Mike Stenhouse « RI Center for Freedom and Prosperity

Individual Property Rights in the Cross Hairs in the Ocean State

Homeowners, businesses, and other property owners should be aware that a series of bills under consideration in the Rhode Island General Assembly would undermine or erode their individual property rights — the foundation of the U.S. Constitution and the free-enterprise system.

In the name of vague environmental resource benefits, three bills in particular would systematically give the state, or new state and local agencies, authority to infringe upon the rights and freedoms of local property owners.

It appears that the state is ...

22
MAY

Categories: Blog, Recent Posts

Tags: business, General Assembly, homeowners, Property rights

A Moral Defense of Free-Enterprise

Posted by: Mike Stenhouse

Commentary by Mike Stenhouse

Capitalism - not Redistribution - is Moral & Unifying

As Rhode Island suffers through one of the worst economic, educational and fiscal crises in its history, a new vision of revitalization is required for a better future for our children and citizens.

Ideas matter. Public policy has real consequences for real people. Recent policies in the Ocean State that have promised too much to too many have had the adverse effect of fraying our economic and educational fabric, and have failed our residents. ...

16
APR

Categories: Blog

High Overtime, Evasion Raise New Questions About Medicaid Fraud and Waste

Posted by: Mike Stenhouse

Related Links: GoLocalProv, New Allegations Surface in RI Medicaid Fraud;

In the wake of an investigative article published this morning in The Ocean State Current about suspiciously high overtime payments to government employed nurses and psychiatrists, the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity plans to publish additional related information in the coming week.

Considering that public dollars are being paid to government workers who, for years, have collected six-figures in overtime from a facility that was cited in ...

26
MAR

Categories: Blog, Labor, Recent Posts, Transparency

Commentary: Zero out sales tax to change R.I. game

Posted by: Mike Stenhouse

by Mike Stenhouse. As appeared in the Providence Journal, March 4, 2013

For perhaps the first time in recent memory, the Rhode Island General Assembly will consider legislation that could have a profound positive impact on the lives of virtually all residents and businesses in the state. Rhode Island families are being torn apart. Parents, children and siblings are being driven out of the state in search of good work or retirement at a more reasonable cost of living. Businesses struggle ...

14
MAR

Categories: Blog, Recent Posts, Taxes

Media Release: Only $105 Million in FY-2014 Needed to Implement 0.0% Sales Tax

Posted by: Mike Stenhouse

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 25, 2013

2013 Zero.Zero Sales Tax Report

Center Calls on Politicians to Act on Promises: 25,000 Jobs at Stake

Providence, RI — On the heels of bi-partisan legislation to repeal the state’s sales and meals taxes, submitted recently in the Rhode Island General Assembly, the Rhode Center for Freedom and Prosperity released today an updated version of its landmark 2012 Zero.Zero report, which served as the original basis for the legislation.

The 2013 Zero.Zero ...

26
FEB

Categories: Blog, News, Taxes

Corporate Tax Cut is Not a Game-Changer for RI

Posted by: Mike Stenhouse

The tax centerpiece of the governor’s new budget is to reduce the corporate tax rate to 7% from 9% over the next 3 years, with the hope of creating a stronger economy and putting more Rhode Islanders back to work.

Indeed lowering taxes in general will boost economic activity. And yes, this business tax reduction would give our state the lowest corporate tax rate in New England. All good.

But just how much of an impact will the governor’s proposed tax cut ...

17
JAN

Categories: Blog, Recent Posts, Taxes

ZERO.ZERO % Sale Tax Too Much for the Imagination of the Political Class

Posted by: Mike Stenhouse

Imagine tens of thousands more people employed in Rhode Island.

Imagine new retail and construction jobs to support an economic growth spurt.

Based on a 2012 policy recommendation by our Center, some members in our General Assembly actually think we can make these things happen in our state.

Yet, as we close out the year with reports of even more dismal national rankings for our Ocean State, the Political Class is looking to kill this policy ...

28
DEC

Categories: Blog, Prosperity Agenda, Recent Posts, Taxes

Commentary: Sakonnet Bridge Toll – We All Sleep in the Beds we Make

Posted by: Mike Stenhouse

December 6, 2012

We all sleep in the beds we make. Legislators and citizens alike.

After decades of negligence by the Political Class in mismanaging one of the appropriate roles of government – infrastructure development – Rhode Island ranks last or next to last in multiple major national highway, bridge and general infrastructure indexes.

And now, with tolls planned for the Sakonnet River Bride, the state faces a lose-lose situation; where local residents will face a punishing new ‘tax’ and where the local ...

6
DEC

Categories: Blog, Citizen Vigilance, Commentary, Recent Posts, Taxes

Opinion by CEO Stenhouse: The old approach won’t restart R.I.

Posted by: Mike Stenhouse

As printed in the Providence Journal Op Ed section, 11/15/2012

On Nov. 10, a single page of The Journal featured two articles that tell us all we need to know about Rhode Island’s misguided approach to economic development and our dismal economy. While Rhode Islanders struggle to control their families’ financial security, our state looks to seize control, period.

The first article (“State seeks growth ideas, data analysis”) reports that Governor Chafee will use tax dollars to pay private firms for ideas, ...

20
NOV

Categories: Blog, Commentary, Policy, Recent Posts

Rhode Islanders must act if they want better life

Posted by: Mike Stenhouse

Do we want to be an Entitlement State or a State of Prosperity?

OpEd by Mike Stenhouse; as published in the Providence Journal (7-29-12)

What kind of state do Rhode Islanders really want? Who will provide the vision and leadership that will lead to renewed opportunities and prosperity for our citizens?

Rhode Island has the second highest unemployment rate in the nation, yet our political leaders do nothing about it.

Ours is the worst ranked state in terms of business climate, yet ...

30
JUL

Categories: Blog, Commentary, Policy, Recent Posts

Page 1 of 4 12 3 4

Individual Property Rights in the Cross Hairs in the Ocean State

A Moral Defense of Free-Enterprise

Capitalism - not Redistribution - is Moral & Unifying

High Overtime, Evasion Raise New Questions About Medicaid Fraud and Waste

Commentary: Zero out sales tax to change R.I. game

Media Release: Only $105 Million in FY-2014 Needed to Implement 0.0% Sales Tax

Corporate Tax Cut is Not a Game-Changer for RI

ZERO.ZERO % Sale Tax Too Much for the Imagination of the Political Class

Commentary: Sakonnet Bridge Toll – We All Sleep in the Beds we Make

Opinion by CEO Stenhouse: The old approach won’t restart R.I.

Rhode Islanders must act if they want better life

Do we want to be an Entitlement State or a State of Prosperity?

Categories

Stay Connected

Recent Comments