The Rhode Island Republican Party advocates freedom and liberty for all Rhode Islanders through a strong economic future, an education system based on parents and students, and safer communities.
We envision families flourishing in their state of heritage where children are provided opportunities to excel, advance, and develop a legacy of success.
THE ECONOMY
We believe that informed Rhode Islanders make wiser decisions than government. Free Enterprise should be the guiding force behind our economy. Oppressive government regulation and Rhode Island’s excessive taxes are hurting families.
We stand for the reduction of the state sales tax striving to make Rhode Island competitive with neighboring states; reducing the rate to a maximum of 5%.
We support the repeal of the franchise tax, which is charged to all businesses regardless of profitability.
The government should not be involved in corporate welfare, thereby allowing the market place to determine winners and losers. The taxpayers of Rhode Island should never be held responsible to pay for a bond on which they did not vote, such as in the 38 Studios debacle.
We support legislation that would allow the Governor of Rhode Island to veto individual line items in the budget.
We aim to limit the growth of future state spending to no more than inflation minus 1% for the next ten years.
Rhode Island has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the nation, causing companies to leave the state and increasing unemployment. We advocate policy changes that reduce the corporate tax rate from 9% to 6% increasing job growth for our families.
We believe all revenue from the gas tax and license renewal must be used for road and bridge maintenance. We oppose the expansion of any new tolls. We advocate the merger of the Department of Transportation and the Bridge and Turnpike Authority to reduce redundant expenses.
We believe the burden of debt is as destructive to human freedom as subjugation by conquest. Therefore government, at all levels, must exercise fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraint and must work within the confines of its resources and maximize those resources to the greatest advantage of its citizenry.
EDUCATION
Education has been a great economic equalizer in American society. It provides the opportunity for any child, regardless of socio-economic status to be raised up in society based upon hard work and achievement. The best way to benefit a child is for parents and teachers to control education, not politicians and lawyers.
We support the elimination of the Caruolo Act and it’s Maintenance of Effort clause, which has only resulted in taking money away from our children.
We recognize that all children should have access to the best education, meaning parents should be able to allocate tax payer dollars to best serve their child, indicating that money spent on education will directly follow the child. We support school choice programs that will encourage competition between students and schools.
Vocational training in our schools is essential to the creation of a balanced, efficient and productive workforce. We recognize the contributions these curricula have provided and encourage the expansion of similar programs to improve the skill level of the Rhode Island work force.
GOVERNMENT ETHICS
We believe that government service is a public trust. Ethics in Government service is a fundamental principle that ensures elected and appointed officials serve the people with the highest standards of morality and honesty while never using their positions for personal gain.
The members of the General Assembly should be subject to the Rhode Island Ethics Commission in order to aggressively pursue conflict and eliminate corruption.
We are in favor of the elimination of the Master Lever.
FAMILY
We believe a strong and healthy family is the building block of society. The home should be a safe environment where family decisions are made, children are raised, and morality is taught.
The family is fundamental in educating the citizens of Rhode Island on the importance of patriotism, freedom, hard work, and opportunity; which has produced a prosperous America for over 200 years. We encourage a two-parent home as the best environment for raising children. We believe in the sanctity of human life.
HEALTHCARE
We believe Rhode Islanders will receive optimal affordable healthcare when competition within the healthcare industry is emphasized, market forces determine costs, and fraud is prosecuted.
We believe in maximizing interstate competition within the healthcare system.
We support the protection of all existing private healthcare plans.
We believe health insurance premiums should be fully deductible from Rhode Island taxes.
In order to reduce the cost of health insurance for all Rhode Island families we must increase fraud prevention and reduce frivolous medical lawsuits.
We do not believe tax dollars should be used for elective procedures.
We strive to guard constitutionally protected freedom of conscience.
We support the transfer of responsibility from Health Source RI to the federal system and capture the savings that affords us.
IMMIGRATION
We believe in the development of opportunity for the success and prosperity of all immigrants who respect the laws of the United States and wish to integrate into Rhode Island society.
We believe that Rhode Island should work with the federal government to institute an expansion of the work-based visa system and establish strong incentives for immigrants to use legal channels.
We support the improvement of border security and the enforcement of employee verification as means of reducing the exploitation of immigrant workers and streamlining the entry and exit systems for immigrants.
We strive for an immigration policy that matches Rhode Island’s economic and labor needs, enhances the principles of family unification, protects the welfare of our citizens and potential immigrants while promoting compliance and enforcement of Rhode Island Laws.
PUBLIC SAFETY
We believe that public safety is a fundamental duty of government through the creation and enforcement of just and fair laws. We recognize quality of public safety directly correlates to quality of life.
The Constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Rhode Island guarantee citizens the right to keep and bear arms. We oppose limitations on firearms and ammunition, which aim to disarm law-abiding citizens.
Public safety is a multi-faceted issue that requires a comprehensive approach to ensure the well-being of Rhode Island families.
CONCLUSION
The Rhode Island Republican Party believes that citizens must be free to pursue their own happiness with limited government interference. The Rhode Island Republican Party’s goal is to ensure all Rhode Island families have the same opportunity for economic success, educational excellence, and healthy safe communities and to ensure prosperity for generations to come.