Rhode Island’s budget has ballooned 22% since 2010 growing from $7.8 billion to $9.6 billion for FY 2018-19. That’s over $9,000 for every resident in our state. In FY 2017-18 we had the 10th highest budget per capita in the country - the 2nd highest in New England. By comparison, Delaware’s budget is only $4.27 billion and they are roughly the same size and have a smaller population.
While RI families and small businesses struggle to live within our means, RI state government continues to raise the budget year after year. The progressive agenda of my opponent demands even more government spending which inevitably raises taxes and will make RI even more of an outlier.
I will work to introduce legislation that will require Zero-Based Budgeting for every department and state agency. Zero-Based Budgeting requires all expenses to be justified for each new budget period. I believe budgets should be built around the actual future needs regardless of whether that new budget is higher or lower than the previous one.
It is time we hold the line on government spending and put that money back in the pockets of RI taxpayers.
William Hunt
Warren
Mr. Hunt is a Libertarian candidate for House of Representatives, District 68.