Governor Gina Raimondo released a nearly $9 billion budget proposal on Tuesday, February 2nd. Highlights of her budget include: an increased state investment in both education and workforce preparation, and new initiatives to bolster the state’s economy.

State Investment in Education

Gov. Raimondo has proposed a number of improvements to education, namely:

• $80 million appropriation for construction and renovation, including $9.1 million for the school building authority,
• $40 million general obligation bond to renovate and modernize school facilities with a focus on health and safety and investing in STEM learning spaces,
• Funding free PSATs and SATs for public high school students,
• Making college more affordable by freezing college tuition with record investments at URI, RIC and CCRI and continuing need-based Rhode Island’s Promise scholarships,
• Expanding P-TECH so more students can earn associate degrees in competitive fields, and
• Investing in workforce development initiatives, like Real Jobs RI and TechHire, to train Rhode Islanders for well-paying 21st century jobs.

Workforce preparation

Gov. Raimondo is seeking to improve RI’s workforce, by:

• Expanding R&D tax credit by $5 million,
• Fostering innovation in our economy by leveraging higher education to create jobs,
• Increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, and
• Expanding Wavemaker Fellowship student loan repayments and offering down payment assistance on homes for recent graduates through the Ocean State Grad Grant.

Health & Wellness

To address health needs in the state, Gov. Raimondo is proposing to:

• Fight the overdose epidemic by investing in treatment, recovery centers and training, and
• Increase funding to support senior services like Meals on Wheels and ensure that every community has a senior center

Gov. Raimondo hopes to achieve success by strengthening RI’s economy and advancing its industries. She feels that only this will place RI at a level playing field with the rest of the country. Stay tuned for updates on how these proposals move forward. Questions? Contact us.