There will be THREE statewide bond questions on your ballot this November. Here we summarize each measure, highlighting what will happen when you vote YES.
1: University of Rhode Island Narragansett Bay Campus – $100,000,000
“For repairs and to construct new facilities on the University of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay Campus in support of the educational and research needs for the marine disciplines.”
When you vote YES on this bond, URI gains the resources needed to continue being a global leader in the blue economy, which is an important driver of our state’s economy as a whole, generating over $5 billion each year. By approving this bond, we invest in our future while advancing scientific knowledge of our oceans and creating more good-paying jobs in the process.
2: Rhode Island School Buildings – $250,000,000
“To provide funding for the construction, renovation, and rehabilitation of the state’s public schools.”
When you vote YES on this bond, you agree that all of our children, regardless of socioeconomic status, should have access to a safe & enriching learning experience. These funds will allow much-needed renovation for our state’s public schools, a direct investment in our children, leveraging their futures.
3: Green Economy Bonds – $50,000,000
“For environmental and recreational purposes, to be allocated as follows:
- Municipal Resiliency – $16,000,000
- Small Business Energy Loan Program – $5,000,000
- Narragansett Bay and Watershed Restoration – $3,000,000
- Forest Restoration – $3,000,000
- Brownfields Remediation and Economic Development – $4,000,000
- State Land Acquisition Program – $3,000,000
- Local Land Acquisition Matching Grant Program – $2,000,000
- Local Recreation Development Matching Grant Program – $2,000,000
- Roger Williams Park and Zoo – $12,000,000″
When you vote YES on this bond you prioritize the health of our state’s natural environment. Beyond keeping our waterways and other public spaces beautiful and open to the public, the tourism they generate is a key driver of our economy. Here is a brief summary of each measure:
- This investment will directly support Rhode Island’s cities and towns to identify top hazards, improve community resiliency, and strengthen public safety in the face of increased flooding and more frequent and intense storm events driven by climate change.
- This investment will help small businesses “green” their operations by providing grants and zero or below market rate loans for implementation of clean energy projects, saving small businesses money, increasing energy efficiency and reducing their carbon footprint.
- This investment will restore and protect water quality, aquatic habitats, the environmental sustainability of Narragansett Bay and the state’s watersheds.
- This investment will go towards health management and wildlife habitat projects at state management areas. Healthy forests offer watershed protection, prevent soil erosion, purify our air, clean our water, and mitigate climate change.
- This investment will go towards cleaning up former industrial sites or “brownfields” so they may revitalize our neighborhoods, be returned to tax rolls, and create jobs. These projects have helped build new schools, businesses, affordable housing, and recreational space on formerly vacant properties throughout the state.
- This investment will protect open space to enhance our communities, allocate funds to acquire and conserve lands of statewide interest and significance.
- This investment will create new and improve existing community parks and recreation facilities. Access to green space improves health, promotes stronger social ties, and enhances neighborhood satisfaction and pride.
- This investment will create new and improve existing community parks and recreation facilities. Access to green space improves health, promotes stronger social ties, and enhances neighborhood satisfaction and pride.
- This investment will help the Zoo meet the technology demands of the modern-day classroom, increase student capacity, expand its education programs and establish a large venue with seating capacity for lectures, assemblies, and artistic performances.