Issues

I look at education through two lenses – as a parent, and as a graduate myself of a public school system.  Like so many in my district, my wife and I are middle income parents of a child in the public school system – our son attends Dutemple Elementary a few blocks from our home.  So, like so many other parents in our district, we go to PTO meetings and school events to help build our school community, we work with our son’s teacher to help continue his education at home, we support the school administration’s work to raise the educational bar for all students, and we worry that the Governor’s budget will force the school committee – again – to cut programs for arts, music, or sports that we see as integral to education, not extras.

But we all know that the quality of our schools also has an impact on  many other important areas of our state.  Middle income families who are deciding where to move look mostly at property costs and values, property taxes, the livability of the neighborhood, but also the quality of schools.  Because businesses in Rhode Island want to attract and retain a creative and committed workforce, we must take to this into account.  Most middle income families might be able to find an alternative to public schools if that is what they want for their children, but they shouldn’t have to.  Our public schools should be the place where Cranston’s parents know their children can get a tremendous education to be ready for the future.

I have always had a strong passion to protect the environment.  As a boy, I spent much of my summers fishing and crabbing near the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia or hiking in the Smoky mountains near a rustic cabin in North Carolina.  I pursued that passion in my education in Marine Affairs at the University of Miami.  I came to Rhode Island to continue those studies in 1990.  I’ve proudly called Rhode Island my home since then and I have continued to pursue my passion for protecting Rhode Island's beautiful waterways, clean drinking water, and scenic parks.  I also have worked hard to help my fellow lawmakers understand the value that our clean waters and beautiful bay provide to our economy: whether you are a university student, a family looking for a home, or a business leader looking to locate your company, the quality of our environment is one of the first things you see and feel and it leaves a lasting impression.  It did for me and it has for many others who I have spoken to over the years.

And so, working to protect Rhode Island’s air, land and water at the State House has always been one of my top priorities, as they are for so many people in my
district. During my time as a state representative we have had success passing effective environmental protection laws.  For example:

• getting a strong electronic waste law into place to keep old computers and televisions out of our landfills;
• setting energy efficiency standards for appliances to save consumers money and reduce energy use in our state;
• passing laws that keep mercury pollution out of our landfills and away from our drinking water and waterways;
• and defending the state’s clean energy law and preventing out of state medical waste from being dumped in the landfill.