Warren’s Joseph DePasquale and Barrington’s Nicole Jellinek offered voters a snapshot of where they stand on a variety of issues, what matters to them, and why they deserve to fill the open District 67 seat in the Rhode Island House of Representatives. 

DePasquale and Jellinek answered a series of questions during a special forum on Monday night, Sept. 28, in the Barrington Public Library auditorium. During their opening statements, DePasquale, a longtime Warren Town Councilor who is running as an Independent, focused on the fiduciary responsibilities that fall on those chosen to lead, while Jellinek, a Democrat whose husband Jason Knight filled the District 67 seat for more than a decade, spoke about her work as the leader for the RI Coalition for Reproductive Freedom and how it has prepared her to serve in the Statehouse. 

Best choice

The moderator for the forum, East Bay Media Group Publisher Scott Pickering, opened by asking the candidates why they believed they were the best choice to represent District 67.

DePasquale spoke about his lengthy experience — he has served on the Warren Town Council for 22 years. He also spoke about how well the town of Warren was doing, and that the voters in District 67 would get a dependable leader in him.

Jellinek spoke about how much time she has spent at the Rhode Island Statehouse in her work with the coalition. She said she knows how to work with people in both chambers, and that she has been doing the work for years. 

Local or federal?

When asked where their focus would rest — locally or with federal issues — the candidates showed some agreement. Jellinek said legislators need to be responsive to their constituents, while also working on issues that involve the federal government. DePasquale echoed that statement — “It’s a dual role,” he said. DePasquale said legislators need to understand the federal issues, and he specifically mentioned the budget. 

That point led into the next question, which focused on the state’s increasing budget. DePasquale spoke against the Millionaires tax in the state. He also spoke about lowering the state income tax and lowering the state sales tax in an effort to make Rhode Island more business-friendly. 

Jellinek did not agree. She said the Millionaires tax affects less than 1 percent of filers in the state and brings in more than $100 million in taxes. Jellinek said it was important to look at per capita spending among New England states. She said Rhode Island is in line with its neighbors — less than Massachusetts and more than New Hampshire. 

Lots of bills

Pickering said legislators are asked to consider nearly 3,000 bills each session. He asked how the candidates would focus their time and attention if they were elected to the general assembly. 

Jellinek said she would lean on other people at the Statehouse to help her unpack some of the issues and legislation. She also spoke about the areas in which she would focus. That would include health and human services and the environment, she said. Jellinek said that while there are thousands of bills, not all of them make it out of committee. 

DePasquale shared a similar approach. He said legislators must focus their work. He also said that lawmakers need to follow the advice of others and trust others.

Gun laws

DePasquale said he believes the state’s gun laws are strong enough now. He said the gun issue has been dealt with and congratulated all the people who worked on the issue. Jellinek said she believes more work needs to be done. She mentioned the “blue card process” and a need to revamp it. 

Housing

Jellinek said the general assembly has done a lot of work with the housing issue in Rhode Island. She also mentioned the tension surrounding the loss of local control by communities. She said it is time to study what has been done and see if it is working. 

DePasquale said the state’s efforts to address the housing issue have failed. He said Rhode Island is wasting millions of dollars and the current system does little to move the state closer to offering more affordable housing. He said housing would be one of his key issues, if he is elected. 

Healthcare

Both candidates spoke about the need to address issues in the healthcare field. Jellinek said healthcare was a topic that very close to her. She spoke about reimbursement rates being too low for local medical professionals, and the need for more doctors and specialists in Rhode Island. She said some steps were being taken, but more can be done. DePasquale agreed, and mentioned how Rhode Island needs to be more competitive with nearby states. 

Other issues

The District 67 candidates were also asked about a handful of other issues — a limit on the growth of charter schools in Rhode Island; whether they are optimistic about the state’s future or not; and a defining experience for them that helped shape who they are as a politician.