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It has been a privilege to serve as your State Senator. The last few years have been challenging as Rhode Islanders navigated a pandemic and the economic consequences brought from it. As Senate Finance Committee Chairman, I have worked to ensure taxpayer dollars are leveraged to assist families through these times while investing in our collective future.
This past session alone we put together a comprehensive tax relief package while making key investments in education, healthcare, housing and our infrastructure.
In addition, as Finance Chair, I have sought to make your voices - the voters of Cumberland and Lincoln - even louder at the state house. Focused locally, we have delivered millions in additional aid for our schools, expedited repair of local roads, and, importantly, implemented the full elimination of the car tax this year. I humbly ask for your consideration for re-election this fall so we can keep our state moving forward.
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- Senator Ryan Pearson
ISSUES
Fighting For Relief For Residents
Rhode Islanders are struggling under the weight of the pandemic and inflation. As Finance Committee Chairman, Sen. Pearson led efforts to allocate state and federal funds in ways that would provide relief for residents of our community. He fully eliminated the car tax this year. Cumberland residents had more time left on the phaseout than other communities; to ensure they were not left behind, Sen. Pearson secured a supplemental payment to the town. No resident of Cumberland or Lincoln will ever receive another car tax bill.
Sen. Pearson also passed a new $250 per child tax credit, being issued this month. He expanded property tax relief for seniors, increased the income tax exemption for retirees, and eliminated taxes on military pensions.
Education Is A Top Priority
Sen. Pearson has worked to improve the school funding formula so that it is fairer to all communities across the state, including increasing aid to Cumberland by $1.5 million and Lincoln by $1.8 million. He also secured state funding for school construction projects across Lincoln and Cumberland. He championed the sweeping 2019 school reforms modeled on the gold standard in Massachusetts to improve school accountability and to align high standards with statewide curriculum. This year, he worked to add 2,600 public Pre-K seats, with a commitment to reach 5,000 seats by 2024.
Supporting Economic Vitality
Sen. Pearson is working to ensure that Rhode Island’s economy is working for everyone, including making the largest-ever state investment to build and incentivize affordable housing in every community. This year’s budget deposited $100 million to the unemployment fund, reducing taxes on every business while preparing for future claims. Sen. Pearson also helped steer investment in job training and student loan repayment assistance to increase available workers, and ensured record investments in roads, bridges, airports and other infrastructure.
Improving Health & Human Services
Sen. Pearson led efforts to reform Medicaid payments, ensuring access to care while reducing insurance premiums. He fought for inclusion in the state budget of funding for a DCYF accreditation plan, adding hundreds of workers to support children most in need. He also supported initiatives to ensure delivery of quality care right here in Rhode Island, reducing reliance on out-of-state options; expanded health insurance coverage for children and pregnant women; and strengthened mental health services for patients and providers.