EDITORIAL: Want to Rebuild Trust With Rhode Islanders? Let Them Vote on the PawSox Stadium
Sunday, January 14, 2018
EDITORIAL
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Luccino and Schilling
Here are two undeniable facts.
First, Rhode Islanders don’t trust their government, and a big reason is the 38 Studios deal and aftermath.
Second, a range of polls show that Rhode Islanders do not want to subsidize the PawSox stadium.
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Without a doubt, there is a crisis of trust in Rhode Island. Rhode Islanders are cynical about insider dealing.
It is time to break the cycle and build trust.
The entire episode of 38 Studios, from the passage of the legislation to the approval of the funding by the then-Economic Development Corporation (now the Commerce Corporation), reeked of incompetence at best and inside wheeling and dealing -- whether criminal or not -- at worst.
Then, the investigation into the debacle by the Rhode Island State Police and Attorney General was a black mark on their reputations.
Now, there is a PawSox deal to give approximately $40 million in public funding to a group of businessmen, nearly all of whom do not live in Rhode Island, who collectively are worth $6 to $8 billion dollars.
On Saturday, Senate Finance Chairman William Conley issued a statement that said, “Resorting to referendum because an important public policy matter is difficult or controversial is a betrayal of the fundamental principles of representative democracy. As elected representatives and leaders, it is our responsibility to study and debate complex public policy questions on behalf of our constituents. It is what we are elected to do."
Mr. Conley, based on our state's business ranking, UHIP, 38 Studios, budget deficit...maybe we should try the public on this one.
The deal is being pushed most aggressively by insiders.
And the public is on to it.
GoLocal hired one of the top pollsters in America -- John Della Volpe at Harvard -- whose polling found that Rhode Islanders strongly oppose the deal.
Men, women, people who live in the Blackstone Valley, young, old and every other demographic group oppose the funding. PLEASE NOTE, the polling did not break-out tall versus short, or left-handers versus right-handers, but literally every single group of Rhode Islanders polled did not want to fund this stadium funding scheme.
The poll asked, and the results were:
Recently, a proposal has been made to permit the issuance of $81 million in bonds by the State to build a new stadium for the Pawtucket Red Sox. If there was an election today on this issue, would you vote to approve or reject issuing $81 million in financing supported moral obligation bonds to build the stadium?
Net: Approve: 28%
Definitely approve: 15%
Probably approve: 14%
Net: Reject: 67%
Probably reject: 19%
Definitely reject: 48%
Don't know: 4%
Now legislators on the Senate side — we will decline to comment on their motivation — are opposing a public vote.
We say trust the voters. Instead of this being left to a small group of powerful legislators who represent a tiny fraction of the population, let the state make a determination.
If Rhode Islanders want to give millions to billionaires — so be it. But, this issue -- and the need to rebuild public trust in government -- is bigger than an individual political boss in the legislature.
Let’s rebuild public trust and allow Rhode Islanders to make the decision. What is there to be afraid of?
Related Slideshow: GoLocal: Benchmark Poll, October 2017
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Sponsor: GoLocalProv
Sample: N=403
Rhode Island General Election Voters Margin of Error: +/- 4.9% at 95% Confidence Level
Interviewing Period: October 9-11, 2017
Mode: Landline (61%) and Mobile (39%)
Telephone Directed by: John Della Volpe, SocialSphere, Inc.
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When it comes to voting, do you consider yourself to be affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, Moderate, or Unaffiliated with a major party?
Unaffiliated: 49%
Democrat: 32%
Republican: 15%
Moderate: .4%
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Next year, in November of 2018, there will be a statewide general election for Governor and many other state offices. How likely is it that you will vote in this election?
Will you definitely be voting, will you probably be voting, are you 50-50...
Definitely be voting: 78%
Probably be voting: 13%
50-50: 9%
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In general, would you say things in Rhode Island are headed in the right direction or are they off on the wrong track?
Right track: 39%
Wrong track: 45%
Mixed: 10%
Don't know/Refused: .6%
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What would you say is the number one problem facing Rhode Island that you would like the Governor to address?
Jobs and economy: 21%
Education: 12%
Taxes: 12%
Roads: 12%
State budget: 9%
Corruption/Public integrity: .8%
Healthcare: 3%
Governor: 3%
Homelessness: 2%
Immigration: 2%
Other: 7%
Don’t know: .9%
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Over the past three years or so, would you say the economy in Rhode Island has improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?
Changed for the better: 35%
Changed for the worse: 16%
Not changed at all: 43%
Don't know/Refused: 5%
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Over the same time, has your family's financial situation improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?
Changed for the better: 26%
Changed for the worse: 19%
Not changed at all: 54%
Don't know/Refused: 1%
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Recently, a proposal has been made to permit the issuance of $81 million in bonds by the State to build a new stadium for the Pawtucket Red Sox. If there was an election today on this issue, would you vote to approve or reject issuing $81 million in financing supported moral obligation bonds to build the stadium?
Net: Approve: 28%
Definitely approve: 15%
Probably approve: 14%
Net: Reject: 67%
Probably reject: 19%
Definitely reject: 48%
Don't know: 4%
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Could you please tell me your age?
18-24: 7%
25-34: 15%
35-44: 15%
45-54: 20%
55-64: 17%
65+: 25%
Don't know/refused: 1%
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What was the last grade you completed in school?
0-11: 2%
High school grad: 16%
Technical/Vocational school: 1%
Some college: 23%
College grad: 34%
Graduate degree: 24%
Don't know/refused: 1%
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The next question is about the total income of YOUR HOUSEHOLD for the PAST 12 MONTHS. Please include your income PLUS the income of all members living in your household (including cohabiting partners and armed forces members living at home).
$50,000 or less: 27%
More $50,000 but less than $75,000: 13%
More $75,000 but less than $100,000: 13%
More $100,000 but less than $150,000: 17%
$150,000 or more: 13%
Don't know/refused: 17%
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What particular ethnic group or nationality - such as English, French, Italian, Irish, Latino, Jewish, African American, and so forth - do you consider yourself a part of or feel closest to?
American/None: 21%
English: 13%
Italian: 13%
Irish: 12%
Black or African American: 6%
Latino/Hispanic: 6%
French: 6%
Portuguese: 3%
Jewish: 3%
German: 1%
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Would you say that Donald Trump has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as President?
Excellent: 13%
Good: 12%
Fair: 14%
Poor: 57%
Never heard of: 0%
Cannot rate: 3%
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Would you say that Jack Reed has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a United States Senator?
Excellent: 22%
Good: 29%
Fair: 23%
Poor: 15%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 6%
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Would you say that Sheldon Whitehouse has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a United States Senator?
Excellent: 17%
Good: 22%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 28%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 7%
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Would you say that David Cicilline has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a Member of Congress?
Excellent: 9%
Good: 29%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 27%
Never heard of: 6%
Cannot rate: 8%
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Would you say that James Langevin has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as a Member of Congress?
Excellent: 7%
Good: 30%
Fair: 20%
Poor: 18%
Never heard of: 13%
Cannot rate: 11%
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Would you say that Gina Raimondo has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Governor?
Excellent: 6%
Good: 28%
Fair: 30%
Poor: 31%
Never heard of: 1%
Cannot rate: 3%
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Would you say that Daniel McKee has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Lieutenant Governor?
Excellent: 3%
Good: 16%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 8%
Never heard of: 26%
Cannot rate: 25%
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Would you say that Peter Kilmartin has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Attorney General?
Excellent: 3%
Good: 20%
Fair: 28%
Poor: 17%
Never heard of: 13%
Cannot rate: 19%
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Would you say that Seth Magaziner has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as General Treasurer?
Excellent: 4%
Good: 18%
Fair: 24%
Poor: 13%
Never heard of: 21%
Cannot rate: 21%
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Would you say that Nellie Gorbea has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Secretary of State?
Excellent: 5%
Good: 21%
Fair: 21%
Poor: 10%
Never heard of: 20%
Cannot rate: 23%
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Would you say that Jorge Elorza has done an excellent good, fair or poor job as Mayor of Providence?
Excellent: 4%
Good: 24%
Fair: 24%
Poor: 22%
Never heard of: 9%
Cannot rate: 15%
Related Articles
- DEVELOPING: 38 Studios State Police Documents Released, Questions Remain
- 20 Amazing Facts About 38 Studios Debacle Unveiled in RISP Documents
- Moore: 38 Studios Investigation Shows Legislators Lack Courage
- RI State Police’s Assumpico Criticizes 38 Studios Investigation
- Governor Raimondo On GoLocal LIVE and Talks UHIP, 38 Studios, and Free College Tuition
- Raimondo Agrees to GoLocal’s Demands, Pledges to Release State Police Records on 38 Studios
- LIVE: Dickinson, Former Asst AG & GoLocal’s Attorney Discusses Raimondo’s 38 Studios Announcement
- What’s Next in 38 Studios?
- ABC6’s “In The Arena” - Raimondo and 38 Studios and Trump Chaos
- Robert Whitcomb: GOP’s Healthcare Hell & State Police’s laughable 38 Studios ‘Investigation’
- Arlene Violet on 38 Studios, Mob Informants, Governor Raimondo, and More
- Judge Granted TRO to Kilmartin Blocking 38 Studios Docs, Daughter Works for AG
- Kilmartin Granted Temporary Restraining Order Friday to Block 38 Studios Documents’ Release
- 38 Studios’ Wistow Named Special Counsel to Investigate St. Joseph Bankruptcy
- Moral Obligation for PawSox Funding is the Same as 38 Studios Legislation
- 38 Studios’ CEO Named Interim Head of International Game Developers Association
- Top Attorney Wistow Urged Criminal Charges Be Levied on 38 Studios, But AG and RISP Did Not Pursue
- Moore: Time for a 38 Studios Special Counsel
- RI Commerce Corp to Pay $50,000 Penalty in 38 Studios Settlement with SEC
- Bishop: The Devil is in The Details - PawSox Park isn’t 38 Studios, But Just as Bad
- More “Missing” 38 Studios Documents - Read Costantino’s Witness Statement
- UPDATED: State Police Find “Missing” 38 Studios Documents, But Kilmartin’s Interview Withheld
- 38 Studios’ Corso Launches Coffee Company in RI
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