UNITY R.I.

I/We, the undersigned, deserve a budget that is based on a commitment to the common good, a budget that meets the basic human needs of all the people in our state and creates healthy, vibrant communities;

I/We cherish the diversity of our state and appreciate that our state is home to various people spanning the spectrums of age, incomes, occupations, ethnicities, backgrounds, life experiences and religions;

I/We have an appreciation of the interdependence among all residents of our state, reflected in public policy decisions which impact the quality of life for us all, now and for generations to come;

I/We believe that a strong safety net is the foundation for all vibrant, healthy communities and that the safety net benefits all Rhode Islanders regardless of their income;

I/We believe that thoughtful, honest public discourse produces fair and responsible polices that foster the common good and engage us in an elevated level of civil dialogue that recognizes and respects the diversity of the communities of our state;

I/We believe that our current budget crisis can only be solved by rising to our best selves, by allowing the space for generative discussion where new ideas can be raised, by examining new ways of working and by elevating public discussion to allow all voices to be heard;

I/We believe that the current budget crisis cannot be solved behind closed doors by a handful of people and that our state’s leaders need to examine all sides of the equation and involve in the discussion those who are impacted by the state budget;

I/We call upon Governor Carcieri and all members of the State Legislature to pledge themselves to the creation of a fair, equitable, balanced budget that meets the needs of ALL Rhode Islanders;