By EMMA BARTLETT

It’s evident that Representative Deborah Ruggiero (District 74: Middletown and Jamestown) has a passion for government, but her love for broadcasting and radio may not be as well known. This passion came across when she told the Herald about her first job working at a radio station and immediately went into her radio announcer voice saying “Soft drop 103 WEEI FM.” Through her broad range of experience in broadcasting, owning a business and working as a state representative, Ruggiero has now thrown her hat in the ring for the position of lieutenant governor.

Ruggiero is a native Rhode Islander and – like many Rhode Islanders – lists the state’s beaches, sunrises and sunsets as some of her favorite parts about the state. Born on Branch Avenue in Providence to an Italian family, Ruggiero’s family moved to Lincoln when she was five years old. She attended Lincoln public schools and was class president for four years at Lincoln High School. Ruggiero was the first in her family to attend college and graduated Boston College with a degree in English and communications.

“That’s when I really fell in love with broadcasting,” said Ruggiero .

During her senior year at BC, Ruggiero interned at CBS radio and was hired afterward. Eventually, she went on to TV sales and management. In 2004, Ruggiero started a radio show called Amazing Women RI featuring women who make a difference in the state.

“People said to me, ‘gosh you’re doing so much policy work you should think of running for office.’ And I said, ‘me? I’m a broadcaster and a business woman, I’m not running for office – but I did. In 2008 I ran against a 28 year Republican incumbent and I won,” said Ruggiero.

Ruggiero’s career as a state legislator over the past 14 years has been framed by her “four E’s” including the economy, environment, education and elders.

She said the office of lieutenant governor has untapped potential and is responsible for three aspects: long term care coordinating council, small business and emergency management.

“With the right leadership, it should really be a bridge between the legislature and the governor’s office,” Ruggiero said.

Ruggiero is the chairwoman of the House Committee on Innovation, Internet and Technology, the chairperson of a legislative commission studying the possible reorganization of the Coastal Resources Management Council and has chaired the House Committee on Small Business.

After writing policy over her years as a State Representative and spending eight years on House Finance where she knows how to frame the state budget, Ruggiero said a lot of the skills from her policy work code well with the LG office.

Elder Care

Elder care is one of Ruggiero’s main focuses.

“We have an age wave in Rhode Island,” Ruggiero said. “One out of four Rhode Islanders will be 65 plus in the next several years.”

She said everyone she’s talked to wants to age in place and there needs to be an aging policy and infrastructure developed. There is also the need to look at Medicaid billing and funding for senior centers.

“Especially with Covid, the senior centers were the direct reports that helped our older citizens,” Ruggiero said.

Every Monday morning during Covid, Ruggiero drove to Meals on Wheels in Providence, loaded her Jeep with meals and delivered them to the Jamestown senior centers which would distribute the food to seniors who couldn’t leave their homes.

“We have to take our seniors out of the shadows and give them a voice, and this office is an office that should be doing more of that,” Ruggiero said.

Additionally, Ruggiero said there will be a deluge of baby boomers retiring who are still active and there should be resources available to meet their needs as well. She’d like to see RI be higher than 42nd when it comes to aging in place in the state.

As for the of past lieutenant governors she admired or would like to continue the work of, Ruggiero noted the work of former LG Richard Licht, mentioning it was his administration that created the idea that the office should work on aging policy and create a long term care coordinating council.

Economy

Ten years ago, Ruggiero started her own advertising and marketing company: DR Communications group. As a small, women-owned business, she understands how small business works.

“I always say Rhode Island’s biggest business is small business,” Ruggiero said, mentioning that the state has over 60,000 small businesses – with 30 percent being women-owned.

In today’s economy, businesses are trying to attract and retain good workers.

To assist small businesses as they continue to recover from the pandemic, Ruggiero noted listening to business’s needs, looking at how business has changed and supporting companies.

Ruggiero also worked on an initiative with the Secretary of State, DEM and Rhode Island Manufacturers for a sustainable program mentioning that young people care deeply about the act on climate, environment and want to work with a company that cares about sustainability and environmental issues.

Education

Ruggiero co-sponsored the state’s school construction bill which brings schools into the 21st century – keeping them safe, warm and dry.

“It’s important that you update schools and keep them part of the 21st century economy,” Ruggiero said.

She said students need to have a comfortable environment. By serving on house finance, Ruggiero said she is big on the school funding formula and making sure there is English as a second language.

“Not every student should go to college,” Ruggiero said. “We need contractors, plumbers, electricians.”

Environment

Ruggiero said she has written many of the state’s renewable energy laws and framed the small business renewable energy task force in 2010 which had a number of renewable energy bills come out of the task force. She said back then, the state did not have one renewable energy project.

“We went from being a lager in 2010 to being a leader by 2016,” Ruggiero said, mentioning solar and going from three renewable energy companies in the state to over 52 today.

Ruggiero said writing policy is how you make a difference in people’s lives.

“I intend to be a lieutenant governor who writes legislation,” Ruggiero said.

According to her website, Ruggiero has also helped enact several comprehensive renewable energy laws to help reduce dependency on fossil fuels and has been a leader in sponsoring numerous renewable energy laws, including several encouraging distributed generation that promote good economic and environmental policy.

Full steam ahead

Ruggiero believes she will be an asset to whoever the people elect as governor.

As for what she has learned and the skills she can bring to the table, Ruggiero named listening.

“I think listening is a really important skill because everyone has their own opinion and way of doing things, and we may not be 100 percent on the same page but we’ll find common ground and it begins with listening and being willing to be flexible,” Ruggiero said.

If elected for LG and in the situation where she would have to take over the position of governor, Ruggiero said she’d be ready.

“I believe in the power of possibility and this is an office that really hasn’t done a lot of work and should and could for the people,” Ruggiero said. “So I intend to put it to work.”