"We deserve a bold change," said Jesse Martin, Executive Vice President of SEIU 1199 NE. "Today is the beginning of what I call a health care worker's revolution in the State of Rhode Island."
As hundreds call for RI leadership to ‘fund Medicaid, not millionaires’ at SEIU New England’s ‘No Cuts to Care!’ state budget rally, a new report reveals Congressional Republicans’ proposed $3 billion Medicaid cuts would eliminate coverage for 241,397 Rhode Islanders. Meanwhile, a second report shows only 8% of Rhode Islanders support Medicaid cuts in the state.
In a statement, Zack Mezera of RI Working Families Power called for state lawmakers to pass the Fair Share Bills to tax the rich and save the programs families rely on:
“The massive turnout at today’s SEIU 1199NE ‘No Cuts to Care!’ rally sends a clear message: Rhode Islanders are ready for Governor McKee and state leaders to take direct action to stop Trump and Musk’s Medicaid cuts. If our state lawmakers don’t act now, over 240,000 Rhode Islanders will lose the healthcare coverage needed to survive. Every day, more and more Rhode Islanders demand that our state leaders protect our healthcare by making the highest earners finally pay their fair share in taxes to keep our state going.
"We all know that hardworking Rhode Islanders are already paying more than our fair share, while the wealthiest people have paid less and less. Now we’re facing not just a budget deficit, but a new kind of economic uncertainty that puts healthcare on the chopping block for hundreds of thousands of us.
"State lawmakers must demonstrate whose side they’re on: the top 1% of high earners in the state, or the rest of us.
"To weather Trump and Republicans’ attacks on our healthcare system, Rhode Island needs additional revenue to protect Medicaid, preserve healthcare jobs, fund education, and maintain public transit and infrastructure—all without further burdening working families and small businesses. It’s time to pass the Fair Share bills and guarantee the 1% do their part to protect our state from Trump and Musk’s hostile playbook.”
"To protect our state from Trump and Musk’s cuts without raising taxes on working people, RI Working Families Power and partners are fighting for a reform package that would help rebalance Rhode Island’s upside-down tax system that currently has those earning the least paying a higher proportion of their taxes than the wealthiest Rhode Islanders."
The major reforms included in the package are:
-Raising taxes for only the top 1%, with a 3% surtax on taxable income above $625,000, H5473 (Alzate) / S0329 (Murray)
-Taxing non-owner occupied second homes valued over $1 million, H6189 (Ajello) / S0437 (Kallman)
-Wealth tax on only the top 1%. H6290 (Potter) / S0779 (Mack)
We have the most expensive system in the world, and it producesx the worst results of any rich country. What Trump is doing will reduce the cost, and kill thousands of people; The results will be MUCH worse than we currently have. We cannot just save Medicaid, we need a real healthcare SYSTEM, one which really provides primary care to everyone. McKee will not get us there.
Jesse Martin’s speech, facts, figures and message were totally on point. And, we could hear him! I couldn’t hear most of the other speakers. Is it true that the State House turned off the power so the sound system didn’t work? The bullhorn helped, but not a whole lot.
As hundreds call for RI leadership to ‘fund Medicaid, not millionaires’ at SEIU New England’s ‘No Cuts to Care!’ state budget rally, a new report reveals Congressional Republicans’ proposed $3 billion Medicaid cuts would eliminate coverage for 241,397 Rhode Islanders. Meanwhile, a second report shows only 8% of Rhode Islanders support Medicaid cuts in the state.
In a statement, Zack Mezera of RI Working Families Power called for state lawmakers to pass the Fair Share Bills to tax the rich and save the programs families rely on:
“The massive turnout at today’s SEIU 1199NE ‘No Cuts to Care!’ rally sends a clear message: Rhode Islanders are ready for Governor McKee and state leaders to take direct action to stop Trump and Musk’s Medicaid cuts. If our state lawmakers don’t act now, over 240,000 Rhode Islanders will lose the healthcare coverage needed to survive. Every day, more and more Rhode Islanders demand that our state leaders protect our healthcare by making the highest earners finally pay their fair share in taxes to keep our state going.
"We all know that hardworking Rhode Islanders are already paying more than our fair share, while the wealthiest people have paid less and less. Now we’re facing not just a budget deficit, but a new kind of economic uncertainty that puts healthcare on the chopping block for hundreds of thousands of us.
"State lawmakers must demonstrate whose side they’re on: the top 1% of high earners in the state, or the rest of us.
"To weather Trump and Republicans’ attacks on our healthcare system, Rhode Island needs additional revenue to protect Medicaid, preserve healthcare jobs, fund education, and maintain public transit and infrastructure—all without further burdening working families and small businesses. It’s time to pass the Fair Share bills and guarantee the 1% do their part to protect our state from Trump and Musk’s hostile playbook.”
"To protect our state from Trump and Musk’s cuts without raising taxes on working people, RI Working Families Power and partners are fighting for a reform package that would help rebalance Rhode Island’s upside-down tax system that currently has those earning the least paying a higher proportion of their taxes than the wealthiest Rhode Islanders."
The major reforms included in the package are:
-Raising taxes for only the top 1%, with a 3% surtax on taxable income above $625,000, H5473 (Alzate) / S0329 (Murray)
-Taxing non-owner occupied second homes valued over $1 million, H6189 (Ajello) / S0437 (Kallman)
-Wealth tax on only the top 1%. H6290 (Potter) / S0779 (Mack)
We have the most expensive system in the world, and it producesx the worst results of any rich country. What Trump is doing will reduce the cost, and kill thousands of people; The results will be MUCH worse than we currently have. We cannot just save Medicaid, we need a real healthcare SYSTEM, one which really provides primary care to everyone. McKee will not get us there.
Jesse Martin’s speech, facts, figures and message were totally on point. And, we could hear him! I couldn’t hear most of the other speakers. Is it true that the State House turned off the power so the sound system didn’t work? The bullhorn helped, but not a whole lot.