Letter: We need a representative willing to change Statehouse tactics

Posted 8/9/18

As election season nears, I find myself thinking about the kind of state representative we in District 68 need. Our community needs a representative who will listen to community members’ …

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Letter: We need a representative willing to change Statehouse tactics

Posted

As election season nears, I find myself thinking about the kind of state representative we in District 68 need. Our community needs a representative who will listen to community members’ questions and be responsive to their views.

One way we Rhode Islanders can make our voices heard is by advocating at the State House. Yet the State House doesn’t make us feel very welcome. From the moment you step into the building, it can seem like they don’t want you there and they don’t want to hear from you.

It’s difficult to know when an issue will be debated in committee. Committees meet during the workday and give lobbyists the first chance to testify, leaving the public to wait for hours and make do with less time to speak.

From my time advocating for universal health care and equal pay, as well as on many other issues important to our town and state, I know how effective it is to speak directly to our representatives inside the State House. Yet it’s tough to do. The building is difficult to navigate, and representatives’ offices are not even clearly marked. Their phone numbers can be hard to track down. They emerge only when the bell rings to call them for a vote.

Laufton Ascencao knows about these problems because he advocates frequently at the State House for effective legislation on issues that matter to us. I know he’ll work to change the way the State House runs, ensuring that the issues Rhode Islanders care about will get a fair up-or-down vote. I know he’ll be in the State House to work for us, rather than to move up the pecking order or gain the favor of the well-connected and the powerful.

I know Laufton is committed to being the kind of transparent, accessible, and responsive representative we need. If elected, he will help make sure our voices can be heard.

Susan Rotblat-Walker

Bristol

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