McCaffrey, Pisaturo days away from decisive primary

Posted 9/6/12

In Senate District 29, longtime incumbent Michael McCaffrey and challenger Laura Pisaturo are both gearing up for the primary that will decide who takes the Senate seat.

Both candidates are …

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McCaffrey, Pisaturo days away from decisive primary

Posted

In Senate District 29, longtime incumbent Michael McCaffrey and challenger Laura Pisaturo are both gearing up for the primary that will decide who takes the Senate seat.

Both candidates are spending freely, and of the local primaries, the senate race would appear to be the hottest.

McCaffrey said he has been busy knocking on doors and said Wednesday he would be visiting Meadowbrook Terrace. He plans to visit other senior centers late this week.

Pisaturo said she has been meeting with individuals from various neighborhoods, and has been actively updating her Twitter to highlight places and events she has visited in the past weeks.

“My campaign is about being present in Warwick, about listening to the voters of Warwick,” wrote Pisaturo in an email yesterday. “It's about conversations, not events.”

McCaffrey, the endorsed Democratic candidate, said he has received endorsements from a “cross-section of different organizations.”

Among those that have given their official seal of approval to McCaffrey are Rhode Island Council 94, AFSCME, AFL-CIO; the Rhode Island Construction and Building Trades Council; the Carpenter’s Union Local 94; the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 57 and the national Education Association (NEA) Rhode Island.

Pisaturo’s latest endorsements came from the National Association of Social Workers, Rhode Island Chapter, and Clean Water Action. She also has endorsements from Marriage Equality Rhode Island, Fight Back RI, The Victory Fund, Planned Parenthood Votes! and the National Organization for Women.

“I'm proud to have the endorsement of so many organizations who are committed to change,” said Pisaturo. “But the endorsement I'm working the hardest to earn is that of the voters in Warwick's 29th Senate District.”

Despite his various endorsements, McCaffrey said the “answer is simple” when it comes to voting for him. McCaffrey cited his lifelong Warwick residency and contributions to the city as clear reasons to re-elect him.

McCaffrey said the memorandum of understanding to get PILOT payments from Johnson & Wales University on the Radisson Hotel, his work on the car rental surcharge and his push against the meal and beverage tax were all ways in which he benefited the city and its businesses.

Pisaturo said people should vote for her because of her intense focus on rebuilding the economy and creating jobs.

“We've talked about increasing access to capital for small businesses, reducing bureaucratic red tape and bringing confidence back to government,” she said. “Those are real solutions that will help get us moving in the right direction again.”

According to campaign finance reports updated as of Sept. 4, McCaffrey has spent a total of $32,339.09 on his campaign since his first reported expenditure of the year on May 23. More than half of that – $16,560.31 in campaign and aggregate expenses – was spent since Aug. 14. Pisaturo, on the other hand, has spent a total of $11,112.16 since her first reported campaign expenditure on Aug. 29. Pisaturo’s most recent filing shows she spent $6,049.99 in campaign and aggregate expenses between Aug. 14 and Sept. 4.

Pisaturo currently has $34,265.94 in total assets, with McCaffrey’s totaling $120,868.51.

“I feel confident,” said McCaffrey about his chances in the election. “The response I’m getting on the street is very good.”

But Pisaturo feels otherwise, and thinks it’s time for a change, a change that is, for her, the central issue of the election.

“This race remains about one thing: Change versus more of the same,” she said. “Warwick is ready for new ideas and new leadership in the General Assembly.”

She went on to say that Rhode Island’s tough times are the result of stagnation in the legislature.

“The same old politics and politicians aren't getting the job done,” she said. “Warwick is ready for change, and I am up to the challenge.”

Pisaturo, who is grateful to Warwick’s voters for their “warm and enthusiastic response” to her campaign, said her campaign will be offering rides to the polls next Tuesday. Those interested should call 401-388-0029 or visit www.pisaturoforsenate.com for polling information.

“The primary is the election in this race,” said McCaffrey. “I encourage [voters] to come out on September 11.”

To find your polling place, visit www.sos.ri.gov/vic.

Comments

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  • FedUp1

    Where has she been? That is the question. Pisaturo hasn't been seen at any sewer meetings re:Gov.Francis for 3.5 yrs even though she lives there. She has all the progressive answers for the environment and let the residents be damned.

    Why is Ferri, Avedisian and Coluntuano working behind the scenes for her? It is because they all adhere to the liberal agenda of gay rights and abortion. What a disgrace.

    McCaffrey is being targeted because of his pro-life and opposition to same sex marriage. Thank God Mike has principles.

    Thursday, September 6, 2012 Report this

  • jcasasanta

    I take exception to the fact that only people who are pro-life and oppose same-sex marriage have principles. Since the democratic platform is pro-choice and believes in equality for all, I would say Laura is more aligned with the Democratic party than McCaffrey.

    Friday, September 7, 2012 Report this

  • patientman

    Vote out all the incunbents!

    Friday, September 7, 2012 Report this

  • bendover

    Fedup1; Surely yo jest? I guess you missed his sponsorship of binding arbitration for his pals in the teachers union. Or how about his cow-towing to his boss, the wicked witch of the East, Paiva Weed in killing E-Verify. Or how about his sponsorship of changing the estate tax law with this phony baloney $850,000 figure, which has CFP's and accountants mad as hell because it hurts people in the end? He brags about his car rental surcharge, which is paid by whom at the end of the day...the consumer! The numbers above should open your eyes, $120,000.00. Do you think that came from $25.00 times at the VFW or KofC? Wake up fedup...If he was really concerned about the sewer issue, he would have found a way to re-create the 60/40 grant program for septic replacement that was a success about 10 years ago. He ain't even in my district, but I know an empty suit when I see one...Time for a career change.

    Friday, September 7, 2012 Report this

  • FedUp1

    To the previous post.....your kidding of course. Sen, McCaffrey stood with the people in Gov. Francis Phase II when Avedisian and Coluntuano told us to hook-up to the sewers and pay for Avedisian's mismanagement of the WSA.

    Pistaturo has now sent out a flyer that blames Sen. McCaffrey for state pension reform and states we should follow Avedisian pension model. Pisaturo continues to show her ignorance. Avedisian didn't do pension reform. His model doesn't address the $260 Million unfunded police and fire one and Pisaturo doesn't tell how Avedisian put the city in the hole for $600 million of unfunded pensions and healthcare. That is Pisaturo's approach....don't bother to know the facts.

    Sen McCaffrey seriously studies the issues before he passes comment. Mike is more than a one issue candidate.

    We would expect Ferri, Pisaturo and Avedisian to be for same sex marriage.

    Saturday, September 8, 2012 Report this

  • bendover

    Listen very closely fed up...If you want to openly advocate for politicians and feel a need to comment on every cause de celebre that comes down the pike, then resign your post as an elected member of the non-partisan school committee. I have many disagreements with the Mayor on a host of issues, the WSA being just one. But to blame him solely for an agency that has been run off the tracks almost from its inception, through 4-5 administrations and countless city councils with little or no oversight is unfair. The facts are if it wasn't for Al Gemma and Carlo Pisaturo, there never would have been a city wide bond issue for sewer construction. McCaffrey bought you off with a stop gap measure on tie ins. You have not asked him, McNamara, Coluntuano, Naughton, Walaska, Handy, or any of the other wiz-bangs who hold office, "Why no pursuit of federal monies, be it grants or low interest loans to complete the tie ins?" While you are at it, ask Langevin and Reed...it was the Obama administration that supposedly pumped $1B into this State.

    Your comment on state pension reform and or budgets is laughable...McCaffrey has been there for 18 years! The population of the State was about 1m when he was first elected and the budget was a little over $1.3B...18 years later the population is the same, but the budget is $8B! What's wrong with this picture? As far as pension reform...Yes, he voted for Raimondo's pension reform, but the quid pro quo was sponsoring the binding arbitration bill for the NEA. He didn't count on it being killed in the House. Of course, you being a school committee member, you would know all about the financial implications for the taxpayers if that thing got passed. FED UP...Read the audit reports on the $15B pension and healthcare liability. The warnings were sounded by Ernie Almonte for at least 10 years! The stooges in the GA looked the other way, little or no oversight. All of the parties in that room who signed contracts year after year knowing that they were reckless and unsustainable should be charged federally for perpetrating a fraud on taxpayers and the rank and file. Look at McCaffrey's big donors, then tell me who has his ear on large issues...BIG LABOR!

    As far as this gay marriage stuff..I don't really give a damn..it is # 187 on the list of priorities that needs to be dealt with Statewide. If the State goes belly up city by city, town by town like Central Falls, gay marriage and a whole lot of other things won't matter. You are suppose to be a numbers guy fed up...tell us, can the amount of debt on the books both State and local be fixed without Draconian change? To say that Mike McCaffrey is some sort of steward or gatekeeper of financial responsibility, or a change agent is Fantasyland. WAKE UP!

    Saturday, September 8, 2012 Report this