House Seats District 19

Joseph McNamara Democrat

I am running for office to continue working to improve the lives and economic opportunities for every resident of our state. I hope to continue to be an effective voice at the State House who listens to our neighbors in District 19. I graduated from Warwick public schools and raised my own family here-- I love this community and want to continue working to make it even better. Whether it's the historic reconstruction of the Pawtuxet River Bridge in the Village, or identifying resources to improve our parks. I will ensure our community members continue to have access to the natural resources that enhance our neighborhoods.

1. I support the governor's decision to appeal the ruling. The progress we've made towards improving the infrastructure of our state is too important to our economy to ignore.

2. I was a strong supporter and proponent of the common sense gun legislation that was enacted this past session. I do believe our state needs stronger safe storage laws for weapons and I support prohibiting the sale and possession of assault rifles.

3. I will be introducing legislation this session that will increase the availability of mental health services in both Warwick and Cranston public schools. It will provide Medicaid reimbursement for school psychologists which will enable our schools to deliver much-needed mental health services. I will also be introducing several pieces of legislation relating to our environment, including legislation that guarantees access to our ocean shores and inland waterways.

4. I do not favor term limits for state legislators. I have worked with several states that have term limited senators and representatives. On complex legislative issues that have a steep learning curve, such as public policy relating to genetic privacy, it can take several years to develop and understand. I've noticed that states that have term limits end up sending legislative staff due to the complexity of the issues. Also, institutional knowledge is very important in the legislative process, so states that have term limits end up empowering lobbyists to be the purveyors of institutional knowledge.

5. Yes, Rhode Island is heading in the right direction. This past session, we finally eliminated the car tax, increased the tax exemption for Social Security to the first $20,000, provided a $250 tax credit to families with children and passed common sense gun control legislation. In the past we have also passed the Act on Climate and protected reproductive rights. During these difficult financial times, I believe we will continue to advocate for the hardworking families in Rhode Island.

6. This past session, we allocated $221 million for affordable housing in the 2023 State Budget plus approved a package of 10 bills designed to help address our housing crisis. This is just a slice of our efforts to improve housing, we will continue to focus on affordable housing in every community.

7. Yes, I believe it is achievable. The reason I believe this is because we can purchase renewable energy credits through our energy providers. This will enable us to reach that goal.

David Bennett Democrat

Hello, I'm David Bennett, I am a life long resident of Warwick, I am the youngest of 6 children, 5 boys, one girl. I received my education in Warwick public schools, my college education was achieved in RI also. I started working in healthcare at 17 years old. I've worked at Kent Hospital for 10 years, orthopedic surgeons assistant for 20 years and Psychiatric Nurse for Butler Hospital and Thrive Behavioral for the remainder of my career. I remain a Registered Nurse but I am retired from practice after 50 years. I have been a State Representative since 2011.

1. I would appeal the courts decision and hope the ruling would be overturned.

2.  The state’s gun laws mostly affect the law abiding citizen, criminals do not follow our laws. I do think common sense laws such as the Red Flag law and the 18y/o change to 21y/o may limit violence but honest hard working people will obey these laws on legislative limitations on guns because they have no other choice, hence law abiding citizens.

3.  All of the legislation I introduce benefits the people of Warwick as well as the people of Rhode Island. I will continue to present bills on Healthcare, the environment, labor and bills that are given to me to run that I feel benefits Rhode Island. I have had plastic reduction bills, animal safety bills and minimum wage increases in the past. I sponsored the Narcan in schools bill which have saved lives. I will be listening to people and their thoughts and thinking myself to present good legislation this session.

4. I feel that we run every 2 years and when the people feel you’re ineffective as a legislator they will vote you out.

5.  We are in a tough time in history and we have made it through before, moving forward quickly is difficult but I feel we are heading in the right direction but it takes time to see results. We had a very good session last year, produced a good budget with a lot of good things for a variety of people. Federally, it could be better but my focus remains moving Rhode Island forward in a positive direction.

6. Affordable housing was and will continue to be a major priority of the General Assembly. Speaker Shekarchi has pledged to continue to improve the housing problem with more financial aid, resources and outreach programs to help people to be able to afford a good place to live. Construction of low cost housing is a must and we have the workforce to achieve this goal.

7.  Yes, very much so, we can achieve the goals of the Act on Climate by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, building smarter green efficient buildings and homes. Not reaching the date set by this Act will result in continuing unpredictable weather and the heating of our earth to the point we may not be able to recover. I feel the act is good legislation and achievable.

District 20

Dan Elliott Independent

I’m Dan Elliott. I grew up in Warwick, attended Warwick schools, graduated CCRI (Business) and JWU (Hospitality Management), and live in the Greenwood neighborhood. I’m a hotel manager and previously owned and operated a small business in Warwick. I also serve as District Deputy with RI Knights of Columbus, presenting programs to support charitable efforts and deliver positive change in the community. In my hospitality role, I balance the needs of guests, the hotel team and ownership to achieve favorable results. As a State Representative candidate, I offer competent leadership with fresh ideas. I promise to fight for working families, not the special interests.

1. My opponent voted for the truck tolls, while I opposed them in my 2016 campaign. A proposed Constitutional amendment to prevent any new highway tolls on passenger automobiles did not pass because the tolls were always planned to target cars, eventually. Today Rhode Islanders are struggling to afford high prices on gas, groceries, and home energy. No one has extra money to pay multiple tolls both ways along Route 95 on their daily drive. What I will do if elected is guarantee I will vigorously oppose any new car tolls in Rhode Island.

2. Rhode Island violent crimes with firearms have decreased over the last year and police efforts to remove illegal guns from the streets have been successful. The focus on combating illegal guns involved in violent crimes seems to be working to keep the community safer.

3. Warwick taxpayers deserve more for their state tax dollars than our leaders are willing to fight for, as evidenced by the condition of Warwick’s infrastructure, specifically the roads and sidewalks managed by the State. The residents of Greenwood have been calling for a reconstruction of Main Ave. for years, and the state’s recent solution was to eliminate two travel lanes and repaint the stripes in the road. State investment in our infrastructure is key to creating good jobs and promoting full economic recovery, and would specifically benefit Warwick.

4. I support term limits for Rhode Island legislators.

5. Roughly 1,000 residents of House District 20 moved out during the last decade. Over that time, state government spending has doubled, our public schools have deteriorated, and our business climate is on a long slow decline. There is hope for Rhode Island to recover with a change in direction to an “open for business” mindset to encourage economic recovery, attract new residents and strengthen our community.

6. Rhode Island’s political class celebrated their most recent affordable housing achievement earlier this year by giving $41 Million in taxpayer-funded corporate welfare to a wealthy real estate investor so he can renovate the Superman building. Real affordable housing in actual residential neighborhoods is accomplished through partnerships among community stakeholders in a collaborative planning and development effort. I would advocate for more community based projects and oppose corporate bailouts disguised as affordable housing.

7. The Act On Climate law is very ambitious. One of the line items in the law reads: “Work with other New England states to explore areas of mutual interest to achieve common goals.” As we head into winter, when it comes to energy, I would argue the most pressing need for Rhode Island and New England is affordable home heating fuel. Working families and seniors on fixed incomes can’t absorb massive rate increases, and they shouldn’t have to choose between buying food and heating their home. The State House should put 100 percent of its effort into ensuring affordable energy for Rhode Islanders in 2023.

District 21

Marie Hopkins Republican

I am a nurse, working in our schools as well as in psychiatric care. I teach at CCRI. I hold degrees from Brown and URI. I have three children. I am a 3rd generation resident of Warwick.  Due to 60 years of one-party rule, I believe RI taxpayers do not have fair representation. I look forward to taking my advocacy to the State House. I have walked this district multiple times, talking to people on their doorsteps. I did this because I believe in order to represent the people, I must be active in the community. I will remain involved… something we presently lack with current leadership.  My main concern is the inflated state budget that takes money from the pockets of people who are already strapped. I will focus on finances, seniors, veterans, and working families. I will support expanded options in education and healthcare reform.  We can do better, and I truly believe I can help.

1. The courts determined that the only remedy is to tax all of the vehicles or none of the vehicles. An appeal is a waste of funds. I fear that we will all eventually pay if we do not seize the opportunity to send new voices to the State House. My goal is to reduce tax and fee burdens for RI, not add more, and not exchange one for another. I would remove the gantries and revisit the budget.

2. Our firearm mortality rates are among the lowest in the nation, and gun-related crime in Warwick is not an issue. All of this was true prior to the changes. As a psychiatric nurse, I can attest to the fact that crimes of mass violence are generally rooted in mental illness and not in access to weapons. The real solution to those sorts of social problems is not gun control, it is the return to long-range, in-patient healthcare models. Mental health is a far bigger issue than crime, and we need to begin to grapple with that. I believe these current gun laws are being challenged now, and I will support that. Addressing mental health will reduce drug use, homelessness, and violent crime.

3. Warwick residents host an airport that is not just local, but a regional hub. We are not being given adequate compensation for this burden, which costs us not only our own money, but interferes with our clean air and water, and creates noise. All of New England benefits, but only Warwick has to pay the bill. I know many “Davids” before me have gone up before the Goliath of the Airport.  However, more work must be done. I would support legislation that grants an income tax credit back to Warwick taxpayers to compensate for the losses we incur. 

4. Yes – Those in government should be limited. By requiring a limit, we will mitigate the unfair advantage of the incumbency and can return to a two-party system. 

5. We have to move away from the insider deals and corruption that has plagued development here.

We can be a leader in renewable energy with our amazing wind resources.  We can be a leader in shipping by using our proximity to Boston and New York and our access to the water. We can be a leader in tourism leveraging our bay and our historic towns. And we could be an economic regional leader, actively recruiting businesses with the ability to provide better financial terms than our immediate neighbors.

6. To create affordable housing, we need to push ahead with the newly proposed loosening of regulations on In-laws and attachments.  We should create low interest loans and tax credits directly to homeowners to encourage those improvements. Giving tax breaks to corporate investors is absolutely the wrong approach! 

7.  No. Green innovation must start at the top, and never with the consumer.  We should endeavor to become net energy producers – and when we do, we would reduce energy prices for our citizens. We should endeavor to attract green manufacturing and ensure that they bring jobs and add to the tax base.

I believe the future is more renewable but not 100%.  While we wait for technology to catch up and make true renewable existence possible, each change we agree to should be with Rhode Islanders in mind. We should not move away from oil and gas heating until we have a renewable option that can keep our homes warm in a New England winter, and we can’t move to fully electric cars until we have the power infrastructure to support and dispose of hundreds of thousands of the large batteries necessary for those cars to work.

District 21

Camille Vella-Wilkinson Democrat

Camille Vella-Wilkinson, a retired Navy Officer and Warwick resident since 1988, has over 25 years’ experience in Human Resources, Multicultural Competencies and Project Management. Her background includes: EEO Compliance, Mediation and Total Quality Management. A recipient of the Roy Wilkins Renown Service Award, she was nationally recognized by the NAACP for her significant contributions in the areas of civil/human rights, race relations, equal opportunity, human resources and public service. In May 2022, Camille was honored with the lifetime achievement Verrazano Award for outstanding leadership and community work.

1. I support appealing the decision, our current investment in terms of resources, job creation and revenue generated is too substantial to simply concede to the ruling and walk away.

The RhodeWorks Program is critical to the future of our state. Funding RhodeWorks must be a top priority. RhodeWorks was signed into law in 2016; I had an opposing OpEd published in The Warwick Beacon. The tolls are successful as a funding source for our State; the net yield is approximately $40 Million annually. However, I am still not a fan of tolls for trucks or private vehicles. We must analyze other sources of government income, as a Plan B.

I would begin with a comprehensive examination of several revenue streams, including: gasoline tax, all motor vehicle driving and licenses fees. I believe we must improve our current asset management as it pertains to State infrastructure. At 34 cents per gallon, the RI gas tax produces approximately $137 Million annually. That is significantly more money than is generated by the truck tolls. I am definitely a fan of Restricted-Use Funds.

Several States with deplorable infrastructure and more roads and bridges than the Ocean State have found a path to improving their infrastructure without relying on creating new or additional tolls. If I am re-elected, and retain my position as Finance Sub-Committee Chair of General Government, I commit to working on this issue.

2. Rhode Island’s gun laws do go far enough. In fact they are some of the strongest and most restrictive in our nation. Unfortunately, gun charges are often reduced, charged off or simply not enforced by the Judiciary or Attorney General. I did not support any of the “gun control” Bills introduced during this past session. I do not believe they made us safer. I fully support law-abiding gun owners who exercise their Second Amendment Rights.

However, I believe there is not enough attention being paid to first-person shooter (FPS) on-line video games. These are not to be confused with arcade shooting gallery games which focus on speed and accuracy. FPS is action games with a vast arsenal of weapons, death matches and graphic violence. Furthermore, when children play on-line it is with players of all ages, including adults who may be using equally graphic language. Multiple studies have shown prolonged and unsupervised use of these games have a harmful impact on children, often numbing them to violence and leading to bullying and other aggressive behavior.

3. I will continue to work with members of the Warwick City Council to introduce or support legislation that specifically benefits Warwick. I plan to work with the state Tourism Boards to ensure Warwick funds are not diverted to other municipalities.

Furthermore, I plan to work with RI Coastal Resource Management Council to address aquatic invasive species.

4. Yes, I favor term limits for all elected officials.

5. Rhode Island is definitely headed in the right direction. Now, more than ever, our voters are informed stakeholders and engaged in issues with a long-range impact on our State. Our elected officials are a true representation of their constituency and not merely leaders of a public "Group Think."  Our residents don't wait for the nightly news to parrot a viewpoint.  They actively seek out their elected officials to discuss upcoming votes or ideas for new initiatives.  When you have been in the midst of our Rhode Islanders at the State House, you know we are headed in the right direction.

6. I was very proud of the work accomplished by the General Assembly this past Session to address Affordable Housing. However, there is always something more to be done or studied.

There are two bills I will introduce designed to assist Rhode Islanders who may be facing fiscal obstacles when renting housing:

Allowing a residential tenant, if they wish, to pay their security deposit in four equal installment payments, one each quarter along with their monthly rent.

I think we need to honestly study Rent Control as an option for Affordable Housing.

Additionally, I think municipalities should partner with local banks and credit unions to offer free seminars on how to repair personal credit and increase credit scores, especially since this is a vital criterion for most landlords and mortgage brokers.

7. I do not consider the goals of the Act on Climate, regardless of how well-intended, to be realistically accomplished by 2033.

District 22

Joseph Solomon Jr. Democrat

It is my great honor to serve as your State Representative in District 22. I am seeking reelection so I can continue bringing people together to deliver results for our community.

The last two years have been rough on our economy, our education system, and many of our neighbors and friends. During the last session I was proud to work on rebuilding our economy, protecting the vulnerable in our community, and investing in our future.

If you need help with any state or local issues, or have any questions or concerns please contact me anytime at Joe@JoeforRI.com or 401-308-3904.

1. My first promise to the residents of District 22 was to always listen and represent them at the State House. When the truck toll legislation came up in 2016, I listened to people in our district and understood our community was opposed, so I voted AGAINST the truck toll legislation. I still oppose the tolling of any vehicles on our highway and will once again oppose them if this issue comes before the legislature again.

2. There is nothing more important than keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them whether that be due to mental health issues, or a history of violence. I’ve always been a strong proponent of increasing the penalties against those who are unfit to own or carry guns responsibly. I have voted in favor of legislation to take guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and those who pose a risk to society. We must also carefully evaluate which gun laws will actually be effective against those individuals who illegally possess weapons and avoid taking guns away from lawful gun owners.

3. I’ve lived in Warwick my entire life and I plan to remain here because there is no place I would rather call home. I will continually support legislation that is beneficial to Warwick, as I have done in the past. I believe the statewide school funding formula needs to be changed to make sure Warwick gets the funding it deserves. I will aggressively seek any additional opportunities to bring resources to our city.

4. Every two years, the public has the opportunity to vote for its state representatives and state senators. If the people believe someone is effective and getting things done, then they should be able to continue to vote for that person. If they feel someone is not serving their best interests, they can vote them out in two years. Two year elections are the best form of term limits.

5. Rhode Island and our state’s economy are always going to have their ups and downs. I think RI’s House of Representatives has taken some important steps to help people keep up with costs and try to remove some of the stressors that Rhode Islanders face every day.

I’m proud of the achievements and strides we have made since I was first elected to office. We were able to eliminate the Car Tax completely, increasing investment in quality healthcare, capping the cost of insulin, providing a child tax credit, bringing unemployment levels to their lowest in over a decade, and eliminating state taxation of military pensions.

6. We need to build more housing and ensure people can afford to stay in their homes. This year, I was proud to support the $250 million investment in housing approved by the General Assembly. We allocated funds towards housing production, down payment assistance to help homebuyers, community revitalization and home repairs. Additionally, we are creating a statewide housing plan and addressing homelessness with a goal of ensuring everyone in our state has a home, and housing stays affordable for homeowners and renters.

7. Absolutely! As green energy technology advances at an exponential pace, I am confident we will meet and possibly exceed the goal. Recently passed legislation will lead to an increase of wind power in Rhode Island. Additionally, I want to streamline the process for home solar panels and make it more accessible to homeowners. The more electricity homeowners are able to generate on their own will lead to less reliance on external sources that are subject to the uncertainty and potential for price gouging that we are experiencing all too painfully right now.

District 22

David Stone Republican

My name is David Stone and I’m a candidate for House District 22. A lifelong Rhode Islander and like you Warwick is my home.  My wife Ashley is a school teacher in one of our public schools and I work with intellectually disabled adults. I am running for office because I am tired of seeing monied special interest having a great influence over our state other than the everyday Rhode Islander. I believe our Representative should vote in the best interest of our district not those who have the ear of the Speaker of the House.

1. The court decision striking down the toll plan was predicted. To pursue this any further is to throw more taxpayer money away. Rather, we need to recuperate lost money by selling the gantries in whole or part. The next step is to reconcile our funding mechanism for road work in our state with a reliable, non-confiscatory source of funds.

2. Recent firearm policy has been based on ideology as opposed to facts and statistics. RI is in the top 5 strictest gun control states with one of the lowest rates of firearm crimes. The laws we have work – but only if they are prosecuted. We must stop the “catch and release” of these offenders and prosecute them to the fullest extent. All firearms policies need to be based on statistics and facts. Legislative proposals based in emotion and reaction do not solve problems – facts and statistics do.

3. The type of legislation that I plan to support will unburden our towns and businesses from unfunded mandates. This will benefit Warwick and Rhode Island. The two largest drivers of taxes and regulations in our state are the extremely high costs of living and doing business. If we get them under control through the repeal of unnecessary mandates, organic growth will occur and less money from the state will be required.

4. I support term limits along with a restructuring of the length of terms. Legislators spend 1 year working, and 1 campaigning. Make them 4-year terms and we’ll get 3 times the work out of the same people. Then limit the number of terms to 3 or 4.

5. The 2023 State Budget is $13.6 billion. In 2011, it was $7.8 billion. That’s a 74% increase in 12 years. Have our wages gone up 74%? No – therefore this growth in spending is unsustainable and must be reined in. Rhode Island is clearly moving in the wrong direction.

6. Our 30-year-old Housing Plan has failed to address this issue. We need to model our approach after those that have succeeded in other states. We need to work within market forces to develop a plan that will allow growth of Affordable Housing in a natural and healthy manner – not a forced and ineffective one.

7. The Act on Climate is based in politics and ideology – not science. It has created a singular, and extremely misguided goal – to be the “first state in the country to reach net zero carbon emissions.” We don’t need to focus on being “the first” – we need to focus on making this transition in a way that will not put elderly pensioners out in the cold because they can’t afford to heat their homes. We cannot force hardworking Rhode Islanders to convert their homes to weatherized, electric heated homes at a cost of $80,000 - $175,000 per home. People cannot afford that. Furthermore, our electrical grid infrastructure is so outdated and neglected that it simply cannot handle the amount of electricity that this Act mandates we use. We need to take a measured approach that is firmly based in current technology, prepares our electrical grid infrastructure and will respect our forested lands in RI.

District 23

K. Joseph Shekarchi Democrat

I have lived in Warwick for my whole life and love it here. I have worked as a lawyer in private practice, along with my brother and sister, here in Warwick for more than 25 years.

I want to do whatever I can for everyone who lives here, works in our city, or visits Warwick. I believe that since I’ve been in office we’ve gotten some great things accomplished. I know we can do even more.

1. I want to emphasize that as long as I am Speaker, tolls on cars or other passenger vehicles will never happen.

The Attorney General and governor’s office have both stated that an appeal is worth pursuing. They and their legal teams have carefully analyzed this extremely complex case. I agree with them that an appeal is worth pursuing.

2. Earlier this year, after yet another horrific mass shooting at a school, the public was outraged. As legislators, it’s our job to represent the people we serve, and the feedback I received was overwhelmingly in support of the common-sense laws we passed. The RI Police Chiefs’ Association stated that the legislation will enhance existing laws in a manner that balances individual constitutional rights and public safety.

3. As a life-long Warwick resident, I will always advocate for whatever is best for Warwick.

When Bally’s and IGT renewed their agreement with the state – an economic investment of more than $250 million – I requested that Bally’s bring jobs to Warwick. They did, opening their new Tech Hub here with more than 50 new jobs.

As Speaker I work on a vast range of issues, and I do what’s best for our state, the people who live here, and our businesses. However, I will always make sure that Warwick’s interests are considered in every decision I make.

4. I think the voters determine our term limits.

5. Yes. My campaign slogan is “bringing people together to get things done” and that’s how I try to govern – we get so much more done when we work together than we do when we’re divided. We’ve taken historic action on environmental legislation and unprecedented investments in housing. Rhode Island is making a strong economic comeback from the pandemic, and we’re helping Rhode Islanders from all walks of life through our state budget. We completely eliminated the car tax, implemented a Child Tax Rebate for working families, and reduced the state income tax on Social Security and retirement benefits.

This is thanks to the cooperative efforts of many people in the legislature working in partnership with officials at the federal, state, and municipal levels.

6. Our state desperately needs more housing, but getting there isn’t just about building more. There are many factors that impede housing production. I often hear from developers that it can be difficult to get projects done in Rhode Island. We need to fix that. We need to look at the myriad rules and regulations that make building a challenge, streamline efforts so that good work isn’t happening in a vacuum, and hold policy-makers accountable.

Since I became Speaker I have passed two comprehensive packages of legislation regarding housing that address the issue from multiple angles, including streamlining and speeding up the approval process for development, improving the data the state collects on housing so we know which areas we should target, and holding agencies and municipalities accountable.

We made an unprecedented investment of $250 million in the current budget to improve access to housing and also created the first-ever funding stream for affordable housing. There’s still so much more to be done, but I’m committed to keep going!

7. Yes; in fact, just last week we announced Rhode Island’s largest offshore wind procurement RFP ever, which demonstrates our commitment to securing clean energy and reducing our dependence on carbon fuels. This RFP represents major progress toward achieving the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals in the Act on Climate and the 100 percent Renewable Energy Standard by 2033.

District 23

Dana James Traversie Republican

My name is Dana James Traversie, and I am running to be your next representative in Rhode Island House District 23. I am a working professional in the cyber security industry, a small business owner, husband, and father of two amazing kids. Fiscal responsibility, individual liberty, and limited government comprise the core of my political philosophy. I believe representatives should honor their oaths of office and truly represent their constituents. On election day, you will have a choice: Continue with an established political elite or elect a true representative of the people. To learn more, visit: www.djt4ri.us

1. To date, over $60 million USD has been spent on the truck toll gantries. Nearly one-third of the money spent has been on legal consultation and legal defense fees. My opponent, Speaker Shekarchi, has the authority to call a special session of the general assembly and lead members in an effort to “undo” the truck toll legislation. This would eliminate the legal standing for any future appeal and save taxpayers millions in future legal fees. To replace the illegal toll revenues that were being collected, I’m sure there are funds in the $13 Billion USD budget that can be reallocated for bridge and road repairs.

2. The state gun laws go too far and infringe on civil rights protected by the state constitution and United States constitution. As a member of the general assembly, I would focus on legislation that punishes those who commit crimes of violence rather than illegally targeting citizens who have done nothing wrong.

3. Yes. My initial priority would be to fix or repeal bad legislation that is already harming or will harm the citizens of Warwick in the future. As a start, I would introduce or support any legislation that restored civil rights that were infringed on in previous legislative sessions. I would also work on fixing the 2021 Act on Climate. More specifically, I would explore provisions that help shield residents of Warwick from the dramatic increases in the cost of energy and threats posed to our environment from misguided state and federal energy policy. I would also work to disband the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4) which is a body of unelected bureaucrats granted extraordinary powers under the executive branch with no legislative oversight. The 2021 Act on Climate grants the EC4 authority to issue arbitrary mandates and enforce them via action in superior court all in the name of climate change.

4. Yes. I am also in favor of term limits on members of the United States Congress.

5. No. We have a political elite class that serves special interest groups and other insiders with little regard for the will of the people. While knocking on doors in the district, I’ve met many folks who are fed up and ready for change. Democrats, independents, and republicans alike and I hope enough folks vote for change in November.

6. I believe the core issue is the size of our government and the bureaucracy that impedes efficient development and progress. We currently have 26 housing authorities when we should have one.

7 No. The goals of the 2021 Act on Climate defy the laws of chemistry and physics and ignore inconvenient truths about climate change and “green” energy. For example, almost the entire solar panel supply chain is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and many of the components are produced via Uyghur slave labor in Xinjiang, China. Over 97% of polysilicon ingot and wafer is produced in China where coal power plants supply the energy required by the process. In Rhode Island, 50% of approved solar projects required deforestation. Wind turbines are killing millions of birds each year and that number will increase as wind projects proliferate. Perhaps most alarming are estimates of golden eagle populations being reduced by 50% by 2040. Is this what modern environmentalism looks like? I haven’t even touched on the environmental and human costs of cobalt and lithium mining but clearly this is an issue I am passionate about. Sadly, there is a trend this campaign season where Democratic incumbents, like Speaker Shekarchi, list the 2021 Act on Climate on their campaign materials and gaslight constituents on the relationship with increased energy costs.

District 24

Evan Shanley Democrat

It has been a privilege to serve as state representative for District 24 during the past five and a half years! Guided by values I learned growing up in the same neighborhood where Meredith and I now raise our two children (Maxwell & Lucy); I’ve worked hard every day, helping our neighbors and our community; building a better life for the next generation. I’m asking my neighbors in Warwick & East Greenwich to send me back to our State House, so that I can keep delivering real results on behalf of every family in District 24.

1. We should continue improving our roads and bridges using ARPA funds and other sources. The Court of Appeals will decide if Judge Smith is correct. With the State appealing the decision, we should actively negotiate with the Truckers association and hopefully attain a compromise which funds the RhodeWorks program. Under no circumstances will I support extending the tolls to cars.

2. My late-father served as a Warwick police officer for 26 years. There were certainly times we worried about his safety. I know the harm a gun can do in the hands of a dangerous or unstable individual. I support Rhode Island’s gun safety and Red Flag laws and the limit on high capacity magazines and access to AR military style weapons. Law enforcement does a good job of keeping law-abiding Rhode Islanders safe in their neighborhood and on our streets. There is more action we can take regarding background checks, stopping ghost guns and enforcement of our current laws.

3. At our State House, I’ve consistently delivered for Warwick residents on tax reform, state funding, term limits, school construction, and education standards. In the next term, I’ll be introducing legislation to improve the quality of life for residents in Chepiwanoxet and Potowomut, by addressing early morning hunting in those areas. I’d like to continue to hear from voters- my email is evan@Shanleyforri.com and my cell number is 401.440.3493.

4. Yes. I sponsored and passed the legislation that placed the Warwick term limits referendum on this year’s ballot.

5. Clearly we have pressing challenges in RI; The cost of everyday items such as gasoline, groceries, and childcare are on the rise. Home prices have risen at a greater rate than an average family’s annual income; putting the dream of homeownership out of reach for too many first-time buyers. Yet, I believe we are well poised to keep RI moving forward when we address these challenges by cutting through partisan bickering, building common sense, and delivering for our neighbors.

6. In this last legislative session I helped to pass legislation to do just this. We increased density, allowed for the creation of accessory dwelling units, and allowed for the repurposing of municipal surplus buildings. In the next term we need to focus on working with municipal leaders to help our local communities meet their affordable housing goals in a way which reflects the best of their unique municipality.

7. The Act on Climate does not call for 100% use of renewable energy by 2033. The legislation calls for being carbon neutral by 2050. Yes, the Act sets an ambitious goal; but it also provides flexibility so that the legislature can regularly assess our progress and adjust accordingly.

District 24

Jonathan H, Martin, MD Independent

I am a local physician who lives in Warwick. I am also a local business owner, and a father. I am a product of the public schools in Rhode Island, and a University of Rhode Island graduate. I studied medicine at Penn State, and completed my residency training in Providence. I am an independent moderate, who values free speech, thought, and discourse. I am a financial pragmatist, and a hysteria-denier, a constitutionalist, and a truth-seeker.

I am running for D24 Rep to bring things back to the middle. I am running to provide a voice to our neighborhoods, and remove politics from our representation.

1. The gantries should come down.

Trucks travelling through Rhode Island should pay the standard Temporary Trip permit fees (IRP permits), which requires minimal overhead for revenue generation.

The revenue from the IRP permits should be adequate to cover the estimated burden on RI roads by the trucks. If it is deemed inadequate, an increase to the IRP rate, with state police random enforcement, will be necessary.

2. Our gun laws do not go far enough to prevent crime, but they go far beyond the pale when pertaining to law-abiding gun owners.

Where is the mandatory maximum sentence for crimes committed with guns?

Where is the zero-tolerance for illegal guns on the streets of our cities?

Where is the student education to respect firearms?

Where is the police presence in the neighborhoods that are most at risk of gun violence?

Instead of these types of gun control laws, we are handed pistol-magazine rules – which does nothing but turn law-abiding citizens into felons, and serves to disarm those that own guns for personal protection and have no interest in committing crimes.

3. School Choice – The annual per-student expenditure ($17,000 per pupil) should be provided to parents as a “waiver”. That waiver can be used at any educational institution in the state, public or private.

Term Limits – All Rhode Island elected officials should be subject to term limts, 4 terms or 12 years, whichever is shorter.

No lobbyists – Rhode Island legislators should be prohibited from taking any donations from lobbyists, corporations, or interest groups.

No Insider Trading – Legislators would be prohibited from making any portfolio income that has a potential conflict with legislation they have the opportunity to vote on.

Freezing Property Tax – Those on fixed incomes, and those on social security, should have their property taxes frozen.

4. Politics should NEVER be a lifelong career. I support term limits of 4 terms, or 12 years, whichever is shorter, for all elected positions.

5. We have decimated small business by maintaining the State of Emergency and discouraging work, we have traumatized our children with backwards public health policy, and we have self-inflicted massive energy inflation with impossible-to-achieve green energy standards. We are heading off a cliff, and need to make a U-turn, fast.

6. We should be encouraging home-ownership, through low down-payment, low-interest loans, that offer money toward revitalization. It seems most “affordable housing” projects I see are in affluent areas, built by wealthy developers, who then make a profit from government money while selling substandard housing units which will struggle to maintain average market value in the future.

Instead, we should be revitalizing distressed neighborhoods into affluent ones. The cost to subsidize a new home-owner is less than that of subsidizing a developer to build new units that do not hold their value.

7. It is an insultingly unrealistic goal. People are hurting with the 47% rise in their electricity cost this year. That pales in comparison to the estimate 700% increase in overall energy costs that the ‘Act on Climate’ brings. Rhode Islanders spends over $10,000 on energy costs annually. This act, by 2033, will cost Rhode Islander’s over $70,000 annually. This act ALONE will break the middle class, it will put people into bankruptcy, it will put people onto government welfare programs, and it will put people on the street. The hysteria surrounding climate and energy is one of the most egregious fleecings of the public in our history. The forcible adoption of any “particular” energy source is antithetical to a free and liberated society to begin with, but the cost associated with adopting these standards now is enormous and only serves to break the middle class and force many of us, perhaps most of us, onto government welfare.