To the editor:

The recent article covering the East Bay Chamber of Commerce Event (‘Elected officials discuss how to spend a billion dollars, and change a culture’) only covered half the story of the ‘Coffee And Commerce’ roundtable, and skipped the bottom line: East Bay lawmakers are tone deaf on the needs of businesses and consumers as a whole.

As if their blatant disregard for issues like Rhode Island’s high gas taxes (which are 35-cents-a-gallon – highest in New England according to nonpartisan Tax Foundation) wasn’t enough, they failed to bring up some of their own anti-business legislation.

I was present at the event. I once again thank the legislators for being present, as there are so few opportunities people have to question our elected officials on their own potentially harmful legislation.

Like House Bills 7543 and 7786 – sponsored by Reps. June Speakman, Liana Cassar and Susan Donovan, which would mandate that all lawn care devices have zero emissions by 2027, and a plan for such submitted to the House and senate by 2023.”

Although just a feasibility study, this is clearly a long-term goal by our elected officials that will affect hundreds in the lawncare industry and thousands of consumers who hire them, along with imposing any potential added costs, if ever passed into law.

Or like House Bill 7378 – sponsored by Speakman, Donovan, and Rep. Jason Knight – “Recycling Act of 2022,” which would create an added cost to all bottled beverages – both on consumers and distributors.

During a difficult period of supply chain issues and inflation causing a spike in food and petroleum-based products, a mandatory recycling tax will only add to people’s food bills and hit working families where it hits the most.

According to the latest CNBC Top States for Business list, Rhode Island ranks “F” in the cost of living, the cost of doing business, and access to capital – no surprise with such policies coming from our state legislature.

Rep. Knight made a good point: “It comes down to electing the right people to office” and “you get what you pay for … we’ve had some bad leadership over the decades.”

Citing “legislative literacy,” he concluded: “Hire people with integrity who are going to do what they say they’re going to do.”

Right now, legislative literacy is unfortunately in short supply. Sadly, not many people know exactly what goes into state legislation and the often-negative impact it may have on our state – if ever passed.

Thankfully, the bad legislation cited never passed into law – but it still could return, if the same people are re-elected to office (some not even having an opponent and coasting to another term unchallenged).

This is an election year. Time for taxpayers, community leaders, concerned parents and everyday citizens to offer a choice. To that end, June 27, 28, and 29 is the declaration of candidacy period to run for office.

If people are sick of the status quo, keep those dates in mind and motivate yourself to run for office – or face the same lawmakers and potentially bad legislation for years to come.

Will Sousa Grapentine
112 Mulberry Road

Mr. Grapentine is vice chairman of the Bristol Republican Town Committee.