Dee DeQuattro: Pulse on Politics - Make Like a Tree and Leave

Dee DeQuattro

Great news tax payers! According to a WJAR I-Team report, $21,000 a week of tax payer money is going to pay state employees who are on administrative leave. That means they are payed to stay home, and it also means they are under investigation in their departments for some reason. Suspensions can continue as long as the investigation and/or administrative hearings continue and meanwhile tax payers have to foot the bill for these individuals temporary replacements and for these individuals to stay home.

Speaking of leave... last week we had three DOT workers placed on leave and this week the chief medical examiner is placed on leave, all due to “a restructuring in the department.” Don’t you just love how bureaucracy phrases things.

Rhode Island: same bank, different robbers

So what really happened? The public may never know -- but don’t worry -- your tax dollars are still paying these individuals while they are on leave, combined they make over $600,000 a year. Maybe we could use some of that money toward repairing the states “crumbling infrastructure” instead of constantly looking for new “innovative” ways to take people.

All hope is not lost for these workers in trouble at their jobs; if they do end up getting axed they can always apply at RIPTA. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority recently hired a man arrested and found guilty of filing false mileage reports at Rhode Island Recovery (aka the Johnston Landfill). RIPTA says he was forthcoming about the charges and they think he is the right man for the job.

Take a number

The Department of Health and the Department of Transportation are not the only things malfunctioning in Rhode Island. Apparently a machine malfunction at the Department of Labor sent more than eight hundred letters including people’s personal identity information to the wrong individuals. Yikes.

Governor Raimondo signed a bill this week to start phasing out the remaining 25,000 cesspools in Rhode Island. Some law makers worried about the cost and burden this may cause to homeowner but in the end the Governor signed it as a way to protect the environment and the bay?

Half-full disclosure

Meanwhile, it must be a slow news week at GoLocalProv for the blog to take on Cranston Mayor Allan Fung for not responding to what they call a “reporter inquiry” at 9 PM at his personal home number. The article claims the Mayor called the police on this “reporter call” but does not include any comment from Fung or his staff on the matter. Instead it prints a comment from Fung’s staff about having extra police detail at a PawSox meeting. By the way, the journalist happens to be a former political candidate who is a strong opponent of the Pawsox stadium deal. Last I checked, journalists were not supposed to run for office or be on the side of a political movement. Also worth noting, this specific journalist once worked as a reporter for GoLocalProv. Either way, seems like a petty story and doesn’t really prove the Mayor called the cops. But due to the phone call, I don’t think most people would blame a person if they called the police after a late night harassing phone call.

Uptown Fung

Nonetheless it has been a rough week for the Mayor after WJAR aired a report regarding State Police findings after an investigation into the Cranston Police Department. The report does not specify what is included in the findings but says it is damaging to the Mayor and involves the Mayor and his administration interfering with police business. The report says that the information will be released to the Mayor in the future. So, basically, no answers for anyone right now and the blame game just continues.

Bridge over troubled rails

There is some good news for Cranstonians, the Park Avenue Bridge is reopened after it was abruptly closed for “structural issues’ that conveniently coincided with a heated debate at the State House over the Governor’s  “Rhode Work” plan. Coincidently, House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello opposed the bill without more research and he just so happens to use that bridge daily.

New Bedford loses, again

And... bad news for New Bedford. It looks like they won’t be getting a casino after all. The developers pulled the plug after they say they couldn’t secure financing in the City by the Sea. Now eyes are on the Brockton fairgrounds for Massachusetts' third casino license.

It's a gas!

Lastly, all is well at the beach as URI oceanographers have linked the explosion at Salty Brine Beach to hydrogen combustion. So, feel free to kick back relax and hit the beach this weekend -- It probably won't hit you back!