A tale of two Pattys

By Lonnie Barham
Posted 2/18/16

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” So begins Charles Dickens’ classic “A Tale of Two Cities.” The story, of course, masterfully contrasts events and …

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A tale of two Pattys

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“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” So begins Charles Dickens’ classic “A Tale of Two Cities.” The story, of course, masterfully contrasts events and people in two cities, London and Paris, in the years before and during the French Revolution; with London experiencing “the best of times” and Paris “the worst of times.”  

The title of Dickens’ book reminds me of contrasts the citizens of Warwick, West Warwick and Coventry can draw between two legislators, each of whom represents portions of all three communities.  

Since both legislators’ first names are Patricia, let’s call this contrast “A Tale of Two Pattys.” I’ll outline some similarities between the two and then draw contrasts. I’ll leave it to readers to decide which legislator’s actions will likely lead us to the “worst of times” and which is paving the road to the “best of times”. 

I speak, of course, of Representatives Patricia Morgan and Patricia Serpa.  

Both Pattys are white, middle-class females. Both are about the same age. Both have bachelor degrees and both have masters degrees in education. Both are suburbanites with children. Both have had successful careers before politics. From there, however, they differ remarkably. 

Patricia Morgan is a fiscal conservative whose beliefs, pronouncements and the bills she’s introduced indicate she wants to protect taxpayers, promote free enterprise/free markets, reduce onerous state regulations that turn businesses away, and expand school choice in Rhode Island.  

Patricia Serpa is more fiscally liberal but also seems socially conscious. The bills she supports would expand state spending and borrowing, add to the tax burden, restrict struggling students from attending charter schools, expand patient rights, and protect animal welfare.  

Both Morgan and Serpa score about the same on report cards issued by Common Cause Rhode Island for votes on election/campaign reform, ethics reform, and open government. Morgan scored a 65% grade, while Serpa garnered a score of 70%. They were both graded the same by the Rhode Island affiliate of the ACLU, with both legislators scoring favorably on five of fourteen civil liberties votes.  

Where the two differ dramatically, however, is on report cards issued by business-friendly organizations that promote economic growth, free enterprise, and free markets; and that want to reduce taxes and onerous business regulations.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses gave Representative Morgan a score of 91% favorable on her business-related votes, while it gave Representative Serpa only a 64% favorable rating - the equivalent of an “A” for Morgan and a “D“ for Serpa.  

The Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity tracks legislative votes on issues that either promote or restrict individual or economic freedoms. Its “Freedom Index” awards pluses for votes that protect or expand freedoms and minuses for votes that restrict freedoms. Morgan scored a plus 15.3 on the index while Serpa earned a minus 39.4.  

Legislation proposed or supported by the two Pattys reveal quite clearly where each stands on a variety of issues. 

Representative Serpa has introduced a bill that would severely restrict new charter schools and would restrict the expansion of current charters. It would require that charter schools be approved by the cities and towns whose students would attend such schools. Since these same cities and towns run our deplorable public schools, the bill would, in essence, hand over charter school decision making to public schools and their unions who abhor charters’ innovative and successful methods. Should Serpa’s bill become law, it will likely spell the end of innovative charter schools in Rhode Island and will result in a huge disservice to struggling students - mostly underprivileged kids - who need such schools.  

Representative Serpa has also introduced legislation that would add to the taxpayer-funded payroll at the Department of Environmental Management and would increase state taxpayer funding to certain “distressed” local libraries. On the positive side, her legislative efforts would also allow terminally ill patients the right to try experimental drugs and would better provide for animal welfare.

Representative Morgan, on the other hand, heads a policy group that has identified wasteful government spending and is pushing to eliminate it. She has also introduced a bill that would force the state to study (and improve) how it awards, implements and manages state contracts. Legislation she has introduced would reduce joblessness by requiring employers to use the federal government’s E-Verify system to ensure prospective employees are U.S. citizens or legal residents. Another of her bills would prohibit those who receive public assistance from using taxpayer-provided dollars for alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets.  

Each representative has introduced at least one bill that would reduce a narrow tax. Serpa’s bills would eliminate sales tax on taxi rides and other forms of ground transportations and would create a two-day sales tax holiday in August. Morgan’s bill would exempt from state income tax the first $15,000 withdrawn from a retirement savings plan.  

Representative Serpa initially expressed some concerns about Governor Raimondo’s bridge repair/truck tolling plan. However, she quickly fell in line with other Democratic legislators and voted to approve the plan. To make things worse, Serpa sent letters to some constituents in which she sought to “pass the buck” by blaming her vote for truck tolling on the Rhode Island Department of Transportation who, in her estimation, might fail to promptly fix roads and bridges in her district if she voted against tolling. 

Representative Morgan was and remains adamantly opposed to the tolling plan, primarily due to the borrowing required to pay for repairs to roads and bridges. She believes there is no need for truck tolls since the state’s budget already has enough money to finance repairs to our roads and bridges. Much like taxpayers do with their household budgets, she wants to shift money from less pressing state priorities and use it for bridge and highway repairs. 

Morgan’s principled fight for what she believes is best for her constituents resulted in her being verbally abused by a legislative chairman and shortchanged on information she felt other legislators and the public needed before such a momentous vote was taken.  

Readers should contrast the representation of one Patty who gave in to party leadership and who tried to hide behind fear of reprisal from RIDOT with the other Patty who demonstrated guts and resolve by standing up to abusive legislative leadership as she fought for what the believes is best for her constituents.  

On a side note, readers should also contrast the courage displayed by Warwick Representative Joseph Solomon, a Democrat, with his fellow Warwick Democratic representatives and senators. Solomon listened to his constituents and bucked legislative leaders by voting against the tolling plan. While Warwick legislators who voted for tolls will keep their legislative committee seats, revenge and retribution from legislative leaders was swift toward Solomon. Immediately after the vote, Solomon was booted off his legislative committee. Kudos to him for having the guts to vote as his conscience dictated.  

But, back to the “tale of two Pattys.” Hopefully, readers have decided which of the two Pattys represents what could lead to “the best of times” and which represents our state heading toward the “worst of times”. 

Regardless of the conclusions drawn, what’s amazing is how voters who live in the same communities, who share the same local governments, and whose children attend the same schools could elect two people to representative them who are so politically different.  

Only in Rhode Island...

A former Beacon columnist who wrote on current events, Lonnie Barham is a Warwick resident and continues to comment on Rhode Island affairs.

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    Only in Rhode Island.

    What a lame phrase. It is the lazy person's way of not having to deal with anything. Problem comes up, well only in RI. No effort has to be made to change things. Just sit there passively sucking on your thumb and blame everyone else. Which is what you do when you say only in RI. It is their fault, not yours. The system is rigged. You are powerless. waaaaaaaa, baby needs his diaper changed.

    If it is so bad here, move to New Jersey, or New Orleans, or Chicago where bad political things never ever happen.

    Friday, February 19, 2016 Report this

  • SmallGovFan

    Rep Morgan is the best "man" we have in the general assembly. One of the few with guts and brains. If all that Justanidiot can find to argue about is the phrase "only in RI" then he is truly living up to his screen name.

    Saturday, February 20, 2016 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    Only in Rhode Island is your statement correct.

    Saturday, February 20, 2016 Report this