Brian M. Daniels | Director, R.I. Office of Management and Budget
1. How does your work with the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns influence your new position with the state? In responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, [state and local governments] collaborated on vaccination clinics and public outreach, which helped Rhode Island become one of the most vaccinated states in the nation. I hope to expand this cooperation to maximize the impact of state investments in key areas.
2. What do you see as the biggest budgetary needs or spending priorities for 2022? We are fortunate to have $1.1 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, which present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address the impacts of COVID-19 and improve the well-being of our residents. The RI Rebounds plan – the initial investment of 10% of ARPA funds – presents a framework to prioritize investments in housing affordability, small-business assistance, and children and families.
3. The state is forecasted to face a $200 million budget deficit in fiscal 2023. What ideas do you have to fill that gap? The state has experienced strong revenue growth, leading to a substantial projected surplus this fiscal year and a lower deficit projection for fiscal 2023. We should use the fiscal 2022 surplus as a one-time investment in initiatives that reduce future government costs such as addressing deferred maintenance on state buildings and upgrading information technology systems.
4. What challenges do you see in forming the upcoming budget and how will you address them? We need to build flexibility into how we use ARPA funds so that we can respond to a changing landscape. Also, like many employers, the state is having difficulty recruiting and retaining staff. As of November 2021, we had the fewest full-time equivalent employees since February 2009. We need to invest in our workforce to continue delivering the vital services that Rhode Islanders rely on.
5. How, if at all, do you plan to integrate more technology and digitization to improve record-keeping and budgeting across state departments? One of the best ways to use technology in public finance is improving transparency and accountability to show how taxpayer dollars are spent. We need to demonstrate how the investment of public funds is improving what Rhode Islanders care about – education and health outcomes, roads and bridges, wait times for customer-facing functions, among others.
Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Lavin@PBN.com.
