THE HOUSE SPEAKER'S SMOKE SCREEN

I don't agree with the Providence Journal's editorial stances often, but the Pro Jo's GET MOVING ON LINE ITEM VETO scratched me where I itched. to some, it seemed encouraging when House Speaker Nicholas Matiello took Governor Gina Raimondo's push for a line item veto and turned it into a piece of legislation with his name atop. Finally, Rhode Island taking its legislative head out of the sand and moving forward, right? Slow down, there, stallion. The Speaker said he only did so as a courtesy to the governor. He says he's greatly concerned about giving voters the opportunity to change the Constitution through a 2018 ballot question. Matiello wants to a study commission to meet after this year's session ends. In other words, he wants to send it of to the tar pits of legislation...to hold it for further study. Do not pass go, do not collect your $200 dollars, do not give up an ounce of your omnipotent power. A line item veto allows a governor to strike out language or individual line items from the budget. It's one way to stop special interest measures stuck in in the session's final hours. It would also make the budget a two way street between the Governor and the Assembly. People in the state overwhelmingly want line item veto. Speaker Matiello barely won re-election to his district . He might want to lend a closer ear to what voters in this state want.


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