Projo Politics Blog

Spokesman Larry Berman said it remains unclear whether the House will vote during that two day stretch on binding arbitration as a route to resolve deadlocked teacher contract negotiations, a union-driven proposal being considered by a key House committee this afternoon.

But he said the House does not intend to take up Governor Carcieri's bid to withhold payments to the cities and towns of $32 million in final-quarter state reimbursements for their lost car-tax revenues, because there wil be ample time after the lawmakers return in January to consider the governor's spending and deficit-cutting plans.

He also ruled out action - during the special session - to bring the lawmakers themselves back under the umbrella of the state Ethics Commission, in the wake of a court decision last spring in a case involving former Senate President William V. Irons that suggested their official actions as lawmakers are exempt from Ethics Commission scrutiny or prosecution.

Berman said House leaders believe debate on that issue can also hold, because it involves a potential Constitutional amendment to be placed on the November 2010 ballot, that has not yet even had a hearing.

But Murphy, in his letter, said he was very much aware of "the desire of the members and the need to address the serious economic issues, including worsening revenue numbers and increasing unemployment confronting our state.''

"Because of the economic situation, I have scheduled the House of Representatives to meet in both November and December to focus exclusively on economic issues,'' he wrote.

He announced his plans to call a Democratic caucus for 4 p.m. November 5 to "freely discuss some potential plans of action for the current fiscal situation.'' He did not say whether the caucus - from which the House's six Republicans would presumably be excluded -would be open or closed.

The timing coincides with the final days of the state's twice a year annual revenue estimating conference. The top fiscal advisors to the house, the senate and the governor will meet several times between October 30 and November 10 to reassess where state government stands financially, after months of deteriorating revenue collections that have led to early projections of a potential $150 million current year deficit.

After those meetings, Murphy said, "we will have a better understanding of the depth of the problem that we are confronting.''

On December 1, he said, the House will hold "an economic summit for all members,'' that will bring in business leaders, economists and fiscal analysts from both state and national organizations...to gather some expertise on the economic and fiscal situation in our state, region and nation.''

"I think this forum will help prepare us to take intelligent and informed action to address the economic situation that confronts Rhode Island,'' Murphy wrote.