Posted on 02/15/2008 10:21:12 AM PST by Maelstorm
BROWN POLL FINDINGS INDICATE SUPPORT FOR REPUBLICAN APPROACH TO STATE'S FISCAL PROBLEMS SAYS RIGOP CHAIRMAN
WARWICK, RI - The latest Brown University Poll, released 2/11/08, shows there is more support for Governor Carcieri and the Republican approach to addressing the fiscal crisis among the majority of Rhode Islanders despite the claims of the Governor’s critics.
The poll found more than half of the respondents would seem to agree with the Governor’s policies on three important themes: reducing the number of state workers and reforming some of their pay and benefit provisions; reducing the amount of time welfare recipients can remain on the rolls; and third, holding the line on any new income or sales taxes.
“There is no question this latest Brown poll is a rebuke to the Governor’s critics’ about the kind of difficult reforms he’s trying to make,” says Chairman Giovanni Cicione.
“The majority of regular Rhode Islanders seem to know we’re in trouble, that we have a state workforce that’s too large and costs too much, that we provide overly generous welfare benefits we can’t afford, and that new taxes are not the answer. This poll shows that even if the Democrat leadership on Smith Hill doesn’t recognize all this, the majority of Rhode Islanders are finally getting it.”
The poll found that 52% favor the lay-off plan of state workers, and about 70% favor reforms to their pay and benefit packages, including making co-pays to health benefits, and working a 40-hour, rather than 35-hour work week.
It found 71% favor imposing a two-year limit- - rather than 5-year presently- - on welfare benefits, as the Governor favors.
It found 55% agree that some privatization of certain state services in certain departments or institutions would be prudent, as the Governor has proposed.
Most significantly, it also finds a majority being against any new income or sales taxes nor do they favor any rollback of the reduction in the capital gains tax rate.
“Despite what the Governor’s critics would make you think, this poll indicates it’s Democrats like Senator Paul Moura, Rep. Arthur Handy and Rep. Charlene Lima who are clearly out of touch with what Rhode Islanders think and are worrying about. Their efforts to stop privatization and create new taxes indicate how frighteningly out of touch they really are.”
Carcieri is the Northeastern Governor that should’ve run for President, not the liberal trash from the neighboring state.
I agree with you 100% on that. Carcieri has stood up to the unions and liberals and is winning against them. The people in the state are over taxed and tired of the same old liberal ideology. Carcieri is succeeding with time tested conservative principles something which so many in the party have forgotten or have discarded in hope that they can buy their way into the hearts of the citizen the way Democrats do.
The key feature of liberalism is they refused to accept any test for their ideas. They do not want their policies judged by results because their policies are not meant to solve problems but instead treat the problems indefinitely. They may argue with conservative approaches but time and time again it is the conservative not the liberal that produces the most healthy environment for economic and personal growth.
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