RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity: Opposing RhodeMapRI

Calling it the most "dangerous public policy agenda ever proposed for the Ocean State," the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity will submit a written response letter, opposing the little-known RhodeMapRI plan, to the state of Rhode Island and its Division of Planning. 

"Being touted as the economic development plan for our state, it is astonishing that so little is know about this scheme and that our gubernatorial candidates have not been asked about it," commented Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. "Who are these people that are planning our lives and imposing their values on the rest of us?" 

The letter lists multiple economic, governmental, and philosophical concerns and provides examples of in-state legislation and negative consequences of similar plans implemented in other states that would infringe on the rights of individual property owners and on the sovereignty of locally-elected governments.

The seven-page letter discusses how Rhode Island has ceded its economic development authority to a federal agency bent on imposing its sustainable development agenda, based on a radical environmental and economic-equality philosophy, including racial quotas, on cities and towns across the nation. The Center recommends Rhode Island should not become the first state to adopt such measures, especially given the lack of public debate on the topic.

The letter is being submitted as part of the plan's public comment period, which also includes public hearings Monday in Providence and Tuesday evening in North Kingstown. 

Since an opinion piece by Stenhouse was published last week in the Providence Journal, a number of concerned citizens and taxpayer groups have contacted the Center to indicate they plan to attend these hearings in order to speak out during the public comment segments. The Center encourages private and commercial property owners and lawmakers at all levels of government to attend or otherwise become educated on this initiative.

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