“It’s time to finish the job”

This was issued as a joint news release from Rep. Teresa Tanzi and me

Working in close collaboration with the RI Department of Environmental Management, Rep. Teresa Tanzi has sponsored, and Rep. Donna Walsh has co-sponsored, new legislation, H-5732, to completely eliminate the use of old-fashioned cesspools in Rhode Island.

By the end of 2013, all households located near coastal waters and public drinking water supplies must replace cesspools either with state approached on-site wastewater treatment systems or hook-ups to sewer systems. But that still leaves thousands of cesspools still in use across the state and an on-going threat to the environment and public health.

“It’s time to finish the job,” said Reps. Walsh and Tanzi in a joint statement. “The 2007 cesspool act has brought us to the point where we have sharply reduced pollution going into our drinking water and sensitive coastal areas, but more must be done. We now know beyond a doubt that old-fashioned cesspools will pollute the environment and that pollution will spread beyond the property line of the owner to affect the community.”

Moving forward on wastewater solutions

South County Wastewater Task Force reviews effects of regulatory reform

One year ago, representatives of South County town governments, DEM, CRMC and the RI Builders Association resolved a long-standing impasse and worked out a plan for new regulations to boost home improvement projects, open the door to new wastewater treatment technologies and promote efforts to restore and protect coastal ponds. DEM’s new regulations took effect in July, 2012.

The same taskforce that created this new regulatory approach met on April 8 to review its effects and set out a course of action for the future. We needed to see what worked before we can decide what we need to do next.

Charlestown’s New Year’s Eve Celebration Preserved

[Charlestown] I am pleased to announce that the RI Department of Environmental Management has rescinded their order banning Charlestown’s annual New Year’s Eve bonfire at Ninigret Park. 

RIDEM had served the town with a Notice of Intent to Enforce, essentially telling Charlestown that any future bonfire would be subject to severe sanctions as if it was an illegal garbage fire.

This popular event, attended by hundreds of area residents, is presented each year under the careful supervision of the Charlestown Fire District. 

Used, but clean, wooden pallets donated by Arnold Lumber are assembled in the Park by volunteers led by Frank Glista and set alit after sunset. The evening’s activities are coordinated by Charlestown Parks and Recreation.

DEM told me that they had received an anonymous complaint after this year’s fire and decided to take this enforcement action.

I told DEM about the care the town takes to ensure safety and that bonfires are used in several communities to celebrate special occasions such as New Year’s Eve. For example, in Westerly, there is an annual Guy Fawkes Day bonfire.

DEM sent a letter to the town on April 1 stating that “The type of activity that the town undertook is exempt under DEM’s air pollution regulations….As such, this office is rescinding the Notice of Intent to Enforce.”

I am pleased that DEM agrees that Charlestown’s annual bonfire is not a case of illegal waste disposal and that common sense has finally prevailed.

New legislation to boost jobs in Rhode Island arts industry

Legislation would also benefit the state’s tourism industry

A columnist recently wrote that Rhode Island could become a contender for the title “State of the Arts.” According to a conservative estimate by Americans for the Arts, there are 3,248 arts-related businesses in Rhode Island registered with Dun & Bradstreet. These businesses employ 13,445 workers. This total does not include non-profit arts groups not registered with D&B or their employees, or individual artists.

I want to boost Rhode Island’s growing arts community AND boost Rhode Island’s economy, in particular tourism, by extending Rhode Island’s existing tax-free art zones to include the entire state. For one of a kind, original works of art, my proposed legislation, H-5844, would eliminate the 7% sales tax.

Foregoing this revenue is an investment in creating more jobs in galleries and non-profits, more opportunities for artists to devote more time to their work, and increased opportunities to expand our vitally important tourism industry.

Rhode Island also plays host to one of America’s finest arts schools, the RI School of Design, and we should encourage all those RISD graduates to stay, work and create in Rhode Island.

I was inspired to introduce this legislation after several discussions with one of my constituents, David “Gilley” Gilstein, who runs the Charlestown Art Gallery near the junction of Routes One and Two. Gilley told me that he hears frequent comments from buyers that the 7% sales tax is a disincentive to buying more works of art – both original as well as commercially made. He noted that Rhode Island allows some small and sharply defined areas to benefit from the tax break, but that the arts are becoming far more widespread throughout the state.

Encouraging more and more artists and galleries has become part of the come-back strategy for communities such as Pawtucket and Central Falls. Artists and arts-related businesses are expanding throughout southern Rhode Island.

We need a tax change that will encourage this trend to bring more tourists and art buyers to Rhode Island. My legislation builds on the experimental arts districts already in existence to provide the same benefit to artists and those who display and sell their work statewide.

Magistrate bill featured in GoLocalProv

Dan Lawlor, one of the main writers for the popular blog Go Local Prov. com, wrote a complimentary article on my proposed legislation, H-5022, which would require magistrates to appointed based on merit, not political connections.

I have been trying to get this common sense legislation passed for more than ten years.

Lawlor poses and then answers one common question about the bill:

"What is a magistrate? The short, imperfect answer is an almost judge appointed with approval of the State Senate to serve in the State Courts. The coy answer is an alumni of the General Assembly."

I have viewed this legislation is a necessary step to ensure public confidence in all our judicial appointments.