Legislator hopefuls square off in Warren forum

Candidates for House 67 and 68, Senate 10 seats get a chance to meet the public and talk issues at public forum

By Ted Hayes
Posted 10/21/16

Candidates for Warren’s three General Assembly seats squared off in their first public forum, held last Thursday, Oct. 12 at Warren Town Hall.

Candidates answered questions posed by …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Legislator hopefuls square off in Warren forum

Candidates for House 67 and 68, Senate 10 seats get a chance to meet the public and talk issues at public forum

Posted

Candidates for Warren’s three General Assembly seats squared off in their first public forum, held last Thursday, Oct. 12 at Warren Town Hall.

Candidates answered questions posed by moderator Scott Pickering of East Bay Newspapers, one of the forum’s three sponsors. The event was organized by the Rhode Island League of Women Voters, East Bay Chamber of Commerce and the newspaper chain.

Senate, District 10

The first round of questions went to Senate District 10 hopefuls Walter Felag (D), the incumbent, and challenger Jarrod Hazard, an Independent candidate from Warren. 

In his introduction Sen. Felag touted his 38 years of service to the Town of Warren and State Senate, while Mr. Hazard said the state needs new ideas. Rhode Island is stagnating, he said; “I want to work at changing that.”

* On reducing the tax burden:

Sen. Felag said the overall budget could be adjusted to give taxpayers a break. In response, Mr. Hazard said that “what we really need to do is find a way to cut our expenditures. By cutting expenditures you can cut the taxes needed.”

* Financing road repairs

Sen. Felag took a shot at Mr. Hazard after he noted that a greater percentage of gas tax money should go to road repairs.

“His whole campaign is based on the tolls,” Sen. Felag said. “He’s misinformed in terms of the gas tax. That’s one of the aspects of being an elected official … you have to demonstrate communication and compromise.”

* The 38 Studios debacle

Sen. Felag said most legislators had very little to do with the funding of 38 Studios, saying it was a “Gov. Carcieri” project. “He was the architect; there were no legislators on the EDC (Economic Development Corporation) board. Prior to separation of powers we would have had legislators on that board, and they probably would have stopped it.”

“You can’t put all your eggs in one basket,” Mr. Hazard said. “As far as repaying the money … we’re being held responsible.”

* Marijuana legalization

“I”m keeping an open mind on this issue,” Sen. Felag said.

“If it’s not illegal federally I think we should look at regulating and taxing it,” Mr. Hazard said.

* Improving the business climate here

“Wev’e decreased the corporate tax, the energy tax for business. We still need to look at ways of helping out small business and all business,” Sen. Felag said.

“We need to improve the infrastructure in the state,” Mr. Hazard said. “We need to make our schools better.”

* Expand authority for creating charter schools?

“Yes I would,” Mr. Hazard said. “Common Core promotes mediocrity; you’re teaching everyone to the same level. We need to look at what charter schools are doing so much better.”

“I think it depends on where the region is. We have a lot of poorly performing schools in our urban communities,” Sen. Felag said. “As far as suburbia is concerned … we need to keep our money in our local community. Once there’s a charter school in our area it’s going to deplete the suburban school monies.

House District 67

Democratic nominee Jason Knight of Barrington and Jason Gould, a libertarian from Warren, squared off next.

“I’m running so I can bring some new blood into the General Assembly,” Mr. Knight said. “I want to stand up for a government that works for the community and really makes an effort to try and make life better here in Rhode Island.

Being a libertarian, Mr. Gould said, “puts me in a unique place. I span both sides of the aisle. I’m allowed to build coalitions on an issue to issue basis.”

Change and coalition building, he said, “I think we can all agree (are) something we desperately need.”

* Believe in the line item veto?

“I do, absolutely,” Mr. Knight said. “Rhode island has a really interesting political structure in that a lot of the power in this state is concentrated into the house and specifically into the speaker’s office. The reason why America works is we have taken a checks and balances approach to government. The line item veto would work to spread that power out.

“I agree with Jason,” Mr. Gould said. “I think it’s long overdue that our government has the line item veto. Forty-four other states have it. We need balance; right now the speaker is literally the most powerful person in our state. That’s not how this was intended.”

* On what issue do you disagree with your party?

“I’m a progressive Democrat,” Mr. Knight said. “There’s probably 1,000 issues (where I disagree). I am pro-choice, I support a social safety net, strengthening the social contract that we have where we help the less fortunate members of our society.”

“Being a libertarian is interesting in that I don’t have to remember our stance,” Mr. Gould said. “The libertarian philosophy is: ‘Don’t hurt me and take my stuff.’ As far as places where I disagree? Like any party, for us it’s a matter of people who may be extreme in their views of liberty, like the legalization of all drugs. It’s not something I would support. I’m looking to work in the confines of the real world that we all deal with.”

* Improving the business climate?

Small business is Rhode Island’s backbone, Mr. Gould said, but “70 percent of our leadership is more concerned with hitting the long ball. Our companies are over-regulated, there’s high taxation … these are all barriers and they all get in the way of growing  our economy. As far as increasing the minimum wage, Mr. Gould said he disagreed with a point made by Mr. Knight earlier in the forum.

“I think (increasing it) will destroy jobs.”

“We have to up our game,” Mr. Knight added. “We have to protect our investments, we have to improve our schools. Finally at the end of the day, the General Assembly needs to take charge and exercise some oversight over the executive branch.”

* On charter schools

“I would like to see our research going to strengthening our public schools. I want to see public education have more resources across the board,” Mr. Knight said.

“I do see a benefit to having charter schools here,” Mr. Gould said. “I would like to see more of a voucher program where you can pick a school you want.”

In his closing comments, Mr. Knight went after his opponent’s party, saying “libertarians and people who support a government that actually works for its populace have no commonality. They really believe that any government is an invasion. Government is all of us working together to do the things we can’t do alone.”

But Mr. Gould fought back. Mr. Knight, he said, is “the candidate of more. More legislation, more spending, more taxes, more government control of your life.”

House District 68

The final legislator’ forum was for the District 68 House seat currently held by Bristol resident Kenneth Marshall. His challenger is Warren libertarian William Hunt Jr.

Mr. Hunt, 33, said “I truly want to see this state be successful. It’s no secret that our state is in trouble.”

In response, Rep. Marshall said the state has made gains during his tenure in the State House. “When I came in unemployment was at 12 percent. Currently it’s at 5.4,” he said, to which Mr. Hunt replied: “It’s gone down in the entire country. Our actual labor force has not grown in decades. People that are working now can’t afford to retire. They’re leaving the state and leaving the work force entirely.”

* On reducing the tax burden

“We have been reducing it in small incremental rates,” Rep. Marshall said. “We can’t eat an apple all at once.”

Rhode Island needs to lower taxes, Mr. Hunt said. “The first thing I would go after is HealthSourceRI.

* On financing the repair of roads

“The fact of the matter is we don’t need a new tax,” Mr. Hunt said. “It’s been years of mismanagement and unfunded projects and deferred maintenances. We just need the DOT to roll up their sleeves and do their job.”

* On the legalization of marijuana

“I’m open minded but I will tell you this,” Rep. Marshall said. “This is a federal issue. There’s a $1 billion defense industry in Rhode Island. People that are going to apply for jobs cannot be hired (if they use marijuana). If the state goes down that road, we’ll have a situation where we have job openings but don’t have anyone to fill them.”

“The tide is turning,” Mr. Hunt said. “I don’t think the government should be telling people what they should do to their bodies as long as it’s not affecting anyone else.”

* On gun legislation

“While I’m a strong supporter of the second amendment, it’s not an issue that Rhode Island really has a problem with,” Mr. Hunt said. “This is one of the few instances that we are leading the country with. I’m just looking to make sure that our liberties aren’t taken away. God knows, whoever gets elected, we’re going to want those second amendment rights.”

“We’re not looking to take away anyone’s guns but we want people safe,” Rep. Marshall added.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.