In the Arena – Joe Paolino and RI House Speaker Joe Shekarchi

Each week Joe Paolino, Jr. interviews people of interest on his program, “In The Arena”. The show airs at 7am on Sundays on ABC6.

This week Paolino talks with House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi.

They talk about marijuana legalization, which he says will not benefit Rhode Island financially almost at all. Issues of taxation, regulation, health issues, law enforcement, etc. as well as the millions of infrastructure money coming into Rhode Island.

Four buckets of money – CARES Act (under Gov. Raimondo, funds expired and spent) – ARPA funds (social service, rescue funds – through the budget process) – Infrastructure money (more specific for roads, paving, transportation, broadband) – Build Back Better (social service network) – waiting on how it will be passed.

Anyone can go on the state’s website to submit suggestions and comments.

$6M for Pay for Success – funds for homelessness – says they will attack this issue with gusto.

Cities and Towns have 1/2 Billion they can match with their own funds to leverage into great projects.

They also talk about vaccination and the pandemic, resistance to vaccination, etc. and its impact on health, restaurants, hotels, tourism, etc. – as well as redistricting and the gubernatorial election, and other issues important to Rhode Island.