It says something about a person, or a state, when criticizing others becomes bad habit. Insecurity. Low self-esteem. That sort of thing.
Once again, in what’s becoming a tired theme, the Providence Journal on Tuesday published an editorial that pointed out that Connecticut has some problems.
The editorial was headlined “Cautionary tale from Connecticut,” and it was based largely on an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal written by Bob Stefanowski, the former Republican candidate for governor who could not offer a single solution for the state’s woes beyond “cut taxes” with no specifics.
The editorial refers to Connecticut as “a sea of dysfunction” and ends by saying “Rhode Island’s politicians would be wise to avoid repeating its mistakes.”
Let’s talk about dysfunction.
Aside from Rhode Island’s horrifying legacy of corruption (just Google “Rhode Island corruption” — you could surf the links for a week), Rhode Island doesn’t measure up to Connecticut, as we’ve said before.
U.S. News & World Report, for example, takes “thousands of data points” to rank states. Turns out Connecticut is ranked 21st overall. Rhode Island is 26. Connecticut beats Little Rhody in education, health care, crime and infrastructure. That’s right — Rhode Island’s infrastructure is worse than Connecticut’s. Alas, on the economic measures, Rhode Island’s rankings generally exceed Connecticut’s, but it’s worth mentioning that Connecticut’s business climate is ranked just a pip above Rhode Island’s.
We agree that more attention should be paid to cutting spending in Connecticut, and we have consistently called for pension reform and other steps.
Connecticut’s economic issues are significant, but Connecticut is working hard to fix those mistakes — which were mostly made long in the past, as the state didn’t contribute to its employee pension plans for decades. But even though Gov. Dannel P. Malloy was whipsawed for raising taxes in 2011 and 2015, he was the first governor to fully fund the state’s ongoing pension needs. Other steps taken in the last few years are expected to save tens of billions of dollars over time. It’s a problem that won’t be solved overnight.
Why does the Providence Journal feel compelled to keep harping on Connecticut’s problems? This latest jab — coming from the state whose main distinction is that it is exactly the size of Rhode Island — adds nothing.
Maybe it’s hoping to boost Rhode Island morale: “Rhode Island shares some of these problems, particularly in local communities. But at least it passed state pension reform earlier this decade.”
At least. Rhode Island was able to do that because its pensions are set by statute. Connecticut’s are done by collective bargaining. It makes it much more difficult for Connecticut to make the changes Rhode Island managed.
The city of Providence has its own problems. Officials there could take a lesson, too.
The editorial’s statement that “Connecticut presents a cautionary tale of what happens when a state overspends and then desperately tries to overtax to get out of the jam” mischaracterizes the ongoing struggle to right the ship. Yes, there are new taxes, but the sales tax and income tax rates held steady in the current budget — that’s hardly “desperate.” And a reamortizing of the teachers’ pension plan will also help us get out of the jam.
The Journal’s swipe at Connecticut’s debate over whether to install tolls on its highways is also curious. Rhode Island has tolls, and according to a December Providence Journal story, the money is rolling in — and more toll gantries are on the way.
It’s puzzling that a neighboring state delights in our struggles — especially a state that benefits so much from the booming manufacturing ecosystem in eastern Connecticut, anchored by Electric Boat and the supply chain for United Technologies, among other things.
As we’ve pointed out before, it doesn’t make sense for Rhode Island to try to poach jobs from Connecticut. And Gov. Gina Raimondo’s claim that Rhode Island is “an island of rationality” is truly laughable.
No doubt, Connecticut has serious problems. But what we need are solutions. Like Mr. Stefanowski, the Providence Journal offers none.
What’s that saying about being part of the problem?
