Vote yes on Question 1 3/2/21 - Fine Arts Center

[RhowdyRam02]

The House Finance Committee tonight has started the process of determining the bonds that will be on the ballot for the state's special election in March, most likely March 2nd, and the $57.3 million bond for the Fine Arts Center looks to be going up to the voters as question 1. If this happens it will be really interesting to see how the vote goes. Budgets are very uncertain, so people might not be interested in voting yes on special bonds and an arts building is a tougher sell than a science building for a lot of people. That said, as mentioned in the article by Rep. Shekarchi, the time to invest is now with interest rates low and needing to juice up the economy coming out of Covid. We know this is desperately needed, hopefully this passes.

"When Rhode Island lawmakers finally vote on a budget for the current fiscal year next week, they plan to consider a measure to ask voters for $400 million in borrowing for education, green infrastructure, transportation and other initiatives.

If passed, the bond referendums would go to voters in a special election likely on March 2, according to state Rep. Joe Shekarchi, who is expected to be elected speaker of the House in January.

The proposal, set to be taken up as part of a “skinny budget” by the House Finance Committee Wednesday evening, includes seven separate questions for voters to consider."

• Question 1: $107 million for higher education projects at all three state colleges, including a fine arts center at URI, Clarke Science Building at Rhode Island College, and renovations at all four CCRI campuses

https://www.wpri.com/news/politics-gove ... -in-bonds/

[OBRAM]

I see where part of the outside of the Fine Arts building has been refurbished. Was that done in a separate bond?

[RhowdyRam02]

The $11.2 million first phase was funded through the RI Capital Plan Fund. Have to be honest, not sure the ins and outs of how some projects need to be put before voters, why some can just be done, and why one project (Fine Arts) can have part just done and then part has to go to voters. From the 2021 state capital budget:

Fine Arts Center Renovation & Addition
The Governor recommends $73.5 million in FY 2020 - FY 2024 to finance the continued renovation of the Fine Arts Center. The Fine Arts Center houses the University programs in the musical, theatrical, visual, and graphic arts. The initial project included upgrades to the exterior envelope and limited HVAC repairs for the Theater Hall and the Recital Hall pods. The Governor recommends $11.2 million from the RI Capital Plan Fund to complete the initial project.
The Governor requests a $57.3 million General Obligation question be included in the November 2020 election to continue this project. If approved by the voters, the recommended funding will finance a new three-story building, housing studios and offices. In addition, it will provide limited upgrades for the interiors of the performance halls, Theater and Music. URI has projected $5.0 million in private funding related to this new General Obligation Bond question.

[RhowdyRam02]

So it's official, the $57.3 million bond to replace the parts of the Fine Arts Center that didn't have the outside of them redone over the last two years is on the March 2nd ballot.

If you are a Rhode Island resident and plan to vote, there are several dates of which you should be aware:

• Sunday, Jan. 31: Deadline to register to vote online or in person at your local board of canvassers
• Tuesday, Feb. 9: Deadline to submit mail ballot applications
• Wednesday, Feb. 10: Early in-person voting period begins
• Monday, March 1: Early in-person voting period ends at 4 p.m.

• Tuesday, March 2: Special referenda election, polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Here is a link to the whole voter information handbook for the bond election

https://adminlb.imodules.com/s/1638/ima ... d6ecc&cc=1

If question 1 passes they estimate the Fine Arts Center will be completed by September of 2024

[rhodyruckus]

I sent in our mail ballot applications and am looking forward to voting YES. Just need to convince the missus in the meantime so our household vote isn't split. She seems to be less generous with the bond questions than I am, but listens to me on those I'm especially passionate about.

[Rhodymob05]

I wasn't and Art major, but anytime there's a chance to improve one of the worst buildings on campus, I vote yes.

[phipsiGD'11]

I see where part of the outside of the Fine Arts building has been refurbished. Was that done in a separate bond?

Has she seen the Fine Arts Center (I ask in jest)? I'd vote to either redo it or demolish it to make another beautiful building

[ramster]

I see where part of the outside of the Fine Arts building has been refurbished. Was that done in a separate bond?

Has she seen the Fine Arts Center (I ask in jest)? I'd vote to either redo it or demolish it to make another beautiful building

I thought the portion of the buildings that were resurfaced with brick were a good improvement - especially over the original basic concrete foundation look that I suppose was "art" back in the late 60's, early 70's.

Ahlborg Construction did that project over the past year or two - they were working on it this past summer.

Is that what you are referring to by saying demolish?

[OBRAM]

I voted yes on #1, but that's now a way to run a State U. having Bond Ref to do what should be done naturally.
Also, I think Gov. Gina took money away from the URI budget to pay for free tuition at CCRI. URI thru the Foundation had money to students who could not afford URI, so this was just a ploy to make Gina look good and get re-elected. RIC does not seem to be in good shape. Why commute to RIC when you can go to CCRI for two years free.
That's the way our Democratic Party works in RI, solve one problem and create 5 new problems.

[RhowdyRam02]

I don't know that she took money from URI for the free tuition program at CCRI, but I do know she took money to shore up the budget because of Covid issues and not all of the money was returned to us when the state finally got federal stimulus money.

I agree that RIC is kind of the odd school out, but my impression is they've always been the odd school out, though this did make things worse for them

[RF1]

REMINDER - Today is election day.

[RhowdyRam02]

VOTE EARLY, VOTE OFTEN!!!

[RhowdyRam02]

It passed approximately 58.9% to 41.1%. A great day for the University and a nice cap to Dooley's career as one of the great builders of the University. Call it the Dooley Center for the Arts

[ramster]

All 7 items were approved. The education item was the closest vote.

[rhodyruckus]

The elections website did that thing last night where it says 100% of precincts are in and the issue lost 48% to 52%, but none of the mail ballots were counted in that total yet. Not a great turnout although I personally would much rather vote for issues than POLITICIANS.

I think the breakdown was somewhere around 40,000 in person ballots and 60,000 mail ballots.

[RF1]

It passed approximately 58.9% to 41.1%. A great day for the University and a nice cap to Dooley's career as one of the great builders of the University. Call it the Dooley Center for the Arts

As noted, it garnered less support from RI voters than most of the questions on the ballot (only Question 7 that was approved by 58.7% got a smaller %). This follows the trend for education bonds in the state. As has often been the case in the past, it was rejected in several of the state's more rural towns (10 of 39). Once again many of these are the towns located in the western part of RI. Of the eight communities that border CT, only Westerly approved the education question.

RI Towns that voted against Question 1 with Rejection %
Burrillville 55.6
Coventry 56.7
Exeter 54.3
Foster 56.3
Glocester 55.7
Hopkinton 54.3
N Smithfield 52.3
Richmond 52.4
Scituate 56.4
W Greenwich 59.2



Question 1 authorized the state to issue bonds in an amount not to exceed $107.3 million for the following renovation projects according to the respective amounts:
* the University of Rhode Island Fine Arts Center ($57.3 million),
* the Rhode Island College Clarke Science Building ($38 million), and
* the Community College of Rhode Island ($12 million)

[OBRAM]

The elections website did that thing last night where it says 100% of precincts are in and the issue lost 48% to 52%, but none of the mail ballots were counted in that total yet. Not a great turnout although I personally would much rather vote for issues than POLITICIANS.

I think the breakdown was somewhere around 40,000 in-person ballots and 60,000 mail ballots.

I don't like so many mail-in ballots for any election. I am not talking about people who for one reason or another can't make it to the polls, or to the Town Hall to vote in person, I am talking about I would think most of the Mail-in ballots.
If people can put their lives in danger in the military, then if you want to vote you should be able to go vote in person ahead of time or on election day and show your ID.

[OBRAM]

People think this is just free money. Sell a bond and get matching money from the Fed Government. You don't need to raise cash by selling a bond. Gina put in the Truck tolls to get revenue, we have the lottery, we have casinos. The government should have money in the budget to get the matching money and should not have to do it by selling bonds. What happens if we go into a real recession, not a covid downturn and the State Revenue really falls off a cliff, how will the state pay for these bonds? Raising taxes just makes matter worse.

[rhodyruckus]

The elections website did that thing last night where it says 100% of precincts are in and the issue lost 48% to 52%, but none of the mail ballots were counted in that total yet. Not a great turnout although I personally would much rather vote for issues than POLITICIANS.

I think the breakdown was somewhere around 40,000 in-person ballots and 60,000 mail ballots.

I don't like so many mail-in ballots for any election. I am not talking about people who for one reason or another can't make it to the polls, or to the Town Hall to vote in person, I am talking about I would think most of the Mail-in ballots.
If people can put their lives in danger in the military, then if you want to vote you should be able to go vote in person ahead of time or on election day and show your ID.

Ok I confess. I'm not as brave as those in the military. Lol

I've actually done both now, did early voting in person for the 2020 election. But this time I filled out the mail ballot and dropped it at the box at town hall. Being a stone's throw away from getting my vaccine and us being beyond the pandemic, my personal calculus was why bother taking a risk now? Starting next election I am certainly voting in person every time. I consume election coverage and like big sporting events would rather be in person and taking part than a spectator the entire day.

[RF1]

If you can pay your taxes (as well as conduct other government business) by mail, you should be able to vote by that method as well. It is best for our government with more of the people participating in its decision making. If voting by mail is more convenient for many, it should be an option.

[rhodyruckus]

If you can pay your taxes by mail, you should be able to vote by that method as well. It is best for our government with more of the people participating in its decision making. If voting by mail is more convenient for many, it should be an option.

It is myopic to just say "suck it up and go vote in person" for everyone, even in non-pandemic times. There are lots of places much different than us in the northeast, and much less able-bodied as well. If you are confined to a wheelchair and live in a rural area, voting in person is a different proposition than I who can walk easily out the door and drive 2 minutes down the street to a polling place where I can typically cast my ballot with no wait within 5 minutes.

[UCH21377]

Call me old fashioned, but IMO voting is a special right that should be done in person, if you're home.

[OBRAM]

I don't trust the RI Board of Elections. They are all political appointees. I actually got a mail-in bail for the November election mailed to my house.
It had my address but someone else's name. A name of a person I never heard of, not any neighbor. I never requested a mail-in ballot. How can that happen they send a ballot with my address. I lived in this address for over 40 years, so it's not like it was a former owner.
So, tell me what do you do when you get someone else's mail-in ballot? I called the RI Board of Elections and they never answered my phone call or returned a message. I sent an email and never got a reply. I brought it up to my town hall and they didn't know what to do with it. The town hall had ballots strewn all over the place. After waiting almost an hour they took the ballot and I asked for a receipt. They scribbled something on a slip of paper. It was total chaos a week before the election. What happened to the ballot I will never know. Could I have voted twice, I think so.

[Rhodymob05]

If you can pay your taxes (as well as conduct other government business) by mail, you should be able to vote by that method as well. It is best for our government with more of the people participating in its decision making. If voting by mail is more convenient for many, it should be an option.

Except if I pay your taxes, you’ll thank me. If I steal your ballot and vote for you , you’ll hate me.

[OBRAM]

I am not talking about people for some health reason cannot vote in person, that is a small number. I am talking about large numbers of people voting by mail who are healthy people.
Would you send money in the mail? Would you put money in the mail to pay your taxes. I send a check.
Another reason is people don't trust mail-in ballots that is a problem.

[RhowdyRam02]

Another reason is people don't trust mail-in ballots that is a problem.

People not trusting a mail-in ballot is completely irrelevant to my ability and right to use one and so therefore is only a problem for them. That's something they need to get over, not something I need to change

[SGreenwell]

I am not talking about people for some health reason cannot vote in person, that is a small number. I am talking about large numbers of people voting by mail who are healthy people.
Would you send money in the mail? Would you put money in the mail to pay your taxes. I send a check.
Another reason is people don't trust mail-in ballots that is a problem.

It's almost like there was a concentrated, multi-year effort to shit on mail-in balloting. Meanwhile Oregon has been doing it for like a dozen years, and Texas was going to do it before it became unpopular with the national party.

[RF1]

While voting by mail has some issues, completely scrapping it is misguided. Many people prefer this option and it should be available to them.

[RhowdyRam02]

I am not talking about people for some health reason cannot vote in person, that is a small number. I am talking about large numbers of people voting by mail who are healthy people.
Would you send money in the mail? Would you put money in the mail to pay your taxes. I send a check.
Another reason is people don't trust mail-in ballots that is a problem.

It's almost like there was a concentrated, multi-year effort to shit on mail-in balloting. Meanwhile Oregon has been doing it for like a dozen years, and Texas was going to do it before it became unpopular with the national party.

Yup! It's much harder to force people to wait in line for hours to vote if they can just mail in a ballot instead. Have to make sure voter suppression efforts can work after all.

I don't think the average person in this area truly understands the magnitude of how messed up the voting process is in certain parts of the country and takes for granted that everyone has the same experience we do

[OBRAM]

You need a voting system people can trust and believe is not fraudulent. And if people don't trust the election process why even have elections?
I would not trust sending cash in the mail to pay my property taxes, I certainly would not trust sending a mail-in ballot to a State-Run operation that is controlled by one party. You have weeks to vote in person and show your id. You don't need to wait in line for hours on election day. If soldiers can storm the beaches of Normandy, then able-bodied citizens can certainly vote in person early or on election day. I think in my town if I didn't have transportation I would call the mayor and he would pick me up if I needed a ride.

[spookydog]

You need a voting system people can trust and believe is not fraudulent.

The majority of people want mail in voting.
Studies have consistently proved voter fraud to be exceedingly rare — including in the five states that now conduct all their voting by mail.

[RhowdyRam02]

You need a voting system people can trust and believe is not fraudulent. And if people don't trust the election process why even have elections?
I would not trust sending cash in the mail to pay my property taxes, I certainly would not trust sending a mail-in ballot to a State-Run operation that is controlled by one party. You have weeks to vote in person and show your id. You don't need to wait in line for hours on election day. If soldiers can storm the beaches of Normandy, then able-bodied citizens can certainly vote in person early or on election day. I think in my town if I didn't have transportation I would call the mayor and he would pick me up if I needed a ride.

You should have been watching the news around the election. There were hours longs lines everyday of early voting and election day because of attempts to disenfranchise certain voters. Not everyone's experience is the same as here in RI. And those soldiers stormed the beach at Normandy so people had the right to cast their votes by any legal method available, including by mail

[RhowdyRam02]

So it's official, the $57.3 million bond to replace the parts of the Fine Arts Center that didn't have the outside of them redone over the last two years is on the March 2nd ballot.

If you are a Rhode Island resident and plan to vote, there are several dates of which you should be aware:

• Sunday, Jan. 31: Deadline to register to vote online or in person at your local board of canvassers
• Tuesday, Feb. 9: Deadline to submit mail ballot applications
• Wednesday, Feb. 10: Early in-person voting period begins
• Monday, March 1: Early in-person voting period ends at 4 p.m.

• Tuesday, March 2: Special referenda election, polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Here is a link to the whole voter information handbook for the bond election

https://adminlb.imodules.com/s/1638/ima ... d6ecc&cc=1

If question 1 passes they estimate the Fine Arts Center will be completed by September of 2024

Sounds like there was some kind of issue in the initial bidding process and now demolition of the parts of the Fine Arts Center that are being replaced won't begin until December. Not sure what this means for the estimated completion time

[TruePoint]

You need a voting system people can trust and believe is not fraudulent. And if people don't trust the election process why even have elections?
I would not trust sending cash in the mail to pay my property taxes, I certainly would not trust sending a mail-in ballot to a State-Run operation that is controlled by one party. You have weeks to vote in person and show your id. You don't need to wait in line for hours on election day. If soldiers can storm the beaches of Normandy, then able-bodied citizens can certainly vote in person early or on election day. I think in my town if I didn't have transportation I would call the mayor and he would pick me up if I needed a ride.

Only people who live in online spaces that are the equivalent of putting your brain in a microwave “don’t trust the election process.”

The reason why you don’t want to send cash in the mail is that there is a risk someone might steal *because cash has a known and easily transferable value* which makes trying to steal it potentially worth the risk to some people. Nobody would “steal” a ballot because it has zero value to anyone other than it’s intended recipient. In order to influence an election by stealing ballots in the mail, the operation would have to be done at such a scale that it would virtually guarantee it would be exposed and everyone involved with it would go to jail.

[theblueram]

You need a voting system people can trust and believe is not fraudulent. And if people don't trust the election process why even have elections?
I would not trust sending cash in the mail to pay my property taxes, I certainly would not trust sending a mail-in ballot to a State-Run operation that is controlled by one party. You have weeks to vote in person and show your id. You don't need to wait in line for hours on election day. If soldiers can storm the beaches of Normandy, then able-bodied citizens can certainly vote in person early or on election day. I think in my town if I didn't have transportation I would call the mayor and he would pick me up if I needed a ride.

Only people who live in online spaces that are the equivalent of putting your brain in a microwave “don’t trust the election process.”

The reason why you don’t want to send cash in the mail is that there is a risk someone might steal *because cash has a known and easily transferable value* which makes trying to steal it potentially worth the risk to some people. Nobody would “steal” a ballot because it has zero value to anyone other than it’s intended recipient. In order to influence an election by stealing ballots in the mail, the operation would have to be done at such a scale that it would virtually guarantee it would be exposed and everyone involved with it would go to jail.

Huh? I don't trust mail in ballots or drop boxes. Call me crazy. Show up, show your Real ID(since illegals get drivers licenses now) or Passport. Otherwise don't vote.

[OBRAM]

Someone told me that Buddy Cianci had a vote harvester. This person would go to the elderly centers, pick up the ballots, and they would open them and only submit the ballots that voted for Buddy. someone says that;s written his book about Buddy. Vote harvesting is legal in RI as far as I know.

[theblueram]

Someone told me that Buddy Cianci had a vote harvester. This person would go to the elderly centers, pick up the ballots, and they would open them and only submit the ballots that voted for Buddy. someone says that;s written his book about Buddy. Vote harvesting is legal in RI as far as I know.

Yup. It's true