When will these people give up?
The R.I. General Assembly keeps pushing to break down the separation-of-powers constitutional amendment that was designed to remove the legislative over-reaching that had undercut the state’s executive branch and created great potential for corruption.
The battleground at the moment is the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council, a 16-member panel that is supposed to be appointed by the governor. Unfortunately, the legislature’s leaders have asked the R.I. Supreme Court for a ruling that in essence would overturn the very clear and overwhelming message that voters delivered when they passed the separation-of-powers amendment. (“
Court expected to issue opinion on CRMC seats,” by Dave Ortiz, in the current PBN.)
That’s a very bad idea.
Here’s a good one. Instead of fighting over who appoints the members of the CRMC, disband the panel and fold its functions into the R.I. Department of Environmental Management – an agency that is clearly part of the executive branch, and thus out of reach of meddling legislators.
In these lean times, that would not only be a blow for good government, but it would save money in the process.
Can you say win-win? •