Lincoln, RI – Anthony Gemma, the Lincoln, Rhode Island-based philanthropist and entrepreneur who finished a strong second in the 2010 Democratic Primary for Congress from the RI 1^st, today issued the following statement.

*****

While I understand that polls are indeed ‘snapshots in time,’ the results of the survey conducted by WPRI-TV and released on February 27 are consistent with other recent polls, with conventional political wisdom, and with anecdotal evidence derived from the public.

The numbers are unambiguous.  David Cicilline cannot win in the General Election against Brendan Doherty.  If Cicilline is the Democratic nominee, he will lose the district to the Republican Party.

However, it is abundantly clear that Mr. Doherty does significantly worse against me than he does against Cicilline – securing 49% of the vote against Cicilline, but only 41% against me – and I have not yet declared my candidacy, while Mr. Doherty has been running for a year.

The key numbers are the totals for the undecideds – voters who have not yet made up their minds.  It is inconceivable that the vast majority of these voters are undecided about David Cicilline.  They know enough about him.  And they’ve had enough of him.  They know that David Cicilline broke his trust with the people of Providence when he drove their city to the brink of bankruptcy and then lied about it.  They know that David Cicilline broke his trust with the people of the RI 1^st Congressional District when he lied to them during the last election.  They know that David Cicilline continues to break his trust with the people of Rhode Island by doing nothing for them in Congress, and by lying about it.

The undecideds are at 16% in a Cicilline-Doherty contest, but their number rises dramatically and tellingly to 27% when I am matched against the Republican.  My sense is that the undecideds need to know that, as in 2010, I stand for their best interests.  They need to know that I remain committed to reinventing the office of congressman, finding new ways around congressional gridlock, and bringing jobs to Rhode Island and America.  If I run, all the people will know where I stand and that I put people before party.

When candidates put people before party, the people become the party.  Historically, this has been the Democratic way. 

The theme of the 2012 election must not be “Divide and Conquer,” but rather “Unite and Prosper.”  That is a theme that all Democrats can embrace as a distillation of our Party’s values – indeed, that all Americans can and must embrace if we are to survive these most trying of times.

I am a Democrat.  I embrace and to the best of my ability attempt to embody the values of my Party as they were embodied by FDR, JFK, RFK, John Pastore, Claiborne Pell, and John Fogarty, among other great Americans.  With every lie he tells, with every incompetent move he makes, David Cicilline repudiates those values.

During the 2010 campaign I promised to “reinvent and reinvigorate public service.”  My “Congressional 21^st Century Jobs Plan” demonstrates in detail how we can avoid Washington gridlock and find new ways to create 10,000 jobs in Rhode Island over the next five years.  My “Executive Board” concept in which Rhode Island’s high-level elected and appointed public officials meet regularly and work together to find new ways to reinvent and reinvigorate how we do the people’s business demonstrates that I am the only candidate in the 1^st Congressional District race willing and able to effect change for the better.

David Cicilline cannot win in November.  If he is our Party’s nominee, the GOP will add another seat to its majority in the House of Representatives.  Any Democrat who supports or otherwise enables Cicilline will have to bear a significant share of the responsibility for that loss and, more importantly, for its disastrous impact on the lives of every man, woman, and child in our state and our nation.

I shall make my decision regarding a 2012 run in the very near future.  Within a week you will be hearing about a major initiative in which I am intimately involved – one that will bring considerable jobs and other forms of economic relief to Rhode Island.  All along I have said that I will make the best use of my talents and energy on behalf of the people.

Soon I shall share with the people just how I will live up to my promise to work on their behalf, be it in the private sector or as their congressman.

During and since the 2010 election cycle, I alone have held David Cicilline accountable for his lies and for his incompetence.  Now it is clear that the people see what I see and know what I know.  And if I run again, they will look to me not just for leadership, but also for the truth.  And they will get it.

Woonsocket, RI - Over 200 employees of Seven Hills of Rhode Island (formerly The Homestead Group and before that The ARC of Northern Rhode Island), a provider of services to the developmentally disabled, took to the picket line on Friday, holding a one day strike which began at 8:00am and ended around 6:00pm.

   The strike is in response to the Employer’s unilateral, and in the opinion of the Union, unlawful imposition of a 5% pay cut on front line staff in addition to severe cuts to medical benefits, elimination of the employer paid dental plan, drastic cuts to retirement contributions and less paid time off. Employees are particularly outraged by the Employer sparing supervisors and administrators the same cuts as front line staff. Cuts to administrators and supervisors are 3%. The Union has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board.

   Seven Hills’ developmentally disabled consumers–and their dedicated caregivers–have been crippled by an over $24 million reduction in reimbursements embodied in cuts imposed by the State in the current budget. However unconscionable the budget cuts are, cutting lower paid frontline staff 5% while administrators and supervisors are cut 3% is an inexcusable injustice.

   Without excusing the Employer’s conduct, the Union points out that Governor Chafee has turned his back on the developmentally disabled community by refusing to restore one penny in cuts in his current budget. In addition, House Speaker Gordon Fox and House Finance Chairman Helio Melo are equally to blame for both approving the $24 million in cuts in the current budget and their arrogant and heartless refusal to restore any of the cuts during this General Assembly session. As a result of Governor Chafee, Speaker Fox, Finance Chairman Melo, and the Employer’s actions and inactions, low wage workers are being pushed below the poverty level and medical and dental plans are made unaffordable. The majority of employees earn less than $10 per hour and have had only one raise in the last 7 years.

   Union President Michelle Armstrong said, “It breaks my heart to see so many of my coworkers pushed to the brink of financial ruin. They simply can’t take anymore. None of us expect to get rich doing this work but none of us expect to be kicked around by an arrogant employer, a heartless governor and an indifferent House Speaker. Why are we cutting the pay of the front line staff who cares for our most vulnerable citizens, while giving lesser pay cuts to management, the ones who can afford it. Many of these workers will be forced into poverty.” 

Legislators, governor reach compromise on compassion centers

Legislative leaders and the sponsors of legislation to allow compassion centers to distribute medical marijuana reached an agreement with Gov. Lincoln Chafee that will allow the centers to finally open their doors. Sen. Rhoda E. Perry (D-Dist.3, Providence ) and Rep. Scott A. Slater (D-Dist. 10, Providence) introduced legislation that will allow the Department of Health to regulate limits on the amount of marijuana that a compassion center may grow and possess to prevent them from being shut down or raided by federal agents. The bill will also allow patients and caregivers to sell excess marijuana to the centers to prevent illegal distribution of the excess.

Click here to see news release.

§  House Finance passes bill to allow casino gaming at Newport Grand
The House Finance Committee passed a bill that would allow casino gaming at Newport Grand, subject to the approval of the voters of the state and the city of Newport at the next general election. The legislation (2012-H 7543), introduced by Rep. J. Russell Jackson (D-Dist. 73, Newport , Middletown ), is scheduled for a vote on the House floor on Tuesday, March 6. Sen. Maryellen Goodwin (D-Dist. 1, Providence ) has introduced companion legislation (2012-S 2695) in the Senate.

§  Actor James Woods testifies in favor of benevolent gestures bill
Three-time Emmy award-winner James Woods appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to throw his support behind what has been dubbed the “benevolent gestures” bill. Introduced by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara (D-Dist. 19, Warwick, Cranston), the legislation (2012-H 7290) declares any expression of sympathy, condolence, compassion or general sense of benevolence inadmissible as evidence in a civil action against a health care provider. Woods testified in favor of the bill in light of his brother Michael’s death at Kent Hospital in 2006. An ensuing lawsuit claiming emergency room staff negligence was eventually settled in 2009 after the Woods family received a sincere apology from the hospital’s president
Click here to see news release.

§  Bills introduced to ‘Make it Easy’ to do Business in Rhode Island
Building on its successful work in previous years to make it easy to do business in Rhode Island , another package of bills has been introduced in the Senate designed to improve the economic climate in the state, remove barriers to growth and encourage job creation. The various bills would create a statewide, uniform, electronic building permitting system; make the state’s fire code more flexible and less costly for business; match job vacancies with unemployed citizens, and provide on-the-job training for unemployed workers who need new skills.
Click here to see news release.

§  Senate holds economic summit to discuss port bills
The Senate hosted an economic summit entitled “Expanding Jobs Through Port Resources,” channeling attention to job-growth opportunities through port development. Sen. William A. Walaska (D-Dist. 30, Warwick) gave a summary of the Joint Legislative Port Commission’s recommendations prior to two panel presentations and a general discussion among senators. The panels focused on business perspectives from Quonset/Davisville and the Port of Providence as potential areas for expansion.
Click here to see news release.

§  Minimum wage bills before House, Senate
Legislation to increase the state’s minimum wage from its current $7.40 to $7.75 have been introduced in the House and Senate this session. The bills also provide for annual increases beginning in 2014, based on the Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region. The House bill, (2012-H 7396), sponsored by Rep. David A. Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick), was heard by the House Labor Committee. The Senate bill, (2012-S 2374), was introduced by Sen. Erin P. Lynch (D-Dist. 31, Warwick) and is before the Senate Labor Committee.

§  Senate OKs ‘complete streets’ bill
The Senate passed legislation (2012-S 2131) sponsored by Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Newport, Little Compton, Tiverton) requiring that the state use “complete street” design features in all federal- and state-funded road construction projects, with an eye not only toward motorists, but also bicyclists, public  transportation users and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. Rep. Peter F. Martin (D-Dist. 75, Newport ) has introduced companion legislation (2012-H 7352) in the House.
Click here to see news release.

§  Blazejewski bill takes aim at tip theft
Legislation (2012-H 7566) submitted by Rep. Christopher Blazejewski (D-Dist. 2, Providence, East Providence) would prohibit restaurant owners and managers from demanding that servers turn in all or part of their tips, and prohibit tip pools that are split between anyone other than service employees like servers, bartenders and those who bus tables. The legislation is aimed at helping the many Rhode Islanders working in the service industry, and requiring restaurants to distribute patrons’ money as those customers intend.
Click here to see news release.

§  Legislation limits gratuity to pre-tax meal cost
Addressing an issue as to how gratuities are determined at family-style restaurants that add a tip to the bill, Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) has introduced legislation (2012-H 7674) to require restaurants that add the gratuity to the final bill to calculate that tip based on the amount of the meal cost, before taxes. 
Click here to see news release.

§  Assembly offers Wi-Fi access in chambers, committee rooms
As part of a continuing effort to update the General Assembly’s technology and to provide a more transparent and accessible legislature, House Speaker Gordon D. Fox and Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed announced the availability of Wi-Fi in the House and Senate chambers and galleries, all committee hearing rooms and in the hallways outside the chambers and committee rooms.
Click here to see news release.