to children becoming addicted to alcohol. To protect our children, Rhode Island should control the production, distribution and sale of marijuana. Private individuals would not be allowed to grow or use marijuana in public establishments. Legal marijuana would be sold for the private recreational use of adults. Marijuana products would only be sold in vending machines owned and serviced by the state of Rhode Island and payment would have to be made with a personal credit card. The quality, strength and amounts sold each week would be regulated. Giving marijuana to children would be punishable by a fine of $1,000.00.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Report this
HerbTokerman
The presence of Alcohol leads to children becoming addicted to Alcohol?
Does the presence of food make them all obese also?
Perhaps it's more about poor life choices, and a lack of self control than the mere existence of something?
The government does not need to be everyone's babysitter, people can make their own decisions without a nanny state trying to control their every move.
America's foundation is free enterprise.
RI's economy sucks.
How about create an entire new industry of which we could be the leader in on the east coast?
Create new jobs in agriculture, sales, distribution, marketing, marijuana tourism, etc.
We do not limit the sale of any other product to be something exclusively provided by the state, Marijuana shouldn't be treated any differently than any other legal product once it does become legalized which is inevitable.
The medical marijuana monopoly is ridiculous as well where the well connected were granted exclusive rights to an entire industry.
Imagine if RI were to tell CVS, Rite-Aid, Walgreens that they could not fill prescriptions and only state run pharmacies could?
There would be outrage, but no one seems to care when it's natural medicine they create a monopoly on.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Report this