By Dan McGowan, WPRI.com Reporter
Published: October 31, 2016, 11:44 am Updated: October 31, 2016, 12:17 pm
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – Calling it Providence’s largest operating surplus in at least 20 years, Mayor Jorge Elorza announced Monday Rhode Island’s capital city ended the 2015-16 fiscal year $9.5 million in the black...
[However] Providence is still facing a $3.9-million cumulative shortfall...
Unlike an operating deficit, which only accounts for a shortfall that occurs within any one fiscal year, a cumulative deficit includes all deficits incurred in previous years. In Providence’s case, that means shortfalls during the 2011, 2012 and 2015 fiscal years...
Elorza has warned the city still faces massive out-year deficits, thanks in part to growing pension and healthcare obligations to retirees. As it stands now, Providence’s unfunded pension liability is hovering around $900 million and its other post-employment benefits (OPEB) liability is projected to be $1 billion...
Full Story
You are here
Monday, October 31, 2016
Friday, October 28, 2016
WPRI: HealthSource RI refused to sell 2 low-cost insurance plans
By Ted Nesi and Susan Campbell
Published: October 26, 2016, 4:53 pm Updated: October 26, 2016, 6:10 pm
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – Health insurance premiums on Rhode Island’s Obamacare marketplace will dip slightly next year, but they’d be going down even more if state regulators hadn’t rejected two low-cost options Neighborhood Health Plan wanted to offer...
But HealthSource officials said their decision was driven by the federal formula for premium subsidies, which are provided to about 90% of the Rhode Islanders who buy insurance through the marketplace.
The amount of those premium subsidies – which are technically tax credits – is tied to average costs across all plans in a state’s marketplace. Adding the two low-cost Neighborhood plans “would have the effect of making all of the plans that we offer less affordable,” Sherman said, because it would have pulled down the amount of tax credits provided by the federal government to subsidize every plan.
Full Story
Published: October 26, 2016, 4:53 pm Updated: October 26, 2016, 6:10 pm
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – Health insurance premiums on Rhode Island’s Obamacare marketplace will dip slightly next year, but they’d be going down even more if state regulators hadn’t rejected two low-cost options Neighborhood Health Plan wanted to offer...
But HealthSource officials said their decision was driven by the federal formula for premium subsidies, which are provided to about 90% of the Rhode Islanders who buy insurance through the marketplace.
The amount of those premium subsidies – which are technically tax credits – is tied to average costs across all plans in a state’s marketplace. Adding the two low-cost Neighborhood plans “would have the effect of making all of the plans that we offer less affordable,” Sherman said, because it would have pulled down the amount of tax credits provided by the federal government to subsidize every plan.
Full Story
Providence Symposium, Nov. 3-4
The Providence Preservation Society's 2016 Providence Symposium, Why Preserve?, on November 3-4, will bring together experts from across the nation as well as local stakeholders to examine why historic preservation matters to Providence and all communities. To be held at the iconic but threatened Industrial Trust Building, the Symposium will launch a year of community-based conversations around these foundational preservation questions: Why do we preserve? What do we preserve? Who decides what we preserve – that is, who are “we”? What are the costs of preservation? Who bears them?
Featured in the program will be special guests whose work has had monumental impact on countless cities, communities and historic buildings, including: Keynote Speaker Curtis G. Viebranz, President & CEO of Mount Vernon; Carl R. Nold, President & CEO of Historic New England; and Dr. Max Page, MS Design Program Director and Director of Historic Preservation Initiatives with the Department of Architecture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, as well as author of the newly-published book, Why Preservation Matters.
Join PPS to find out just what we mean when we say preservation matters! Learn more and register at www.providencesymposium.com. Thursday's keynote session is free; Friday's program is just $5 for students ($60 public/$45 for PPS members and university/non-profit affiliates).
Featured in the program will be special guests whose work has had monumental impact on countless cities, communities and historic buildings, including: Keynote Speaker Curtis G. Viebranz, President & CEO of Mount Vernon; Carl R. Nold, President & CEO of Historic New England; and Dr. Max Page, MS Design Program Director and Director of Historic Preservation Initiatives with the Department of Architecture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, as well as author of the newly-published book, Why Preservation Matters.
Join PPS to find out just what we mean when we say preservation matters! Learn more and register at www.providencesymposium.com. Thursday's keynote session is free; Friday's program is just $5 for students ($60 public/$45 for PPS members and university/non-profit affiliates).
Thursday, October 27, 2016
A fast track to ruin? Amtrak opponents fear high-speed plans
by SUSAN HAIGH AND MATT O'BRIEN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, October 26th 2016
OLD LYME, Conn. (AP) — This quaint shoreline community, proud of its role as a nursery of American Impressionist art, fears the destruction of its heritage if a federal proposal to someday run an East Coast high-speed rail line through its historic center becomes reality.
Full Story
Wednesday, October 26th 2016
OLD LYME, Conn. (AP) — This quaint shoreline community, proud of its role as a nursery of American Impressionist art, fears the destruction of its heritage if a federal proposal to someday run an East Coast high-speed rail line through its historic center becomes reality.
Full Story
Providence may seek to borrow funds for infrastructure projects without voter approval
By Dan McGowan, WPRI.com Reporter
Published: October 26, 2016, 1:10 am Updated: October 26, 2016, 10:44 am
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – With Providence’s proposed $40-million infrastructure bond all but dead, Elorza administration officials now say they are considering borrowing funds through an obscure city agency that does not require voter approval to issue a bond.
It remains unclear how much money the city would seek to borrow through a revenue bond issued by the Providence Public Buildings Authority (PBA), but the administration considers the agency a “viable alternative” to obtain funding for infrastructure projects, according to Emily Crowell, a spokesperson for Mayor Jorge Elorza.
Full Story
Published: October 26, 2016, 1:10 am Updated: October 26, 2016, 10:44 am
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – With Providence’s proposed $40-million infrastructure bond all but dead, Elorza administration officials now say they are considering borrowing funds through an obscure city agency that does not require voter approval to issue a bond.
It remains unclear how much money the city would seek to borrow through a revenue bond issued by the Providence Public Buildings Authority (PBA), but the administration considers the agency a “viable alternative” to obtain funding for infrastructure projects, according to Emily Crowell, a spokesperson for Mayor Jorge Elorza.
Full Story
Voter Information Handbook
By now everyone should have recieved their Voter Information Handbook: A Guide to State Referenda and Voting Procedures in Rhode Island from the RI Secretary of State.
The Handbook which is available in English and Spanish has a lot of useful information about each of the Referenda:
The Handbook which is available in English and Spanish has a lot of useful information about each of the Referenda:
- Explanation and purpose
- How much money will be borrowed?
- Project time table
- Useful life
- Total cost
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
RIDE schedules 5 community forums on Every Student Succeeds Act
From: Commissioner's Memo to Friends of Education
October 26, 2016
As we prepare to transition to the new federal law - the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) - RIDE will hold community forums next month to collect public feedback and input about how we can fulfill our vision for every student. Students, parents, teachers, community members, and community leaders across the state: You are invited to share experiences to help inform the ESSA implementation plan for Rhode Island.
We will hold five forums at locations across Rhode Island:
All forums will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
These forums will be open to everyone. All are welcome, but to reserve a spot at any of the forums you can use this link:
www.ride.ri.gov/ESSA-Forum
Come lend your voice to advance Rhode Island schools!
Printable and shareable flyers about these forums can be found at www.ride.ri.gov/ESSA. For more information about these community forums, please contact Felicia.Brown@ride.ri.gov or 222-8182.
October 26, 2016
As we prepare to transition to the new federal law - the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) - RIDE will hold community forums next month to collect public feedback and input about how we can fulfill our vision for every student. Students, parents, teachers, community members, and community leaders across the state: You are invited to share experiences to help inform the ESSA implementation plan for Rhode Island.
We will hold five forums at locations across Rhode Island:
- Providence Area: Wednesday, November 2, at Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex, 182 Thurbers Ave., Providence (Spanish language interpretation services are available.)
- Northern Rhode Island: Wednesday, November 9, at Lincoln Middle School, 152 Jenckes Hill Rd.
- West Bay: Monday, November 14, at Coventry High School, 40 Reservoir Rd.
- East Bay: Thursday, November 17, at Portsmouth High School, 120 Education Lane
- Southern Rhode Island: Monday, November 21 at South Kingstown High School, 215 Columbia St., Wakefield
All forums will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
These forums will be open to everyone. All are welcome, but to reserve a spot at any of the forums you can use this link:
www.ride.ri.gov/ESSA-Forum
Come lend your voice to advance Rhode Island schools!
Printable and shareable flyers about these forums can be found at www.ride.ri.gov/ESSA. For more information about these community forums, please contact Felicia.Brown@ride.ri.gov or 222-8182.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)