Issues…

It’s getting harder to call Rhode Island home. Across our state, housing costs have skyrocketed, and in our coastal towns, the pressure is even greater.

A 2025 URI poll found that 93% of Rhode Islanders believe housing costs are a serious problem.

When working families can’t afford to live here, our schools, small businesses, and year-round communities suffer.

I believe we can turn the tide — with smart, balanced policies that protect what we love about South County while making it affordable for the next generation.

HOUSING

Turning the Tide on housing

  • Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) — small apartments or cottages built on existing properties — can help create more affordable housing options without changing the character of our neighborhoods, but they only work when towns have the infrastructure to support them.

    I’ll support:

    • Simplifying zoning and permitting

    • Offering grants or low-interest loans for septic and water upgrades

    • Encouraging year-round rentals, not just short-term vacation listings

    ✅ Done right, ADUs can help seniors stay in their homes, give young families a start, and strengthen our local tax base.

  • In District 36, land is limited — and that’s part of what makes our towns special, but it also means we must get creative about where and how new homes are built.

    Instead of expanding into open space, we can:

    • Encourage adaptive reuse of older or oversized homes into well-planned, energy-efficient options

    • Support conversion of existing buildings -- such as outdated motels, offices, or municipal properties -- into year-round workforce housing

    • Allow housing only where roads, utilities, and community services can handle it

    ✅ We shouldn’t build more than our infrastructure can handle. Smarter redevelopment, paired with infrastructure upgrades, keeps growth sustainable and true to our coastal character.

  • You can’t build sustainable housing on outdated infrastructure.

    Towns in District 36 need state help modernizing water, sewer, and drainage systems.

    ✅ To make responsible growth possible, I’ll advocate for a Coastal Infrastructure Fund to help towns modernize essential systems and prepare for the future while protecting Narragansett Bay and our environment.

  • We love our seasonal visitors, but we also need to keep our communities livable for those who call District 36 home all year long.

    I’ll work to:

    • Explore additional property tax credits for full-time residents

    • Reward landlords for offering long-term rental commitments

    • Find ways to curb real-estate speculation that prices out working families

    ✅ Stable, year-round neighborhoods are the foundation of our schools, small businesses, and community life.

  • Affordable housing doesn’t have to mean big developments.

    Smaller, well-designed projects built in partnership with local builders, nonprofits, and Rhode Island Housing can meet community needs without changing the character of our towns.

    ✅ That’s why I’ll champion more funding for local housing trust funds and public-private partnerships that create affordable and workforce housing where it’s needed most.

  • We can protect the beauty and character of District 36 and make it more affordable for families, seniors, and young professionals.

    With smart planning, better infrastructure, and local collaboration, we can ensure District 36 remains not just a beautiful place to visit, but a vibrant place to live, work, and raise a family.

Share your story

Housing affects all of us, from first-time homebuyers to lifelong residents.

If you have a story to share about housing challenges or creative solutions for our district, then please share it!

We all know what’s at stake.

Climate change, coastal erosion, and pollution aren’t abstract issues. They’re real problems facing residents of District 36 everyday.

Clean air, safe shorelines, and local jobs in clean energy are what we gain when we act together, so how do we turn the tide?

ENVIRONMENT

Turning the Tide on THE environment

  • Beach access isn’t a privilege — it’s a constitutional right for every Rhode Islander.

    I’ll work to ensure that right is respected and protected. That means keeping public access open, improving parking and facilities where possible, and preventing anyone from quietly closing off pathways that generations of families have used to reach the water.

    The shoreline belongs to all of us, and it’s up to us to keep it that way.

  • Love it or hate it, Rhode Island is already a leader in offshore wind, and District 36 is at the heart of it.

    The Revolution Wind project, just off our coast, represents hundreds of local jobs and enough clean energy to eventually power tens of thousands of homes.

    I support responsible renewable energy projects that move us toward a cleaner, more resilient grid while protecting our fishing community, marine life, and coastal environment.

    Clean energy isn’t just good policy, it’s good business for Rhode Island.

  • From solar panels to electric vehicles, Rhode Islanders are already making smarter energy choices. It’s time for our infrastructure to catch up.

    I’ll advocate for expanded EV charging stations, especially in public and coastal areas, and support programs that help homeowners and small businesses install solar and battery storage.

    Cleaner energy and lower costs are a future we can all get behind.

  • Our ponds, salt marshes, and wetlands are natural defenses against flooding and pollution. Protecting them protects us.

    I’ll push for stronger stormwater standards, expanded wetlands buffers, and investments in natural restoration projects that keep our coast resilient and our water clean.

    Healthy ecosystems mean healthier communities.

  • We’re the stewards of Rhode Island’s coast, and the choices we make today will define the state our kids inherit tomorrow.

    Together, we can build a cleaner, more sustainable, and more resilient future for everyone who calls District 36 home.

In District 36, our infrastructure is showing its age, and the cracks are starting to show with it.

Each summer, water bans hit our neighborhoods.

The wastewater treatment plant near Scarborough Beach strains to keep up.

Roads, pipes, and public systems built decades ago are now buckling under today’s demands.

These aren’t minor inconveniences. They’re early warning signs.

When water systems fail, it impacts everything: public safety, local business, and the health of our coastline.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Turning the Tide on Infrastructure

  • Each summer, Veolia, the company supplying water to much of Narragansett and South Kingstown, is forced to impose water bans. The system simply can’t keep pace with summer demand.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Invest in capacity. Support Veolia’s $17 million plan for new mains, an added one-million-gallon storage tank, and smart meters that track use in real time.

    • Plan regionally. Coordinate water management with North Kingstown and South Kingstown to balance supply before emergencies hit.

    • Promote conservation. Replace last-minute bans with consistent, predictable water-use policies — like our neighbors successfully use.

  • Our wastewater treatment plant near Scarborough Beach is nearing capacity, struggling to handle the flow from homes, visitors, and new development.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Expand the plant. Increase capacity by roughly one million gallons per day to handle peak loads safely.

    • Fix what’s leaking. Repair infiltration and outdated lines that waste capacity and raise treatment costs.

    • Leverage funding. Secure state and federal infrastructure grants to make upgrades without overburdening ratepayers.

  • We can’t keep patching systems that were built for a smaller, simpler time. Climate change, population shifts, and seasonal surges demand a smarter, more resilient approach.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Invest in resilience. Prioritize storm-hardening, green infrastructure, and energy-efficient systems that save money long-term.

    • Create local jobs. Every project, from pipe replacement to plant expansion, should employ Rhode Islanders and use local contractors.

    • Plan for growth. Make sure infrastructure keeps pace with development so we’re never forced to choose between progress and sustainability.

  • North Kingstown and Block Island face similar seasonal stress but took proactive steps: structured irrigation limits, local ordinances, and modern metering.

    Instead of emergency bans, they rely on predictable conservation rules and long-term planning. It’s proof that when we plan ahead, we stay ahead.

  • This is about more than pipes and pumps. It’s about protecting our way of life.

    Reliable water, safe wastewater systems, and resilient infrastructure keep our communities strong and our coast clean.

    By modernizing what’s beneath our feet, we protect what’s above it: our homes, our beaches, and our future.

    Let’s turn the tide on infrastructure and make sure District 36 is ready for the next 50 summers on the shore.

Rhode Island’s economy should reward hard work, not punish it.

It starts with common sense: reforming taxes that punish working people, growing jobs in clean energy and the trades, and cutting red tape for housing and small business owners.

When we make it easier to live, work, and stay here, our economy grows stronger from the ground up.

We can turn the tide by lowering costs, keeping our graduates here, and investing in local businesses that create jobs and strengthen our coastal communities.

Together, we can make Rhode Island a place where people want to live, work, and build their future.

economy

Turning the Tide on our economy

  • Rhode Island’s high cost of housing and taxes are pushing families to the brink. For many middle-income households, owning a home or starting a small business feels impossible.

    To fix it, we can:

    • Reform property taxes to reward year-round residents and protect seniors on fixed incomes.

    • Streamline permitting and zoning so more affordable housing can actually be built where it’s needed without endless red tape.

    • Encourage in-state investment by offering targeted tax credits for small business owners who hire local workers or reinvest profits here in Rhode Island.

    • Audit state spending to reduce waste and redirect funds toward infrastructure and housing affordability instead of bureaucracy.

    These steps make it easier to live, work, and grow in Rhode Island — instead of driving people out.

  • Rhode Island educates thousands of talented students every year, yet many leave because opportunity doesn’t follow graduation.

    To keep our graduates here, we can:

    • Launch “Stay in RI” initiatives that offer tuition forgiveness or tax incentives for graduates who live and work in-state for five years.

    • Expand partnerships between URI, CCRI, RIC, and local industries to align education with real job openings especially in clean energy, marine trades, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare.

    • Create an Innovation & Entrepreneurship Fund that helps young entrepreneurs launch startups with mentorship, seed capital, and affordable office space.

    • Promote housing incentives for first-time buyers under age 35, helping graduates put down roots instead of leaving.

    We can’t afford to keep training tomorrow’s workforce for someone else’s economy.

  • Those with resources can leave Rhode Island for lower-tax states, while those without are left struggling. That dynamic drains our tax base and our community strength.

    To make staying affordable and worthwhile:

    • Phase in targeted tax relief on pensions and Social Security to help retirees stay local and keep their spending power here.

    • Simplify the small business tax structure so that the next generation of entrepreneurs can grow without drowning in paperwork and fees.

    • Invest in reliable infrastructure -- roads, bridges, broadband -- especially in coastal and rural areas, to attract remote workers and new investment.

    • Expand workforce housing near job centers so working families can live close to where they work.

    Rhode Island should be a place people choose to stay, not one they’re forced to leave.

  • Turning the tide on Rhode Island’s economy means building from the bottom up, not the top down.

    Here’s how we get there:

    • Support local business first. Shift procurement and contracts toward Rhode Island-based companies.

    • Invest in the coastal economy. Modernize our ports, preserve the fishing industry, and expand clean ocean technology jobs.

    • Grow green. Embrace wind, solar, and offshore energy as job creators — while retraining workers in trades and construction to support those industries.

    • Balance the budget with common sense. Use performance-based budgeting so every dollar spent delivers measurable results.

    The Ocean State’s strength has always been its people, innovative, hard-working, and resilient.

    It’s time our economy reflected that spirit again.

Rhode Island spends among the most per student in the country, but our results don’t reflect that investment.

Too many students still struggle with reading, math, and college or career readiness.

Meanwhile, some districts are shrinking while others face growing needs: more multilingual learners, more special-education students, and higher costs across the board.

If we want better outcomes, we can’t just spend more, we have to spend smarter, with a clear focus on early success, great teachers, and pathways to real opportunity.

education

Turning the Tide on education

  • By third grade, too many Rhode Island students are already behind in reading and math and catching up later is much harder.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Start early. Fund evidence-based early-literacy programs in every elementary school and make sure teachers are trained and supported to use them well.

    • Expand tutoring and summer learning. Give kids who fall behind regular, small-group support instead of one-size-fits-all remediation.

    • Keep parents in the loop. Create simple, easy-to-read progress reports that show where a student stands and how to help at home.

  • The state’s school-funding formula hasn’t kept up with changing demographics. Some districts are losing students while others serve more multilingual learners and students with special needs, yet resources don’t always follow.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Fix the formula. Update funding weights for multilingual learners and special-education students so dollars match where the needs really are.

    • Encourage regional partnerships. Neighboring towns can share special-ed and transportation services to lower costs and improve quality.

    • Reward improvement. Future funding increases should recognize student growth, not just enrollment numbers.

  • Rhode Island’s teacher shortage, especially in special education, math, science, and bilingual instruction, makes it hard to deliver consistent, high-quality learning.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Make teaching a destination career. Offer paid residencies, loan forgiveness, and incentives for those entering high-need subjects.

    • Streamline certification. Allow qualified teachers from other New England states to transfer credentials easily.

    • Support school leadership. Invest in training for principals and teacher-leaders who can strengthen school culture and retain staff.

  • Not every student plans to attend college, but every student deserves a path to success after graduation.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Expand Career & Technical Education (CTE). Partner with employers in health care, marine trades, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing to create more local training opportunities.

    • Connect learning to work. Align high-school programs with local industries so students graduate ready for well-paying jobs or apprenticeships.

    • Guarantee real-world experience. Make paid internships and community projects part of every high-school pathway.

  • When Rhode Island students succeed, our entire state succeeds.

    By focusing on early learning, fair funding, teacher support, and real-world opportunity, we can give every child the chance to thrive and every community the pride of strong public schools.

    From Narragansett to North Kingstown to Block Island, our schools reflect the best of Rhode Island — tight-knit communities that care deeply about their kids and their teachers. But each faces unique challenges that deserve focused attention.

    • Narragansett: Enrollment declines are putting pressure on budgets, even as costs rise. We need to protect programs that make small districts strong like advanced placement, arts, and athletics through smart regional partnerships, not cuts.

    • North Kingstown: With one of the strongest CTE and STEM programs in the state, North Kingstown can be a model for how schools partner with local employers in marine trades, manufacturing, and clean energy. Expanding those opportunities will keep young talent right here in South County.

    • Block Island: Limited staffing and travel costs make it hard to offer full services for special-education and advanced learners. By creating shared service agreements and tapping technology for remote enrichment, we can give island students access to the same opportunities as their peers on the mainland.

    Together, we can make District 36 a model for how Rhode Island delivers strong schools, smart spending, and brighter futures — right where we live.

Rhode Island spends nearly one-third of its state budget on healthcare, yet our outcomes don’t reflect the investment.

We’re paying more, waiting longer, and getting average results.

Doctor shortages, high insurance costs, and aging infrastructure all strain our system, especially for families and seniors.

If we want better health outcomes without breaking the budget, we need to focus on prevention, primary care, and making sure our dollars go where they matter most: to patients, not bureaucracy.

healthcare

Turning the Tide on healthcare

  • Rhode Island has one of the lowest physician reimbursement rates in New England. That means fewer doctors are choosing to practice here, especially in primary care and pediatrics, and patients wait months for appointments.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Raise reimbursement rates to competitive levels so we can attract and keep high-quality doctors and nurses.

    • Expand loan forgiveness for new medical professionals who commit to practicing in underserved areas.

    • Support telehealth access so patients in rural or coastal communities can connect with doctors faster.

  • Insurance premiums, prescription drugs, and hospital bills continue to rise faster than wages.

    Too many Rhode Islanders skip care because they can’t afford the deductible and that drives up costs later when minor problems become major.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Increase price transparency. Require hospitals and insurers to post clear, public pricing for common procedures.

    • Encourage competition. Streamline licensing for urgent care and telehealth providers to give families more options.

    • Invest in prevention. Fund community-based wellness programs that reduce long-term costs through early detection and healthier living.

  • From teens to seniors, mental health needs have exploded since the pandemic — and our system hasn’t caught up. Waitlists for therapists are months long, and emergency rooms are becoming the default mental health provider.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Integrate care. Place mental health professionals directly inside schools, primary care offices, and community clinics.

    • Fund more crisis response teams so people in mental health emergencies get help, not handcuffs.

    • Expand training and reimbursement for therapists and counselors to build a stronger mental health workforce.

  • Rhode Island ranks near the top for per-capita healthcare spending, yet middle-of-the-pack for outcomes like life expectancy, infant health, and chronic disease management.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Focus on outcomes, not overhead. Tie hospital and provider incentives to measurable results like reduced ER visits and better chronic disease control.

    • Promote community health partnerships. Support local programs that address root causes — like food insecurity and housing instability — before they become medical crises.

    • Modernize data systems. Streamline electronic records so hospitals, doctors, and patients can share information securely and efficiently.

  • We don’t have to accept long waits, high bills, and average results as the norm.

    Rhode Island can lead by creating a healthcare system that’s affordable, accessible, and focused on prevention where care happens before crisis and doctors can focus on healing, not paperwork.

  • In District 36, access and affordability go hand in hand.

    From South County Hospital in Wakefield to the Block Island Medical Center, our communities rely on local healthcare that’s personal and community-driven, but that system is under stress.

    • Narragansett: Seasonal population surges strain local clinics and urgent care centers. Expanding telehealth and mobile health units can ensure consistent coverage year-round.

    • North Kingstown: As families grow, we need more pediatric and mental health services close to home, not 40 minutes away in Providence. Incentivizing providers to serve suburban and rural areas will keep care local.

    • Block Island: Limited access to specialists and emergency transport makes every healthcare dollar critical. Strengthening partnerships with mainland hospitals and improving telemedicine infrastructure can be life-saving.

    When care is local, affordable, and preventive, everyone wins. That’s how we turn the tide on healthcare in District 36 and across Rhode Island.

Rhode Islanders pay some of the highest energy costs in the country, and those bills keep climbing.

We rely too heavily on natural gas.

Almost 90% of our electricity comes from it, leaving us vulnerable to price spikes and supply issues.

Meanwhile, the transition to clean energy has been slow, uneven, and expensive.

If we want to protect both our environment and our wallets, Rhode Island needs a smarter, balanced approach.

One that invests in renewables, modernizes our grid, and makes efficiency affordable for everyone.

energy

Turning the Tide on energy

  • From home heating to electric bills, the cost of energy in Rhode Island is simply too high, hurting families and driving businesses to lower-cost states.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Diversify our energy mix. Reduce reliance on natural gas by investing in offshore wind, solar, and small-scale renewables that keep dollars in-state.

    • Modernize the grid. Upgrade aging infrastructure to handle renewable energy and prevent outages during peak demand.

    • Help families save. Expand rebates for home insulation, heat pumps, and solar installations to cut monthly bills and reduce demand statewide.

  • Rhode Island’s renewable goals are ambitious, but red tape, permitting delays, and lack of local participation have slowed progress.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Streamline permitting. Create a single, transparent approval process for renewable projects to speed up development.

    • Support community solar. Allow renters and condo owners to participate in solar programs and share in the savings.

    • Invest in local jobs. Prioritize Rhode Island workers for wind, solar, and grid modernization projects, building both our economy and our energy independence.

  • Energy prices aren’t the only concern. Reliability matters too.

    Aging transmission lines and outdated substations make our grid more vulnerable to storms and blackouts.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Harden the grid. Invest in weather-resistant lines, underground infrastructure where possible, and better backup systems for critical facilities.

    • Encourage microgrids. Develop small, self-sufficient power networks for schools, hospitals, and public safety buildings so communities stay powered during outages.

    • Plan for the future. Use state and federal funds to forecast and prevent grid stress before it happens.

  • We all want cleaner energy, but the transition must be realistic and affordable. Families shouldn’t have to choose between supporting climate goals and paying their bills.

    How we turn the tide:

    • Phase smartly. Keep natural gas in the mix as a bridge fuel while renewable capacity and storage scale up.

    • Focus on affordability. Tie future energy goals to measurable cost benchmarks to prevent overburdening ratepayers.

    • Use incentives, not penalties. Encourage conservation and green choices through savings, not mandates.

  • A clean, affordable, and reliable energy future is within reach if we balance ambition with practicality.

    Rhode Island can lead by example: embracing renewables, modernizing the grid, and keeping costs predictable for families and businesses alike.

  • District 36 sits at the center of Rhode Island’s energy story. Our coastline, ports, and marine industries make us key players in both the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition.

    • Narragansett: Offshore wind and marine research are already shaping our future. We can attract new, good-paying jobs in maintenance, coastal engineering, and clean-energy logistics right here at home.

    • North Kingstown: With Quonset Business Park emerging as a hub for renewable energy supply chains, we should ensure local hiring, apprenticeship programs, and small business participation.

    • Block Island: As the first community in the U.S. powered by offshore wind, Block Island proves what’s possible. Now we must reinvest those lessons to improve reliability, lower costs, and expand storage capacity for island residents.

    Together, we can make District 36 a leader in clean energy, innovation, and affordability turning the tide toward a future that’s sustainable, reliable, and Rhode Island-made.

“challenges are what make life interesting. overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”

— JOSHUA J. MARINE, Magician, Motivational Speaker & Author