On Tuesday, Nov. 2, voters will be asked to approve a dozen bonds totaling $392 million. From a financial perspective, it is the single-biggest referenda in the state’s history.
But one of the most important requests on the ballot won’t cost taxpayers a dime.
After more than a decade of tireless work, proponents of government reform last year finally convinced an overwhelming majority of legislators in the General Assembly to put a Separation of Powers constitutional amendment before voters, a proposal that will appear as Question 1 on the ballot.
If approved, Article III, Section 6 of the Rhode Island Constitution would be amended to read: “No person holding any office under the government of the United States, or of any other state or country, shall act as a general officer or as a member of the General Assembly, unless at the time of taking such engagement that person shall have resigned the office under such government; or and if any general officer, senator, representative, or judge shall, after election and engagement, accept any appointment under any other government, the office under this shall be immediately vacated…”
If the proposal sounds complicated, it really isn’t. The adoption of a Separation of Powers amendment will significantly curb the state Legislature’s appointive powers by banning lawmakers from serving on state boards and commissions that have decision-making functions. It will also strengthen the authority of the governor to appoint members to such boards.
So why is such an amendment so important?
For starters, it begins to counter the perception of an ‘Old Boy Network’ running things at the State House. This measure will not eliminate political patronage. But it will certainly remove a powerful tool from the arsenal of legislative leaders. No longer will they be able to dangle the chairmanship of a board or commission to a colleague who would then be expected to follow political interests over those of the public good.
The passage of the Separation of Powers amendment is not only critical to the general populous, it is especially important to the business community.
H. Philip West Jr., executive director of Common Cause of Rhode Island, said there are more than 70 boards and commissions in Rhode Island with some kind of permitting authority. These are boards that business owners must appear before on a regular basis.
West points out that for too long people have believed that they had to make side deals, rather than having issues decided on their merits. And while he is quick to acknowledge that the majority of lawmakers do not misuse their authority, it would be foolish to ignore Rhode Island’s reputation for allowing political patronage to flourish and that there is a very obvious conflict that arises when oversight is mixed with advocacy.
Political pundits expect the Separation of Powers amendment to pass on Nov. 2. But don’t take anything for granted. Get out and vote for it. It’s the right thing to do, it’s long overdue – and it should go a long way toward improving the very perception of what it’s like to do business in Rhode Island.
