Public Banking for Rhode Island

Our state deposits hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in Wall Street banks that use that money to finance fossil fuel projects, private prisons, and luxury real estate. A public bank owned by the people of Rhode Island would keep our money in our communities, funding small businesses, green infrastructure, and affordable housing at lower cost. It's time we stop subsidizing banks that profit from our public dollars and start investing directly in working families.

We will create a Rhode Island Public Bank, modeled on the successful Bank of North Dakota, to hold state deposits and partner with local credit unions and community banks. This bank will provide low-interest loans to small businesses, farmers, first-time homebuyers, and municipalities, without the predatory fees and red tape of big commercial lenders. The profits will return to the state's general fund, reducing pressure on regressive taxes and fees.

And we will end the practice of using public money to bail out private financial institutions. For too long, politicians in the General Assembly have told us there is no money for schools, housing, or healthcare while handing over millions in tax breaks and subsidies to banks and developers. A public bank changes the math: Rhode Island's money should build Rhode Island, not enrich shareholders.

Universal Childcare and Pre-K

Too many Rhode Island parents are forced to choose between a paycheck and safe, quality care for their children. Childcare costs in our state rival a year of college tuition, yet early educators—overwhelmingly women and women of color—earn poverty wages. We will treat childcare as the public good it is, not as a private luxury for the wealthy.

We will cap childcare costs at 7% of household income for every family and cover the rest through public investment. That means no family in Rhode Island will have to spend more than 7 cents of every dollar they earn on care for a child under five. We will also guarantee universal pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds, so every child enters kindergarten ready to learn, regardless of zip code or family income.

At the same time, we will raise wages for childcare workers and early educators to at least $25 an hour, with benefits, paid planning time, and a pathway to union membership. Our children's teachers deserve more than poverty pay, and parents deserve care they can count on. Building a universal childcare system is not just good for families—it's an investment in our state's economic future.

Public Broadband and Digital Equity

Internet access is not a luxury—it is a basic requirement for school, work, healthcare, and civic life. Yet big telecom companies leave too many low-income, rural, and urban neighborhoods with slow, unreliable, or unaffordable connections. We cannot have a fair economy when some Rhode Islanders are left offline because they cannot afford $100 a month for broadband.

We will treat broadband like the public utility it is and build a municipally owned, open-access fiber network that reaches every home and business in the state. This network will be operated for the public good, not for shareholder profit, with affordable rates, net neutrality protections, and publicly accountable management. No family should have to choose between paying the internet bill and putting food on the table.

We will also invest in digital literacy programs, refurbished computers for low-income households, and publicly accessible wifi in parks, libraries, and public housing. Closing the digital divide means ensuring that every student can do homework online, every worker can access job training, and every senior can use telehealth. High-speed internet should be a public service, not a corporate toll booth.

Transportation Justice and Public Transit

Rhode Island's public transit system has been starved for decades, leaving working people stranded without a reliable way to get to jobs, school, or the doctor. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority has faced repeated budget crises while the state pours money into highway expansion that benefits suburban commuters and out-of-state contractors. That has to change.

We will fully fund RIPTA and transition to fare-free bus service, so that no one has to choose between bus fare and groceries. Free, frequent, and reliable transit is the fastest way to cut carbon emissions, reduce traffic, and connect low-income communities to opportunity. We will also invest in bus rapid transit, safer bike lanes, and walkable streets, especially in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket, where too many residents have been cut off from economic life.

Our transportation policy will prioritize people over cars and riders over highway contractors. We will require that any new highway or transit project include strong community benefits agreements, union jobs, and protections against displacement. Every Rhode Islander deserves the freedom to move safely, affordably, and with dignity—not just those who can afford a car and a parking space.