Woonsocket Radio News Room

Rhode Island House Republicans Unveil

FY 2026 Budget and Policy Priorities Report

 

State House, Providence - Rhode Island House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale and the members of the House Minority Caucus present a detailed fiscal and policy map for the General Assembly --and the public-- to consider: The Rhode Island House Republican FY 2026 Budget and Policies Report.  House Republicans offer budget principles for a sustainable Rhode Island, which provides a stark contrast and an alternative approach to the majority's past enacted budgets.

 

Rhode Island House Republicans seek to right-size Rhode Island's budget, which is disproportionate to the state's size, economy and population.  It is unsustainable and burdensome for  taxpayers.  Republicans seek to make the government more accountable, transparent and efficient through the budgetary process.  This budget approach seeks to identify and save wasted/ineffectively spent taxpayer dollars and reinvest those savings into (a few examples):

 

* Creating an Office of Inspector General

* Advancing educational attainment and success for all, no matter the student's zip code

* Investing in the modernization of state infrastructure

* Improving state customer service

* Empowering the private market to meet housing demands, improve the quality of healthcare, and provide high paying jobs for individuals and families.

 

The Republican Budget also seeks to alleviate the burden of state unfunded mandates on local governments and taxpayers.

 

"The ‘approach’ to a creating a budget, is just as important as what is put in the budget. In the past, Republicans would offer 'good government' legislation and budget amendments to improve government efficiency, better leverage federal tax dollars, and fight inflation," said Chippendale. "By outlining our legislative and fiscal priorities in a single comprehensive approach, we hope to showcase a thoughtful, viable alternative to the budgeting approach used by the Governor and our colleagues across the aisle."

 

No suspects are in custody following a shooting outside a DMV branch in the Louisville, Kentucky area that left three people dead. Police say the shooting happened today around noon local time in the Valley Station neighborhood, about 13 miles south of Louisville. The shooter was seen fleeing the scene, according to police.        A sour end to the week for Wall Street as stocks are tanking for the second day in a row. Weak consumer sentiment data and a decline in UnitedHealth stock could be part of the reason. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has been down over 800 points at times, while the Nasdaq has been down close to 300 points during the day.        Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley is out of a job. Mayor Karen Bass fired the embattled chief today saying she was acting in the best interests of LA's public safety. The move comes after weeks of tensions following the deadly Los Angeles wildfires last month.        Luigi Mangione has made his appearance in state court in New York today. Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk late last year, has pleaded not guilty to murder. Supporters have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to his defense.        A man is being found guilty of attempted murder in the New York stabbing of author Salman Rushdie. In 2022, the award-winning novelist was about to speak in front of an audience when Hadi Matar rushed at him and stabbed him more than a dozen times. The New Jersey man faces up to 25 years in prison.        If your lifelong dreams are to grow a beard and to play for the New York Yankees, you no longer have to give up one for the other. The Yankees are moving away from a five-decade policy banning facial hair apart from a mustache. Players are now allowed to have "well-groomed beards."       

Old News Archives