Opinion/Blazejewski: New budget makes long-term investment in RI's future
House Majority Leader Christopher R. Blazejewski is a Democrat from House District 2 in Providence.
Last week, my wife Ami and I were at India Point Park with our children. Watching our kids run on the grass by the bay was a reminder of how lucky we are to call Rhode Island home. We live in a beautiful place with a great community. But as wonderful as our state is, we face serious challenges, from outrageous housing costs, to crumbling schools, to the threat of climate change. If we want Rhode Island to be an affordable, livable place for all of us, we need bold action.
That’s why I’m so proud of the work my colleagues and I were able to accomplish in this year’s state budget. As House Majority Leader, I’ve had the privilege of bringing people together from across our state to take on the issues affecting all of us. Drawing upon their stories, this budget delivers real results for Rhode Islanders:
Housing affordability
The cost of housing is the number one issue I'm hearing from voters. If we want everyone to be able to afford a roof over their heads, if we want to live in a diverse community, if we want our kids to be able to buy a house someday, we need to tackle the housing costs by building more housing through smart growth for people of every income level. That's why the budget includes nearly $300 million to address the housing crisis and build more affordable homes.
Public schools
My daughter goes to Providence public schools, and I see every day how important it is to upgrade our schools so kids get the education they deserve. That's why the budget includes $700 million in proposed and allocated funding to rebuild and repair our schools so Rhode Island students can attend schools that are safe, warm, dry, and ready for 21st century learning. It also includes over $500 million in federal funds to stem the tide of pandemic learning loss.
Climate change
If we don't act, our grandchildren will see much of India Point Park, downtown Providence, and Rhode Island’s coastline underwater. That's why I brought people together last year to pass the Act on Climate, which sets the most ambitious carbon neutrality target in the U.S., and this year to pass the strongest renewable energy standard in the country. The budget builds on this progress, with $250 million to transition us to a clean energy economy and build for climate resiliency.
Child care and early learning
With a son in pre-school, I know how important quality early learning is for childhood development and our economy. The budget includes over $100 million, with plans for even further expansion, to support child care and early learning so kids get the support they need and parents can get to work.
Frontline care workers
If we learned anything from this pandemic, it's that frontline heroes are undervalued and underpaid. That's why I brought together patients, workers, and providers to ensure Rhode Islanders get the care we need when we need it, and care workers earn a living wage. From hospitals and nursing homes to home-based care and behavioral and mental health services, the budget contains over $300 million to fix our health-care system. It also includes funding to address our mental health crisis, including addiction-recovery services and support for mental health in schools.
It’s often said that budgets are a statement of values. This budget is more than a statement. It delivers real results for Rhode Islanders and smartly uses federal rescue funds to make long-term investments in our future. We accomplish all this while eliminating the car tax and cutting taxes for parents, veterans, and seniors. With this budget, I’m as optimistic as ever that we can face our challenges and keep Rhode Island a great place to live, for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Opinion/Blazejewski: New budget makes long-term investment in RI's future
