Senate District 21 - 2012 Legislative Session Report

The General Assembly’s 2012 legislative session has now come to a close. A summary of my activities and accomplishments, as well as my voting record on key issues of importance to residents of District 21, is as follows:

• When running for office to become your Senator, I pledged to never vote in favor of a tax increase. I can proudly say that this promise was kept.  Consequently, and in keeping with that philosophy, I have voted against two annual State budgets which will, as a result of drastic cuts being made to programs they rely on, result in harm being done to some of our most vulnerable citizens while, at the same time, other bureaucratic waste and out-of-control spending continue unabated in other areas.

• I have stood up for the interests of small business operators who invest their time, talents and money to create enterprises which generate much-needed employment opportunities for our State’s residents. For example, I have introduced legislation to eliminate the $500 minimum corporate business tax and have strived to eliminate various burdensome regulations that needlessly plague businesses in our state.

• During last year’s special session, I supported pension reform, which set our State employee retirement system on a path to sustainability, while bringing pension benefits provided to state employees more in line with our beleaguered taxpayers’ ability to pay for them.

• Likewise, I support reforming the State’s various independent municipal pension systems, the financial burden of which has crippled the ability of our cities and towns to provide traditional municipal services.  Unfortunately, the leadership of the General Assembly has utterly failed to confront this challenge - a situation that may force many and cities and towns into bankruptcy.

• I have fought to make Rhode Island a ‘right-to-work’ State with respect to our school teachers, introducing a bill that would put that question on the ballot for you, the voter, to decide. While labor unions may have done some good things on behalf of our nation’s workforce in the past, I believe that it is totally unacceptable, and against an individual’s basic freedom, to be forced to join an organization which they do not wish to be a member of. This is most especially true when such organizations engage in nefarious activities which bring shame upon the majority of dedicated, hard-working teachers in our state.

• Each of the past two years, I have introduced bills which would require that all legislative grants be included within the State budget and be voted upon by the General Assembly. Such transparency is all the more important in the wake of the recent Institute for International Sport scandal at the University of Rhode Island.

• Together with Senator Glen Shibley and other members of the Coventry legislative delegation, I have sponsored enabling legislation for various bond issue referenda questions on behalf of the Town of Coventry, so that you, the voter, can decide the fate of proposals for capital projects for the Town and School Department.

• Sponsored legislation, which was passed through the Senate, creating a study commission for establishing a “Gold Star” parent license plate to honor families whose sons and daughters made the ultimate sacrifice.

• Sponsored and passed a bill which ratified Charter Changes previously adopted by vote of the Central Coventry Fire District.

• I steadfastly opposed Senate bill 2616 (aka ‘Dry Lands Bill’) before the Environment and Agriculture Committee, on which I serve. This misguided bill would serve only the ‘special interests’ and would have had a drastic effect on rural areas by allowing building on wetlands.

• Strongly opposed House bill 7782 which will increase everyone’s car insurance premiums by putting consumers at the bottom of the priority list while unjustly benefiting a few politically well-connected individuals.

It has been an honor and privilege to have served the residents of Senate District 21 for the past two years. Despite some notable legislative successes, there is still much to be done to bring common sense solutions to this State’s many problems. That being the case, I hope that you are still “steamed-up” about Rhode Island because I hope to have your support this election season.  As always, please feel free to contact me anytime via my email nkettle10@gmail.com or you can reach me by telephone at 473-7784.

Ever Sincerely,

Senator Nick Kettle