Republican politicians didn’t sit idly by on Tuesday while Democratic Governor Gina Raimondo delivered her State of the State address.

Prior to Raimondo’s speech, House of Representatives minority leader Patricia Morgan and a Republican candidate for governor delivered an address of her own from her office at the State House, from the perspective of Rhode Island Republicans in the state’s legislature.

“This is not a response to the governor,” Morgan stated. “This is how the Republican caucus views the state of our state right now, and also our vision and solutions for what’s affecting our state and how we can make brighter futures for Rhode Islanders.”

Morgan said that, while it would be nice to reflect on positive talking points that could be construed as signs of a Rhode Island recovery, the Republicans see a much more troubling present and future in the state.

“Let’s be honest with one another – our government is broken, and we can only fix the problems of Rhode Island if we acknowledge them,” Morgan said. “That will take political will and solutions focused on the common good.”

Republican reforms

Morgan pinpointed three main pillars of problems in the state that the Republicans believe need serious measures to repair: the economy (specifically the “hostile” business climate in the state); corruption within the government; and poor educational outcomes in the state’s public school systems.

On the economy, Morgan criticized how the governor touts a decreased unemployment rate but fails to mention how 45 percent of jobs created since the 2007/08 recession pay less than $35,000 annually, and that a full third of those jobs pay an average of $26,500.

“Those are not the jobs we envisioned when we gave hundreds of millions to the Commerce Corporation,” Morgan said, adding that the Republicans would be introducing legislation to receive quarterly reports from the Commerce Corporation, which she believes would ensure more transparency and awareness about what types of jobs are coming in from Raimondo’s tax incentives for out-of-state businesses.

Morgan said that small businesses cannot thrive in the state due to inordinately high property taxes, and that the Republicans will seek to eliminate the tangible personal property tax “…that foolishly taxes the equipment our businesses need to open their doors – their desks, chairs, computers and telephones,” Morgan said.

Additionally, Morgan said the Republicans would seek to reform and lessen insurance premiums (including reducing the number of mandates on premiums), in addition to electric, sewer and garbage pickup rates. Specifically on electric rates, Morgan mentioned that a Republican policy group would convene to “investigate all aspects of the issue and recommend solutions.”

Other areas Republicans seek to reform include the “broken disability pension system” and allowing cities and towns to consolidate bonds with the state’s lower interest rates, so long as they used the savings to reduce their operational debt. Morgan also reiterated a measure to train municipal officials in contract negotiations so they may craft better contracts with labor unions across the state.

“These proposals will lower our ever-increasing property taxes and help regular folks and businesses alike,” Morgan said.

In combating corruption, Morgan said the Republicans would submit legislation to create an Office of Independent Inspector General and advocated for a gubernatorial line item veto – the latter of which Raimondo also openly advocated for in her address the following hour.

The Republicans will also seek legislation to ban moral obligation bonds and put a constitutional restriction on tolling of passenger vehicles.

To improve educational outcomes, Morgan called the proposal to bond for $500 million in the state over 10 years a “large bill” and a “very long time to wait.” She relayed a strategy of exempting prevailing wage rates from school repair projects. She stated that such a “common sense” measure had success in Ohio and resulted in a 15 to 20 percent reduction in costs of repairing schools there, and would allow projects to be done quicker.

“We can’t let lack of political will and insider politics continue to hurt our children,” she said.

Gubernatorial opponents weigh in

Cranston mayor and Republican candidate for governor Allan Fung, in addition to former Warwick State Rep. and Independent (former Republican) candidate for governor Joe Trillo, responded with written rebukes of Raimondo’s address later the same evening.

“One wonders if she's traveling out of state too much fundraising for her campaign to realize what is actually going on. On her watch, Rhode Island has become a place where out of control spending, managerial disasters and unrelenting arrogance has become the name of the game,” Fung said in a release. “Raimondo's Rhode Island is indeed just a bunch of smoke and mirrors.”

“Governor Raimondo’s State of the State address would have you believe Rhode Island is a model of progress, despite four years of continued economic stagnation, runaway deficits and rankings at or near last in terms of business environment,” Trillo said, also in a release. “Rather than being honest with Rhode Islanders, she uses our citizens as props in a false narrative of economic achievements and job creation for a once-a-year reckoning with accountability.”

Trillo inquired as to how Raimondo could promise to expand insurance premiums to cover addiction and mental health maladies while the state faces a $260 million deficit in the next two fiscal years, and one third of the state is on Medicaid.

“Proposing new programs sounds good, but does our governor understand basic issues like balancing a budget and providing real solutions for these pressing problems instead of endless new spending initiatives that will ultimately drive up costs for all Rhode Islanders?” Trillo said.

Trillo was also critical of Raimondo’s insistence of creating jobs in the state, saying the jobs are not worth the cost it has taken to court the employers into the state in the first place.

“The governor loves to talk about jobs she created, bringing 2000 jobs to our state in four years, but neglects to say that she awarded and spent $166 million in corporate welfare to attract these jobs,” he said. “That’s $83,000 a job, assuming they even materialize and stay in Rhode Island.”

Fung reiterated his criticism of the problems the state has encountered with the UHIP computer system – which has created numerous and onerous problems with the state’s recipients of welfare. He decried incentives to out-of-state companies that Raimondo advocated for as “handouts.”

“More than ever, Rhode Island needs a laser focused and competent chief executive who cares more about doing the job right in Warwick, than a next job in Washington,” he said. “Sadly, Rhode Islanders will be left picking up the pieces – and price tag – for her arrogance and mismanagement.  In every area of state government – we can do better.”