Yeah, yeah. I know the GA comes up with these budgets and they have more than enough votes to override any veto. But when in the last 6 1/2 years has the Governor put up a good fight? You can't try to get along with these people and fight for the taxpayers at the same time.

There is a way to turn this around. I'm afraid the Gov. either doesn't have the guts to do it, or he's surrounded himself with bozos who make it impossible for him to be effective.

In typical GA fashion, just tax, tax, tax those who have worked and saved two lumps of coal to pay for those who don't work and save so they can have three.

Is anyone else out these screaming mad about this!!! Huh, is there? What have you people done to show your anger? Have you joined a tea party? Have you called your Rep or Senator? Are you going to call either one tomorrow and tell them off!!

What does the Governor has to do to prove to people he assembled the best team to make the best recommendations?

And yet there are those who don't know the GA is responsible for passing a budget, the Governor can only submit a budget, not enact it.

Laffey was right.

As a first time home buyer, this is a huge reason I'm looking to buy in MA. Besides the savings annually on property taxes, its only a matter of time before there isn't any more one time funding to tap into and the people in this state get hit hard. I can see property tax, income tax, sales tax all increasing and if it can't be done with a tax, look out for fees. Unless an economic miracle happens, it's not an if it's when.

Also, I thought the purpose of the stimulus money was to create jobs and help our economy. Instead, here we use it to bail out our legislature from making difficult decisions and its 200+ million unavailable to the 10% unemployed that could use it. Excellent!

Can someone out there construct some sort of PLAUSIBLE positive scenario for Rhode Island over the next ten years?

For the life of me, I can't think of one.

It would be nice to entertain the thought that there is some reason for hope in the "Hope" state.

Everything but everything I see points to continued economic decline as our competitiveness with other states continues to erode ... coupled with multiple municipal bankruptcies ... coupled with a greater proportion of a non-working to unskilled-working population ... coupled with increasingly potholed roads and weight-restricted bridges ... coupled with a continued inferior pubic education system ... coupled with continued middle class flight.

Rhode Island - the new Detroit.

"Rhode Island - the new Detroit."

Except we don't have an auto industry... or really any industry for that matter.

The plausible "10 year scenario" for Rhode Island is for those who can afford to leave, probably located in sunny Florida. Barring a change in the type of people that are elected to the RI General Assembly, nothing will change for the better.

As a non-participant in the gas tax funding plan, I will not be affected by that part of the great solution.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts should revise their gas tax revenues upward for the impact of increasing purchases by Rhode Islanders escaping their abusers.

Maybe we need some kind of twelve step program to deal with our self-abusive voting addiction.

We certainly do need a twelve step program. When people keep complaining but do nothing to forward good government because they are afraid, too busy, or some other lame excuse, they have nobody to blame but themselves.

This is the little state that can't. Instead of shouting the Obama montra of yes we can, we should no we can't.

I find it pretty frightening that so many productive people are leaving this state. They are tired of waiting for the change that apparently, is never going to come.

Kathy,

How much would you pay to see a video of Pat Crowley making his best pitch to a roomful of CEOs for why they should relocate their companies to Rhode Island? Perhaps followed by Linda Katz or someone else from the Poverty Institute or Ocean State Action making their best pitch? I have no doubt that this slice of reality would become an instant classic...