From Robert Whitcomb's "Digital Diary,'' in GoLocal24.com:
There was unfortunate chaos at the end of the Rhode Island legislative session caused by a war of wills between House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio. The battle was ignited by Mr. Ruggerio’s last-minute inclusion in budget legislation of an escape clause that would let the General Assembly stop the car-tax phaseout – beloved by Mr. Mattiello -- if in any given fiscal year the legislature determines it to be fiscally irresponsible.
As regressive as the car tax is, Mr. Ruggerio is right to be leery of a phaseout’s long-term fiscal effects, especially given the inevitability of recessions. Where would legislators find the money to reimburse the municipalities to offset their loss of car-tax money when the economy goes south?
It’s too bad that the two leaders couldn’t have worked out a deal on the budget, which is now in limbo because of their standoff. That’s because, as I’ve written, the stalled budget was generally fair, practical and reasonable, or about as much as it could be given political realities.
In the end, it comes down to personalities as much as policies and principles. Perhaps the two leaders will go fishing or play 18 holes of golf together in the summer to achieve a détente before a special session in the fall to address the budget and the Pawtucket Red Sox’s desire for a new stadium. Okay. Maybe they don’t like each other and probably won’t get together. But a cooling-off period might help.
