Common Ground August 2013

AUGUST 2013

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Legislative session brings mix of good and bad for labor

By Common Ground staff

The state legislative session that ended last month brought some key victories for the labor movement—including a new law permitting child-care workers to unionize and a budget that reinstated a pension payment—but it also ended in some notable disappointments.

“It was OK. I’ll put it that way,” said Michael Sabitoni, president of the Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council.

Key wins on pensions, wages Sabitoni, who represents public and private-sector workers, praised the General Assembly rank-and-file members for voting to make a nearly $13 million scheduled payment into the pension system. The payment was supposed to come from last year’s surplus, but the House leadership instead had proposed

using the money to help plug holes elsewhere in the budget.

That decision was reversed in a rare vote against leadership by a coalition of labor, progressives, dissenters, and GOP members, said Jim Parisi, a lobbyist for the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, who described the vote as the most important one for the teachers union.

Another major labor victory was passage of a bill that will allow more than 600 child-care workers in home settings to unionize. The Rhode Island AFLCIO praised the move. “These child care providers will now have a voice in their working conditions,” the labor organization said in a statement recapping the legislative session.

Lawmakers also approved hiking the minimum wage from $7.75 an hour

to $8, which is above the federal minimum of $7.25, which has been in place since 2009, according to the AFL-CIO. But state lawmakers snubbed labor on a controversial debt payment for 38 Studios. Labor leaders had decried the fact that state officials were pressing lawmakers to vote for payments on moral obligation debt after reneging on what they described as a “moral obligation” to keep their promises on retiree pensions. The budget nonetheless included a $2.5 million payment on the 38 Studios debt. In future years, the amount is expected to increase.

Mixed outcome for building trades For the building trades, the legislative session had a similar mix of the good and bad.

Sabitoni praised state lawmakers for

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providing funding for infrastructure work in cities and towns. The budget establishes a $7 million Municipal Roads and Bridges Revolving Loan Fund, which had the backing of House Speaker Gordon Fox and General Treasurer Gina Raimondo. The fund is meant to help communities borrow money for road work at a lower cost, according to an official Statehouse summary of the budget.

The assembly also passed a resolution endorsing the redevelopment of the Dynamo House in downtown Providence—a key project for the construction industry, which continues to battle a higher-than-average unemployment rate.

Lawmakers also revived the historic tax credit program, adding a requirement that projects at $10 million and See Labor cont. on page 4

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AUGUST 2013

Bill Holmes retires from Carpenters 94

By Common Ground staff TM

When Bill Holmes retired from the Rhode Island Carpenters Union Local 94 last month, it wasn’t only 25 years of service that came to a conclusion.

It also marked the end to half a century of leadership of the local by the Holmes family. Prior to his tenure as business manager, Bill Holmes’ father, Herbert, held the same position at the local for 28 years.

“It’s been an honor to come after him and continue what he started way back when,” Holmes said in an interview with Common Ground.

Holmes said he believes his legacy will be the improvement in wages and standard of living for his members. When he joined the local in the 1970s, a journeyman earned $9 an hour and apprentices $5.40 an hour. Now, as he’s leaving, journeymen pull between $31 and $32 in hourly wages—not counting benefits. And, apprentice wages have risen as well, amounting to 50 percent to 90 percent of what journeymen earn, depending on the year of the apprentice.

Those increases have been achieved through the collective bargaining agreements Carpenters 94 has negotiated with local contractor associations. Over the years, he’s negotiated 15 to 18 major contracts, in addition to about half a dozen smaller bargaining agreements, Holmes said.

“So I think I’ve had quite a lot to do with advancing the collective bargaining and benefits,” Holmes said.

A changing industry Over the years, Holmes has seen other changes too. The electronic age, he said, has changed how the union office is run, but it’s also changed things in the field: where building blueprints were once viewed in hard copy form, now

they’re accessed on a computer or a tablet, Holmes said.

It’s not just computers though.

New technologies have also had an impact on the construction process itself. For example, he today it takes about half as many workers to pour concrete as it once did—and the process takes less time too.

Holmes joined Carpenters 94 in 1975 and rose through the ranks to become the business manager in 1993. Prior to then he had served as business representative, starting in 1989. For about four years, Holmes worked side-by-side with his father in the union leadership.

Asked if he had been tempted to match his father’s 28 years at the helm, Holmes responded, “A lot of things have changed in the construction field. I just felt … the time was right to move on.”

In leaving, Holmes vacated not one, but several positions: business manager, financial secretary, and the trustee positions he had held for the health, pension, annuity, and apprenticeship programs for the local. But he will continue to serve on the statewide apprenticeship council, which is a gubernatorial appointment.

In the meantime, there is still one member of the Holmes family left in the union: his son Michael, who has finished the apprenticeship program.

Holmes: Unions the way to go Holmes said he will continue to live in Rhode Island, but will spend parts of the year out West in either Arizona or California.

Holmes said he’ll miss the people he’s worked with—but not the “day-to-day grind.”

“I’m looking forward to the next stage of my life,” Holmes said.

Despite his retirement, Holmes promises to remain an enthusiastic booster for unionism—something that’s he says is “in my blood.” “I think unions are the way to go,” Holmes said. “The unions have provided the middle class with a lot of positive benefits and advantages.”

The attacks on unions in recent years, he warns, are largely “unwarranted” and could be “detrimental to the economy.”

So far, no replacement for Holmes has been chosen. Carpenters 94 does not hold elections. Instead, business managers are appointed by the regional district, which has yet to do so. In the interim, David Palmisciano, who works as the Rhode Island business manager, will hold the reins of the local.

Palmisciano praised Holmes for his service, whom he said had put his “heart and soul” into his work.

“We’re a lot better off by his hard work,” Palmisciano said. “We’ll miss him.”

Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

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Labor candidate Marty Walsh a serious contender for Boston mayor

By Common Ground staff

This year’s race for Boston mayor has produced a candidate with a strong union background: state Rep. Martin Walsh, who announced in April that he was resigning his position as the business manager of the Boston Building Trades to run for the office in this November’s election.

“I love this city—its people, its institutions, its traditions and its innovations—and want to do all I can to see it continue to thrive,” Walsh said in an announcement of his candidacy. “Boston is a diverse and welcoming center of creativity, where people are valued and possibilities are realized. The future of Boston depends on the education of our children, the strengthening of our working families, the protection of our vulnerable, and the growth of our businesses.”

So far, Walsh has proven himself a serious contender for the office. He began the race with $200,000 in his campaign coffers, with another $400,000 in commitments to his office. Since his formal kick-off, on May 4,

his campaign has knocked on 130,000 doors to raise support. A recent Suffolk University-Boston Herald poll showed Walsh at a close second in the race, at 11 percent—one point behind City Councilor-at-large John Connolly.

The race has drawn about ten other candidates. The field will be winnowed down in a preliminary election in September, with finalists facing off in November.

Long-time Mayor Thomas Menino has decided to not seek re-election.

Campaign draws deep union support Walsh’s candidacy has already garnered support from what his campaign describes as a “broad crosssection of workers in different industries.” On July 17, the campaign announced endorsements from ten

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See Walsh cont. on page 7

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Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

Labor cont. from cover over use a state-registered apprenticeship program, according to Sabitoni.

But then lawmakers decided against mandating the apprentice program for all public contracts worth $1 million or more, which came as an “extreme disappointment” to the building trades, Sabitoni said.

The biggest disappointment, however, may have been the failure of the General Assembly to pass legislation on the misclassification of workers, a key item on the agenda for the building trades for several years.

The measure, House Bill 5388, would have prevented employers from classifying workers as independent contractors when, in fact, they are really full-time employees. Had it become law, it would have created a “presumption” that a worker was a full-time employee unless “certain specific conditions” were met. (The lead sponsor was Stephen Ucci, D-Johnston.)

The bill actually passed the Senate, but it never made it out of the House Labor Committee.

“It died in the House but commitments have been made by House leadership to deal with this issue once and for all next session,” Sabitoni said.

Teachers describe the session as ‘positive’ In addition to the pension win, there was plenty for the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals to celebrate in the budget, according to Parisi. He pointed to the addition of $2 million in funding for services to the developmentally disabled and $6 million more for higher education, which is expected to be used to avoid tuition increases at the state’s public colleges.

The teachers union also is pleased that the General Assembly decided to keep teacher evaluations private, Parisi said.

In another move that addressed teacher concerns, the General Assembly created the Rhode Island Teachers Advisory Council, or RITAC, which will act as a bridge between the state education board and rankand-file educators across the state, making sure their concerns about the implementation and impact of new regulations and policies is heard by state policymakers, according to the bill text.

The General Assembly also passed a resolution expressing concern about using standardized tests as a graduation requirement, asking the board of education to revisit the issue.

The big downside to the session? “We were very disappointed that they simply again failed to address labor-relations issues,” Parisi said, referring specifically to legislative efforts to mandate binding arbitration for contract negotiations that have stalled. “That was our big disappointment.”

Binding arbitration is already in place for firefighter and police unions in Rhode Island, but taxpayer groups have lobbied hard against instituting it for teachers, saying that it would result in increased costs to local school districts. But progressive advocates have challenged such claims, pointing to the examples of other states that have it, such as Connecticut.

Despite that disappointment, Parisi said the session overall was a “positive” one for teachers.

AFL-CIO breaks down losses and wins for labor Otherwise, the session and final budget produced a number of other losses and wins for labor, including the following, according to a breakdown released by the Rhode Island AFL-CIO: Budget Wins • Education funding: The new education funding formula is funded.

• Job training: The budget has $1.2 million in funding for job training programs run by the Governor’s Workforce Board.

• Lead poisoning: $600,000 was allocated for a state program for “childhood lead poisoning.”

• Housing for the homeless: The budget makes a first-time appropriation of $750,000 which will be used to fund rental vouchers for homeless Rhode Islanders.

• Labor Board appointments: Lawmakers filled two vacant seats on the State Labor Relations Board. The nominees approved by the Senate were: Marcia Reback, former president of the RIFTHP, and Scott Duhamel, the secretary-trea-

surer for the building and construction trades.

Budget Losses • Tax rates: An attempt to raise income tax rates on the wealthiest earners—part of a campaign for “tax equity”—ultimately went nowhere in the General Assembly.

• COLAs for nursing homes: Governor Chafee’s budget reduced COLAs for nursing homes by $3 million. Lawmakers let this cut stand, causing an overall budget “shortfall” of more than $6 million when federal matching funds are taken into account, according to the AFL-CIO. • Public transit: The AFL-CIO also faulted lawmakers for “[n]o increased funding or action taken on developing a sustainable funding mechanism for the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority.”

Other Legislative Wins • ‘Ban the Box’: Employers can no longer ask about applicants’ criminal history on job applications, due to legislation that passed.

• TDI insurance: Workers are now eligible for Temporary Disability Insurance while caring for a sick relative.

Other Legislative Losses: • Biweekly pay: A bill that permits businesses to pay employees every other week passed.

• Payday lending: The AFL-CIO has faulted lawmakers for inaction on “reforming payday lending rules and regulations.”

• Privatization: “No action was taken on legislation, similar to legislation that is already in place at the state level, to limit the privatization of municipal services,” the AFL-CIO said.

Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

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New CrossFit gym opens in Smithfield

By Common Ground staff

A new gym that builds on one of the hottest new exercise trends, CrossFit, has opened in Smithfield.

Formally named Northern Rhode Island Strength and Conditioning, the gym goes by the shorter name of No Risk CrossFit—a name that calls attention to the safety of a program that is known for being intense and demanding. “We try to eliminate a lot of the ‘risk’ that people have,” said gym owner Judah Boulet. “Anytime people work out there’s risk of getting injured. We try to do everything we can to minimize people’s risk.”

The gym, which opened in June, drew 60 members in its first month. No Risk CrossFit is offering union members an 18 percent discount off its normal monthly membership fee of $149. It also offers a military-andfirst-responder discounted monthly rate of $122.

No Risk CrossFit is no ordinary gym. Workouts are done in groups, not individually, and sessions emphasize all aspects of physical health and fitness instead of focusing on one aspect, such as weight loss, or building up strength. In any given workout, members will lift barbells and weights, do gymnastics, and do cardiorelated exercises, like running. Unlike many gyms, the program in Smithfield also shuns the use of machines in favor of traditional free weights.

Officially, CrossFit is defined as an exercise program

“which optimizes fitness” through “constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity.”

For example, the national recommended workout of the day for CrossFit devotees one recent Thursday included the following: 100 double-unders, running 100 meters, a 15-foot rope climb, four ascents, running 100 meters (again), 30 reps (repetitions) of a 135-pount front squat, running 100 meters (a third time), a 100-meter Farmer carry with 70-pound dumbbells, 20 reps of a 70-pound alternating dumbbell snatch, and a final 100-meter run.

“Every aspect of physical fitness it targets in some manner or the other,” Boulet said.

No wonder that CrossFit bills itself as the exercise program of choice for “many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.”

But CrossFit says it’s also for soccer moms, grandfathers, and anyone else who doesn’t consider themselves an “elite athlete.” Boulet said the exercise program is “scalable” so that it works for members of all ages and conditions.

“It’s for anybody,” Boulet said. “Everything’s scaled

to the individual.”

“We’ve used our same routines for elderly individuals with heart disease and cage fighters one month out from televised bouts. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change programs,” the official site for CrossFit explains.

Another advantage of CrossFit: it taps the “natural camaraderie, competition and fun” of sports that its advocates say lends it an unmatched intensity.

As a company, CrossFit dates back to the early 2000s. The gym in Smithfield is affiliated with the national company.

Boulet has nearly 15 years of experience as a coach and has a 20-year background in strength and conditioning. He is also the former owner of CrossFit Providence. Boulet holds a Master’s degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology. In addition to running No Risk CrossFit, Boulet is a high school science teacher and an adjunct instructor in nutrition at Merrimack College and Johnson and Wales University.

Boulet co-owns No Risk CrossFit with Meredith Peloquin, who has a background in martial arts.

Editor’s Note: No Risk CrossFit is located at 300B George Washington Highway in Smithfield. For more information, visit http://noriskcrossfit.com.

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Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

Health Care Reform: Thinking outside the box

By Robert Dumais, Principal at Allegiance Benefit Advisors Remember when gasoline cost less than $.50 a gallon, when cameras had film, and when a good health insurance plan was the core of an employee’s employer-sponsored benefit package? Yes, you read correctly on the last one; I said “when a good health insurance plan was the core of an employee’s employer-sponsored benefit package.” Some changes in life are good, some changes are bad, and others are just different!

Health care reform (HCR) is coming despite some delays and changes, and whether by design or as an overlooked consequence, many employees will be losing their employer-sponsored health plan as a result. That is probably not the news you expected to hear, but it is a likely fact nevertheless. One of the reasons for this change is that the national health care reform legislation says that companies with less than 50 employees are not required to offer coverage. So while most of these smaller companies want to do right by their employees, the rapidly rising costs of insurance and the opportunity to get out from under the health insurance albatross may be too attractive to pass up. And, when one company discontinues coverage and gains a competitive edge in the market, as their costs are then significantly lower, their competitors will have to follow suit to compete. From over 25 years in the health insurance business, I can also say that many companies, given the option to eliminate the hassles associated with managing their employees’ health coverage, would welcome an opportunity to get out of the health insurance business.

With regard to larger employers with 50 or more “full-time equivalent” employees, HCR says that they are required to offer coverage or pay a penalty referred to as the “Play or Pay Penalty,” based upon

the number of full-time employees they have. The complex formula combines the numbers of full-time, part-time, seasonal, variable, and excluded employees to determine the number of “full-time equivalent employees.” From there, a determination is made as to whether employer-sponsored coverage is required.

Then, even if coverage is required, the employer can elect the penalty instead, which is based on the number of actual full-time employees. So, in a nutshell, HCR allows even the largest companies to not offer coverage and avoid the penalty by replacing their full-time employees with part-time, seasonal, and excluded employees.

Many large companies with very shrewd consultants have already begun changing hiring patterns to reduce the number of full-time employees to avoid the health insurance expense and the penalty. For example, Walmart, a company not known for its generous labor practices, has been rumored to be leading this charge with steps in place already to convert to a non-full-time workforce.

So what happens then for all the employees working other than full-time without employer-sponsored coverage? Since the crux of HCR is that it ultimately requires everyone to have insurance or pay a penalty, their only option will be to go to the state health insurance exchange for coverage. Will that be a bad option for employees? Because many of the details are yet to be worked out, we cannot speak to exact numbers. Through the exchange, however, individuals will have a choice of carriers, a choice of plan coverage levels, and subsidies available for individuals earning up to four times the federal poverty level.

So are the exchanges a good or bad deal for these other-than-full-time employees, and for the unem-

ployed? Let’s imagine a figurative scenario, whereby an employer stops offering coverage, and takes some of the savings to buy that new equipment that will help grow the business. If the employer then sends its employees to the exchange where they get subsidized coverage, and then the employer returns some of the savings to employees in the form of a pay raise, a new retirement plan, or another newly-offered type of coverage, might that be a good thing? While we have no idea what an employer will do with the savings generated as the result of eliminating health coverage, there is a possibility that some options might be very favorable. So an employee could possibly fare well even if their employer does not sponsor health insurance!

Every employer needs an HCR strategy, and a knowledgeable partner who will discuss all the options, even the less conventional ones. Employees may need to think outside the box and look at the entire picture. Every situation is unique, but wins for both employers and employees are possible. Don’t settle for “business as usual”; contact Allegiance Benefit Advisors for a complimentary consultation.

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Common Ground Walsh cont. from page 3 Those endorsements are in addition to the previously announced backing of three other labor organizations: the New England Regional Council of Carpenters, the Greater Boston Labor Council, and the Massachusetts Nurses Association. The nurses became the first labor group to back Walsh’s candidacy, formally endorsing him in May. “I am proud to have the endorsement of these unions which represents so many hard-working men and women in our community. They know that I will continue to work diligently to create the jobs and the job-training programs that will grow our economy,” Walsh said.

Education and economy top priorities In an interview with Common Ground, Walsh said his candidacy is building on 16 years as a state lawmaker.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work on a lot of great issues,” Walsh said. “I just thought it was a wonderful opportunity to expand on what I’ve done in my political career already.”

AUGUST 2013

His two top policy priorities, Walsh said, are education reform and economic development.

As mayor, Walsh said he would focus on underperforming schools and expand vocational education programs. He also said he would seek more flexibility in teacher assignments, so that educators could be moved around the district as it opens innovation, pilot, and indistrict charter schools. Walsh also wants the flexibility to have extended school days.

As someone with a legislative and labor background, Walsh said he is uniquely position to negotiate with teacher unions on such changes. “It shouldn’t be an usvs.-them approach,” Walsh said.

Another priority is economic development. If Boston citizens want more services in schools, more police on the streets and firefighters on the force, and universal pre-kindergarten, Walsh says the city will need increased revenues. He says he would rather attract industry to the city and expand its tax base rather than raise tax rates.

Part of the job is keeping business here, Walsh said,

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noting that Google was once located in the Boston area.

While it may be too late for Google, Walsh thinks the city should try to recapture some of the insurance industry that it’s lost to other states. He said the city also should take advantage of the numerous universities and colleges in Boston, which are producing talented graduates who can’t find jobs in the area. “I want to keep that talent here in Boston,” Walsh said.

In addition to education and economic development, Walsh said he wants to focus on inner-city gang violence, which he said has become concentrated in certain neighborhoods in the city. Part of the problem can be addressed through better schools and more job opportunities, but there are other factors as well—such as a lack of family structure in some communities, Walsh said.

Walsh said he also remains committed to ensuring workers have good wages and keep their pensions. He said he is not in favor of a nationwide trend to trim union benefits and “eliminate pensions.” “I’m concerned about where we’re going in this country,” Walsh said.

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Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

Detoxification: First step on the road to recovery

Submitted by Phoenix House Ancient Chinese wisdom tells us that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. For many people seeking to reclaim their lives from substance abuse, the journey to recovery can look like an endless, arduous road stretching into an unknown and often frightening distance.

But once they’ve made that courageous choice to overcome addiction, they still face daunting challenges. In addition to frequent temptations to go back to using, the difficulties and discomfort of withdrawal can pose a real threat to resolution.

For this reason, a brief period of detoxification in a safe, supportive, and medically monitored environment can provide a firm foundation on which to take the first steps to sustained sobriety.

Phoenix Houses of New England’s Detoxification Services, located on a peaceful, secluded campus in Exeter, Rhode Island, offers an ideal setting for adults who are ready to take that important first step.

And, to support these individuals all along their path to sobriety, Phoenix House provides a broad spectrum of treatment services in Rhode Island.

“Phoenix Houses of New England, backed by the strength and experience of Phoenix House Foundation, one of the nation’s most respected substance abuse treatment organizations, provides a full continuum of services to save lives, reunite families, and strengthen our community,” said Fred A. Trapassi, Jr., Vice President and Senior Program Director. “From detoxification through residential or outpatient care to supportive recovery housing, we’re there for our clients every step of the way.”

The detoxification program provides safe withdrawal from alcohol, opiates, and other substances in a short-term residential facility. Streamlined services ensure that clients are admitted by registered nurses 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and each client is seen by a licensed physician. The program is staffed at all times with a team of licensed counselors who work closely with each client to develop an appropriate treatment plan focusing on individual medical needs, detoxification issues, and aftercare following discharge.

“Our staff takes a real interest in every person who walks through our doors,” said Kristin Kretchman, Director of De-

toxification. “In addition to providing skilled and compassionate care, they’re always ready to talk, offer encouragement, and guide clients to make the best treatment choices.”

“I felt really safe and well cared for at the Phoenix House Detox Program,” said Donna, a client who is currently finishing residential treatment. “For me it was a first step in getting well physically as well as psychologically.”

“Detox was a great experience for me,” added Nick, another client in residential treatment. “I was treated with respect by everyone; they helped me learn where my feelings come from and showed me alternatives to getting high. Plus, I was able to see my family often. Familiar faces are good.”

The average length of stay for medically monitored detoxification is up to seven days. During their stay, all clients participate in an individualized treatment planning process that identifies their strengths, needs, and preferences, while establishing goals with specific and measurable objectives.

Phoenix House offers two options for individuals seeking detoxification treatment at the Exeter facility: The Walsh Unit, named in memory of David Walsh, a long-time recovery advocate and staunch friend of Phoenix House, is a 20-bed program accepting most insurance plans as well as self-paying clients.

Comfortable accommodations include semi-private bedrooms, comfortable living rooms, and access to the fully equipped gymnasium on campus.

RESPECT (Recovery-oriented, Empathic Services Proactively Empowering Consumers in Treatment) is Rhode Island’s innovative detoxification initiative.

Funded through the Rhode Island De-

partment of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals, RESPECT is a partnership of Phoenix House, The Providence Center, and CharterCARE Health Partners, with more than 100 years of combined experience.

Both RESPECT and the Walsh Unit are committed to providing safe withdrawal from substances including alcohol and opiates such as OxyContin.

Extended Stay Options For those who have completed treatment, but are not yet ready to face the stress of daily life independently, Phoenix House’s detoxification programs offer an extended stay option. This may include Acute Residential, sleep-over Intensive Outpatient care, or Partial Hospitalization Program for up to 30 additional days.

Extended stay clients enjoy our peaceful country setting and have access to our fully equipped gym. Clients in all programs participate in one-on-one counseling sessions and group meetings as well as onsite Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous groups to help them acclimate to sobriety.

A Full Continuum of Services Detoxification, while often a crucial first step to recovery, is but one facet in Phoenix House’s full continuum of treatment options in Rhode Island. By providing a broad spectrum of services, ranging from detoxification through residential or outpatient care to recovery housing, Phoenix House can guide and support clients on every step of the road to recovery.

Continuing Care and Aftercare Longer-term residential treatment is available at Phoenix House Exeter Center.

Located on the same campus as Detoxification Services, Exeter Center serves adult

male clients who no longer experience physical withdrawal, but who still need a controlled environment to maintain sobriety and learn the skills necessary to build a life in recovery. The program holds nightly Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings for clients. Phoenix House Ottmar Center, located on the East Side of Providence, provides gender-specific treatment for women in a physically and psychologically safe environment.

For those requiring a less intensive level of treatment, Phoenix House offers outpatient services at three locations around the state: Providence, Wakefield, and Westerly. Evening and weekend hours make treatment accessible for working adults.

“Detox helped me get my head to where it needed to be,” said Ben, a former client now well on his way to a healthy new life. “The staff are like moms. They take great care of you. They made me want to stay in treatment, and gave me hope for recovery. That’s a beautiful thing when you’re feeling hopeless.”

For additional information on Phoenix House’s services for Rhode Islanders, please call 1-800-DRUG-HELP (1-800378-4435), or go to www.phoenixhouse. org/rhode-island.

Accreditation: The Phoenix House Detoxification Programs are accredited by CARF, a nationally recognized standard of excellence.

Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

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Providence Viaduct project a boost for economy and jobs in RI

By Congressman Jim Langevin

If you live or work in Rhode Island, chances are you have driven over the Providence Viaduct, the part of Interstate 95 that runs through Providence.

If you live or work in the capital city, you likely pass over the stretch of highway daily.

Every single day, 220,000 vehicles cross the viaduct, one of the most heavily trafficked stretches of interstate on the East Coast, first constructed in 1964. Heavy traffic, New England weather, and years of wear and tear have taken their toll, and the bridge has surpassed its design life. Although replacing the interstate seemed a daunting idea, extensive damage to the deck, girders, and piers meant that rehabilitation wasn’t an option. The 1,290 feet of roadway needs to be replaced completely, without cutting off travel through Providence.

Thankfully, in part through a $10 million federal TIGER grant that I was pleased to help acquire, more funds have become available. And with the leadership of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and Manafort Brothers, Inc., the contractor spearheading construction, the project has been given a green light.

Brett LaPlante Organizer/Agent

On July 15, I joined my colleagues in the Congressional delegation and state government to officially break ground on the Providence Viaduct Replacement Project. Reconstruction is expected to be completed by November 2018. Over the next five years, we will see this stretch of road transformed, reopening the gateway to our capital city. New bridges on I-95 north- and southbound, as well as new and widened on-ramps, will make for easier travel and give visitors greater access to Providence for daily commuters and visitors. A reconstructed Providence Viaduct will improve access to state offices, tourist attractions, and retail businesses. The viaduct is seriously deteriorating, and all New Englanders know that roadways riddled with potholes can damage vehicles and cause traffic delays that, in some instances, have a direct, financial impact on business.

We want people to know that Rhode Island cares about the infrastructure that sustains our quality of life and commerce, and we will put our money where our mouth is. We want people to know that Rhode Island is open for business.

Not only will this project support our statewide and local economy, but it will also be a boon for our job market. Approximately 530 jobs will be created or sustained through the Viaduct Replacement Project, many in the construction industry that continues

John McMullen Business Agent

to struggle amid one of the most difficult economies we have ever faced. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate in the construction industry is nearly 10 percent. That trend is certainly being felt locally. The state Department of Labor and Training reports that, since December 2006, construction has experienced the second largest loss of jobs, second only to manufacturing. Thousands of construction jobs have dried up in Rhode Island, and, as our economy begins to make a slow turnaround, we must begin bringing those jobs back. The Providence Viaduct Replacement Project will do just that, putting union workers back to work on an important infrastructure improvement project.

I urge Rhode Islanders to be patient during this project. A reconstruction of this magnitude does not happen overnight, and we should remember that any inconvenience now will be worth it in the end for a smooth, easy-to-travel stretch of interstate. I look forward to seeing our state’s professional laborers constructing a new and improved Providence Viaduct. In this instance, a little traffic might not be such a bad thing.

Congressman Jim Langevin represents Rhode Island’s Second Congressional District.

Paul Alvarez Business Agent

Page 10

Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

Saluting Veterans

Pictured above, members and their families of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 57 wave to spectators at the annual Bristol Fourth of July Parade. “The theme was to salute all veterans,” said Jim White, the business manager and president of Local 57. The unionsponsored float included an air-to-air missile, a 50-caliber machine gun, a working five-inch naval gun, and a camouflaged tent. “It was very well received by the spectators,” White said. “We had union members and their families riding and waving flags.”

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Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

Page 11

RI Congressional delegation joins protest against benefit cuts

Submitted by the Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans North Providence—On July 2, over 100 seniors joined John A. Pernorio, President of the Rhode Island Alliance for Retired Americans for a celebration at the Salvatore Mancini Recourse and Activity Center in North Providence to thank Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline for keeping their promise to stand with and support Rhode Island seniors, those with disabilities, and veterans against cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Jennifer Kenny, the ARA New England Field Organizer, and Kathleen Connell, the RI AARP State Director, also turned out in support.

As many of the Alliance for Retired Americans-affiliated organizations across the country join hands to ask their Congressional members to unite in the action against the Chained CPI, in Rhode Island, we were there to thank our Congressional delegation for their continued strong support to stop the Chained CPI, a flawed proposal that would hurt millions of retirees.

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efit reductions dramatically over time, resulting in an annual benefit that is roughly $1,000 lower by the time a beneficiary reaches age 85. These reductions would have serious, real-life consequences for seniors.

The formula would reduce Social Security cost of living adjustments by taking into account alternative purchases people can make in order to avoid goods and services whose costs are rising quickly.

For example: instead of Wonder Bread, you would be expected to purchase Stop & Shop bread. Instead of Green Giant corn, you would have to go with Stop & Shop corn. You would have to buy Stop & Shop gas because you can’t afford Shell gas.

Here’s the problem: seniors already do purchase cheaper products because they can’t afford the brandname products.

Senators Jack Reed and Whitehouse have signed on as co-sponsors of SR 15, a Resolution rejecting the Chained CPI and expressing “the sense of Congress that the Chained Consumer Price Index should not be used to calculate cost of living adjustments for Social Security or veterans benefits.”

Also, in the House of Representatives, a resolution, HR 34, was introduced by Cicilline, and co-sponsored

by Langevin, along with 112 other Democrats. It also states it is the sense of Congress that the chained CPI should not be the basis for COLAs for Social Security

benefits.

“Social Security is not a handout and does not contribute to the deficit. It is an earned benefit that retirees paid into for their entire working life. Seniors deserve a decent standard of living, and we deserve the benefits that we paid for. Just as importantly, our children and grandchildren deserve the same benefits when it comes time for them to retire. The RI ARA will fight for the right of all generations to have a strong and secure retirement. They will fight to stop the Chained CPI. Because some cuts never heal!” Pernorio said.

Page 12

Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

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Want a high-performance workforce?

Employee engagement makes the difference

By John A. Furia

Can employee attitudes make a difference in business? A recent Gallup Poll and other data provide an indisputable answer: a resounding yes!

Engaged employees are critical The Gallup Organization just released a survey that updates attitudes on employee engagement in the workplace. Employee engagement is identified as highlevels of workforce motivation. The Gallup Survey has consistently shown that a highly motivated workforce provides measurable improvements in business performance and profitability. Translation: engaged employees are critical to good business.

Survey—26 million employees in 89 countries Gallup has collected extensive data that tracked workforce attributes for over ten years and highlighted the need to motivate and energize the workforce. Over 26 million employees have been surveyed in some 89 countries about attitudes towards workforce engagement. Some somber news: years of research by Gallup have shown that no more than a third of the workforce can be called engaged or fully connected to the workplace. Most employees fall into two other categories— not engaged and actively disengaged.

U.S. workforce—70 percent not connected The Gallup 2013 Survey also provided data on employees in the United States and revealed that about 70 percent of the American workforce was not connected to the workplace and could be considered somewhat engaged or actively disengaged, meaning that they have “checked out” or had not shown any commitment to the place they work. Actively disengaged employees may also exhibit visible signs of discontent about their job.

The Q 12 Survey To develop measures or metrics on employee attitudes in the workplace, Gallup established focus groups and surveyed employees to develop what became known as Q12—a series of 12 questions about attitudes and concerns of employees. The results of the Q12 survey accurately identified and predicted various levels of job performance—meaning, that highly motivated and high-performing employees were consistently identified as having the highest scores on the Q12 questionnaire.

Simple questions Interestingly, the Q12 questions were relatively simple, for example: “Do you know what is expected of you at work? In the last seven days, have you received recognition or praise for your work? Is there at work someone who encourages your development?”

Having the ability to utilize predictors of outstanding workforce performance can be an invaluable tool for all organizations. In a busy and highly competitive marketplace, predictive capability can be critical to business success.

Top U.S. workplaces A look at top workplaces across the country provides more real-life examples of top-performance work sites. Workplace Dynamics, a consulting services firm, had also collected data on workplace attitudes and found similar results as the Gallup Organization—engaged employees are the cornerstone of any organization, for both profit-making and non-profit ventures.

For over a decade, Workforce Dynamics developed annual listings of the best places to work across the nation—from Boston to Los Angeles. Engaged employ-

ees consistently identified top workplaces as having a positive environment.

More than just a place to work Top workplaces were identified by focusing on a number of factors, among them: the direction of the company, quality of management, open communication environment, openness to employee ideas and suggestions, a commitment to the needs of workforce, and a belief that employees were truly valued for their skills and ability. In other words, top workplaces were viewed by engaged employees as more than “just a place to work.”

Connecting the dots The Gallup Organization, Workplace Dynamics, and many other organizations, consistently have documented that workplaces with engaged employees are more profitable and generate greater return on investment (ROI). So, engaged employees can provide a critical competitive advantage to any business and help achieve significant financial results. In connecting the dots, it’s important to note that the same data also shows that workplaces with engaged employees have lower turnover, lower health-care costs, and greater employee loyalty to the organization.

Think about it: sometimes doing the right thing makes good business sense as well.

John A. Furia previously served, for over 20 years, as Executive Director of AFSCME District Council 94, New England. He also has served on the Augsburg College faculty. The college is located in the Twin-Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) and has been ranked as a top higher educational institution in the Midwest. Furia now provides consulting services for JDF Communications.

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Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

Food ingredients you should always avoid!

By Joy Feldman, JD, NC

Moreover, it is added in many processed The food label—it seemed like a products, not only those claiming to be radical idea not too long ago. Created low calorie, but not always placed on to assist the consumer in understanding Friday, January 18 to Monday, February 2nd, 2013 those mysterious labels. This chemical what was in their food, this new label • Shrimp Spumoni sweetener is loaded with phenylalanine, enabledSauteed big food companies to become in wine & garlic butter with scallions & diced tomatoes served which is a neurotoxin that many scientransparent about their ingredients.

And over pasta tists believe can alter brain function, so the •problems began. Clearly marked Shrimp Scampi Sauteedsometimes in a spicy garlic clam in sauce cause behavioral changes in adults, and on the labels, buried small with mushrooms, diced tomatoes and scallions overunpronounceable pasta even mental in growing print were many inServed retardation with soup or salad • Fried Shrimp fetuses when used by mothers-to-be. gredients, which only those majoring in • Shrimp Fra Diavio Moreover, it has also been linked to side chemistry could Consumers Served overarticulate. pasta effects that include headaches, seizures, were left even more confused than beBaked 5 of the most tender large shrimp you’vewith ever tasted, menstrual problems, and gastro-intestifore labeling began.

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Food Coloring - Designed to make foods more attractive, food coloring is not so pretty; for instance, caramel-coloring manufacturing involves the use of industrial solvents and carcinogens. Red dye number 3 is associated with tumor development. Red dye 40 and Yellow 6 are closely associated with aggressive behaviors and impulse control problems in children. My advice, do not touch this stuff.

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein - This chemically-created, flavor-enhancing invention is related to MSG. Sadly, it has been camouflaged with a new name.

Enter Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, also known as HVP, a substance that contains MSG. Consequently, you can still wind up sickening yourself with headaches, migraines, heart irregularities, and so on. Additional members of the MSG grouping to avoid include: autolyzed yeast extract and hydrolyzed yeast extract—they too can make sensitive types feel awful.

Parabens - These chemical preservatives can be found in your favorite beauty products and cosmetics. Strangely though, they have found their way into baked goods and processed meats. Yes, I said meats. Invented to inhibit mold growth, evidence has suggested that parabens may contribute to hormonerelated issues in women, such as breast cancer, and lowered testosterone levels in men.

Partially Hydrogenated Oil - OK, please steer clear of this stuff. Partially hydrogenated oil and trans fats are one and the same. Did you know that a product can claim zero grams of trans fat as long as there is less than half a gram per serving? Do yourself a favor, and if you see this claim on label, do not buy it (even if says trans fat free) Why take a chance with your health? This oil may make your food less likely to spoil, but it also clogs your arteries, increases bad cholesterol, and lowers the good cholesterol. And most folks don’t realize that a product can claim “0g trans fat” as long as there is less than half a gram per serving. So if you see it on the label, don’t buy it (even if it says trans fat free).

Nitrites - We are all familiar with what meat looks like when it is left in the fridge for a few days. It is not too pretty. Colors fade and a distinctive odor spreads throughout the fridge.

Spoiled meat looks pretty unappetizing.

Then like magic, once those nitrates are added in and the meat is refrigerated, the color and shelf life is extended. The problems now begin when we eat this preservative. Nitrites trigger headaches and allergic reactions, and can increase the risk of cancerous tumors.

Joy Feldman is a writer, lecturer, and author. She is the author of Joyful Cooking in the Pursuit of Good Health and Is Your Hair Made of Donuts? Learn more about her at www.joyfeldman.com and www.isyourhairmadeofdonuts.com

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Common Ground

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Page 15

Save big on college tuition!

By Shelley Honeycutt and Gayle M. Jendzejec College tuition bills are usually due during the month of August. Leaving funding decisions until the last moment is not recommended. Here are a few ideas on how to save big with private student loans this year!

1. Always be sure to use grants, scholarships, and federal student loans to fund college tuition before considering private student loans. Once these resources are maximized you can consider using private student loans to fund your remaining college expenses.

2. The type of private student loan you select can make a significant difference in your student debt and overall cost of college. In fact, securing a student loan at 5.49 percent with no fees verses one at 7.9 percent and a 4.25 percent fee can save your family 18 percent over the life of a 15-year loan!

3. An 18 percent saving might not sound like a lot but if you borrow $80,000 over a four-year college

education the savings would be $25,271. It’s amazing how savings can add up over time. Being an educated consumer can really pay off!

4. Private student loans offered through a variety of banks can provide students additional ways to save with borrower benefits such as interest rate reductions with auto debit payments and co-signer release options for parents. Remember to always print a copy of these borrower benefits and place it in your loan file for future use and as a reminder to take advantage of your savings.

Paying less for college means being an educated consumer and understanding all of your funding options. Smart consumers look for opportunities to maximize grants, scholarships, awards, and other free aid before reaching for loans. Being informed is a large part of paying less. Start your private student loan research today at by viewing our short videos on how to select the right

private student loan for your family at www.CrushCollegeDebt.com. The information is free! In addition to the loan video, you will also receive lots of free information that will help you save more money on college tuition bills; including a free scholarship video that will help you find scholarships regardless of

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Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

New law promotes manufacturing apprenticeships for youth

STATEHOUSE – Governor Lincoln Chafee last month approved legislation revising labor laws to allow students to train during school hours in approved manufacturing career and technical programs.

The new law is aimed at allowing students interested in careers in today’s manufacturing industry to participate in programs that would prepare them for that field with training programs similar to career and technical high school programs for other industries, such as auto mechanics, construction, and culinary arts. In creating this opportunity, the state has the chance to help foster a well-trained workforce that could attract manufacturers to Rhode Island.

Rep. Mia Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland, Lincoln), sponsor of the House bill (HB 6062A), said giving students hands-on experience in the working world is one of the most valuable commodities one can have in today’s world.

“As we all know, the job market is difficult in Rhode Island,” Ackerman said. “With this bill, we can open up another avenue to the youth of Rhode Island and give them the opportunities to learn, find work and prosper within our great state.”

Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin, sponsor of the Senate bill (SB 0950A), added the legislation directs the Department of Labor and Training to establish these manufacturing standards for pre-apprenticeship or training agreements with a joint employer and employee groups.

“There are sectors within manufacturing that require highly-trained employees and that pay accordingly for those valuable skills. We want those industries and those jobs here in Rhode Island, and in order to get them, we have to create the kind of trained workforce they need,” said Goodwin (D-Dist. 1, Providence). “For students who are interested in the manufacturing industry, this is an opportunity to get a leg up, to

Cosponsors in the House include acquire some of the advanced skills that Representatives K. Joseph Shekarchi are needed in today’s industry, and to be (D-Dist. 23, Warwick), John Edwards ready to advance in their career when (D-Dist. 70, Portsmouth, Tiverton), they graduate.”

Katherine Kazarian (D-Dist. 63, East

The House bill is part of the House Providence), and Marvin Abney (Dleadership’s 18-bill economic developDist. 73, Newport, Middletown). Coment package, which it introduced sponsors of the Senate companion infollowing an economic conference in clude Senate Majority Leader Dominick which state representatives heard from Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, a variety of stakeholders and experts on Providence) and Senators Stephen Arideas for improving the state’s economy. chambault (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, Following up on that conference, several North Providence, Johnston), Frank House committees conducted numerLombardi (D-Dist. 26, Cranston), and ous public hearings with testimony ofPaul Fogarty (D-Dist. 23, Glocester, fered by business, regulatory, workforce Burrillville, North Smithfield). development, and education leaders to aid in the development of the legislation.

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Common Ground

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Page 17

28-bill economic development package legislation becomes law leagues in the Senate, who are committed to improving the business climate in Rhode Island, and our partners in the House, the Governor’s administration, the private and non-profit sectors, and, of course, the business community.”

These economic policy initiatives stemmed from a report produced jointly by the Senate and the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council. The “Moving the Needle” report examined the factors underlying Rhode Island’s ranking in national business-climate surveys and made recommendations for improvement. Legislation was submitted addressing the state’s approach to economic development, workforce development, education, cost of doing business, codes and regulations, and tax incentives.

STATEHOUSE—With Governor Lincoln Chafee’s signature last month on the final outstanding elements of the Senate’s “Moving the Needle” package of economic development legislation, 28 of the initiatives aimed at improving the business climate in Rhode Island have been passed.

“The Senate took a multi-faceted approach to creating a vibrant economic climate in Rhode Island and encouraging job creation,” said Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed. “The Moving the Needle package of legislation addresses workforce development and education, burdensome codes and regulations, tax incentives, and our overall approach to economic development in Rhode Island. The successful passage of this legislation is a credit to my col-

The Senate worked with the House of Representatives and the Governor’s administration on complementary economic development proposals, all of which demonstrate the commitment of the General Assembly to improving Rhode Island’s image as businessfriendly.

The bills that passed include: Approach to Economic Development Long-Term Strategic Vision. SB 0712A, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio, President Paiva Weed, and Senators Louis

DiPalma, Ryan Pearson, and William Walaska, establishes an economic development planning council to develop a written, long-term economic development policy and strategic plan to enact that policy. (Companion legislation, HB 6069, was submitted in the House

by Majority Leader Nicholas Mattiello.)

Establishment of a Council of Economic Advisors. SB 0730A, sponsored

by Senators Roger Picard, Ryan Pearson, David Bates, Paiva Weed, and Walaska, establishes a new council of economic advisors consisting of nine individuals appointed by the Governor, including See Law cont. on page 19

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Common Ground Law cont. from page 17 five public members. The council will gather, analyze, and report on economic data and information on Rhode Island’s economy. (Companion legislation: HB 6070, Rep. Donna Walsh.)

Reform and Rebrand EDC. SB 0718B, sponsored by Senators James Sheehan, Walaska, Walter Felag, Maryellen Goodwin, and Paul Jabour, eliminates the Economic Development Corporation, creating a new Rhode Island Commerce Corporation to take on its former duties.

Specific guidelines are set out, including: requiring board members to adopt a mission statement that states purposes and goals of the corporation, identifies its stakeholders and their reasonable expectations, and lists measurements for performance and achievement of goals; establishing quantifiable performance measurements for all programs of the corporation and its subsidiaries; and publicly posting all enabling legislation, its mission statement, bylaws, regulations, and board meetings, among other documents. The Commerce Corporation will also be required to establish guidelines, principals, and processes for all loans and financing programs, including risk assessments and metrics, similar to the lending guidelines used by banks and other financial institutions.

(Companion legislation: HB 6071, Rep. Stephen Ucci.)

Business Voices on Statewide Planning.

SB 0760, sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Dennis Algiere and Senators Paul Fogarty, Jabour, Harold Metts, and Pichardo, adds two business representatives as public members to the Statewide Planning Board. (Companion legislation: HB 6285, Rep. Kenneth Marshall.)

Retaining Renewable Energy Fund at EDC. Incorporated into the budget, this requirement keeps the renewable energy fund at the Economic Development Corporation—now the Commerce Corporation—for business development purposes, instead of moving it into the Office of Energy Resources. The proposal began as separate legislation, SB 0735, sponsored by Senators Bates, Susan Sosnowski, Miller, DiPalma, and Frank Lombardi.

Improve EDC Web Site. SB 0714, a Senate resolution sponsored by Senators Marc Cote, Stephen Archambault, Adam Satchell, Leonidas Raptakis, and William Conley, requests that the Office of Digital Excellence, in partnership with the Economic Development Corporation, upgrade and improve the EDC’s Web site to align with Web sites of leading states.

‘Made in Rhode Island’ Collaborative.

SB 0809A, sponsored by Goodwin, creates the Made in Rhode Island Manufacturing Collaborative, which will work to promote and market Rhode Island-made products. The collaborative will also be responsible for providing annual reports to the Governor and General Assembly regarding the branding and marketing of such products. (Companion legislation: HB 6030, Rep. Jeremiah O’Grady.)

Executive Office of Commerce. SB 1048, sponsored by Pearson and Sheehan, creates the Executive Office of Commerce on February 1, 2015, which will serve as the principal state agency for managing and promoting commerce and the economy. It also creates a Governor’s Cabinet on Workforce and Commerce; elevates the role of regulatory reform and housing development to the new Commerce Office; and seeks to expedite permitting across all state departments dealing with businesses. (Companion legislation: HB 6063B, Rep. Helio Melo.)

“State of the Arts” Task Force. SB 0914, a joint resolution sponsored

by Paiva Weed, Ruggerio and Senators Joshua Miller, Juan Pichardo, and Goodwin, requests that the governor establish the Rhode Island “State of the Arts” Planning Task Force. (Companion: 2013-H6142, Speaker of the House Gordon Fox.)

Workforce Development Back to Work RI. SB 0402B, sponsored

by Senator Erin Lynch, Paiva Weed, Algiere, Cote, and Ruggerio, creates the Back to Work Rhode Island program, which will provide individuals collecting unemployment security benefits with planned, structured, and career-relevant

AUGUST 2013

job training at companies looking to hire, and assists employers in locating and obtaining skilled, well qualified job candidates. Funding for this initiative was included in the budget. (Companion legislation: HB 5033, Rep. Joseph McNamara.)

Addressing the Child-care Benefits Cliff. Included in the budget was creation of a pilot child-care assistance transition program for families on the verge of losing all child-care assistance if they receive a slight increase in income. The proposal was originally submitted as SB 0736, sponsored by Senator Elizabeth Crowley, Pichardo, Metts, Gayle Goldin, and Sosnowski. (Companion: HB 5132, Rep. Grace Diaz.)

Child-care for Training Participants.

Incorporated into the budget was an initiative to provide short-term child-care for qualifying families so that the family members can participate in training, apprenticeship, internship, and on-the-job training programs funded by the Human Resources Investment Council. The proposal began as SB 0250, sponsored

by Goldin, Crowley, Jabour, Miller, and Pichardo. (Companion legislation: HB 5473, Rep. Deborah Ruggiero.)

Pre-Apprenticeship Training. SB 0950A, sponsored by Goodwin, Ruggerio, Archambault, Lombardi, and Fogarty, instructs the Department of Labor and Training to establish manufacturing standards for pre-apprenticeship or training agreements so that older youth may obtain job exposure. (Companion legislation: HB 6062, Ackerman.)

Enhanced Jobs Match Program. The Enhanced Jobs Match Program, which

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was incorporated into the budget, creates an easy-to-use, Web-based program for employers and jobs seekers which efficiently identifies and addresses skills gaps among job seekers. The initial legislation, SB 0403, was sponsored by Sheehan, Fogarty, Paiva Weed, Ruggerio, and Algiere. (Companion legislation: HB 5939, Walsh.)

Education Reverse Transfer of College Credits. SB 1046 requests the state Board of Education set forth regulations that would provide a policy for the reverse transfer of credits from a four-year school to a twoyear institution. The Senate Resolution was sponsored by Senators Pichardo and Hanna Gallo.

Dual Enrollment. SB 0639B, sponsored by Senator Michael McCaffrey, Paiva Weed, Ruggerio, Gallo, and DiPalma, requires the Board of Education to prescribe and regulate a statewide dual enrollment policy that would allow students to enroll in courses at postsecondary institutions to satisfy academic credit requirements in both high school and postsecondary schools. (Companion: HB 6290, Rep. William O’Brien.)

‘Finish What You Started’ Outreach.

SB 0512, sponsored by Education Committee Chairwoman Hanna Gallo and Pichardo, Satchell, DiPalma, and Lombardi, is a Senate resolution respectfully urging the Rhode Island Commission on Higher Education to assist in the coordination and expansion of programs within Rhode Island’s public universities

See Law cont. on page 21

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Common Ground Law cont. from page 19 and institutions which are intended to help individuals, including the estimated 110,000 Rhode Islanders with some college education but no degree, return to school, and gain a credential.

Cost of Doing Business Accelerated Depreciation. Accelerated depreciation for state tax purposes was included in the budget and allows faster depreciation on the value of new equipment purchased by businesses and manufacturers. Instead of that depreciation being spread over several years, it will be aligned with federal standards that allow much more of the depreciation in the first year, to the benefit of businesses.

The initial legislation, SB 0744, was

sponsored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Daniel Da Ponte and Bates, Pearson, DiPalma, and Felag. (Companion: HB 5478, Rep. Larry Valencia.)

Health Care Reform Act. SB 0540A, known as the Health Care Reform Act of 2013, was sponsored by Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chairman Joshua Miller and Senators Christopher Ottiano, Goldin, Catherine Cool Rumsey, and Donna Nesselbush. This health care cost containment legislation makes a number of substantive changes to the general health care laws and provisions to control the costs of health care, increase transparency in the system, address market power, and improve access to and quality of care for all. (Compan-

AUGUST 2013

ion: HB 6283, Rep. Cale Keable.)

Renewable Energy Law Revisions – Distributed Generation. SB 0641B, sponsored by Walaska, Miller, Paiva Weed, Ruggerio, and DiPalma, is an energy cost savings bill. It amends the definition of a “small distributed generation project” and would allow hydroelectric projects to participate in the standard contract enforcement program. (Companion legislation: HB 5803, Rep. Arthur Handy.)

Biweekly Pay. SB 0980, sponsored by Senators Picard, Miller, Lynch, Pearson, and Frank Lombardo, establishes a process for businesses to pay wages on a bi-weekly basis, saving on administrative

costs. (Companion: HB 6065, Rep. Joy Hearn; this bill was opposed by labor.)

Codes and Regulations Municipal Advisory Council for Statewide Planning. SB 0757A, sponsored

by Sosnowski, DiPalma, Lynch, Crowley, and Paiva Weed, establishes a Municipal Advisory Council to Statewide Planning to develop recommendations to establish a statewide process for electronic plan review, encourage municipalities to participate, and review those who are not participating every three months. (Companion legislation: HB 6322, O’Brien.)

See Law cont. on page 23

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Common Ground

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Common Ground

AUGUST 2013

Page 23

Law cont. from page 21 Single State Standard for Septic and Wetlands Setbacks. SB 0672A, sponsored by Lynch, Paiva Weed, Ruggerio, Nesselbush, and Crowley, establishes a task force representing diverse interests to prepare recommendations for single statewide standards that address on-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) regulations and wetlands and watershed planning. (Companion: HB 5425, Rep. Patricia Serpa.)

Expedited Processing of DEM Citations. SB 0495A, sponsored by Walaska and Sosnowski, provides for timely and streamlined resolution of DEM citations for non-compliance violations which are not in dispute. The bill promotes the timely and effective resolution of small violations and a quick return to compliance. (Companion legislation: HB 5677, Valencia.)

Code Consistency Council. SB 0761A, sponsored by Fogarty, McCaffrey, Lombardo, Nesselbush, and Gallo, establishes a Code Consistency Council to examine the building, fire, elevator, and related codes for consistency. The council would determine which codes will take priority in certain situations as well as establish a more consistent and uniform structure. (Companion: HB 6323, Kazarian.)

Historic Tax Credit Reauthorization.

Also incorporated into the budget, SB 0733, sponsored by Goodwin, Pichardo, Pearson, Miller, and Paiva Weed, allows the EDC and the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission to solicit and accept new historic tax credit applications for projects to replace those projects which have been abandoned. (Companion legislation: HB 6060, O’Grady.)

Tax Incentives Statewide Arts District. Incorporated into the budget was the proposal to provide a statewide sales tax exemption for original works of art made in Rhode Island. The original proposal was contained in SB 0743, sponsored by Paiva Weed, Sheehan, Goodwin, Ruggerio, and Cool Rumsey. (Companion legislation: HB 5844, Walsh.)

Tax Credit Evaluation. SB 0734B, sponsored by Da Ponte, Goodwin, Ruggerio, Paiva Weed, and Lynch, requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to prepare a review and inventory of all reports from the executive office and other state agencies that are filed with the General Assembly. This act creates the “Rhode Island Economic Development Tax Incentives Evaluation Act of 2013” to

provide an assessment of the state’s tax incentive programs. (Companion: HB 5742, Rep. Teresa Tanzi.)

Passage of the legislative package builds on the General Assembly’s work over the past several sessions to improve the state’s economic competitiveness, including the creation of the Office of Regulatory Reform, pro-growth reforms to the state’s income tax, developing a single statewide electronic permitting system, and investments in workforce development. The comprehensive approach recognizes that there is no quick fix to improving the state’s long-term economic competitiveness, and that, to contend and succeed in the global economy, Rhode Island needs to excel in a range of areas.

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