Providence, RI - Today, 226 days into 2009, the Ocean State Policy Research Institute recognized Rhode Island's "Cost of Government Day," which is the day that the average Rhode Island worker has earned enough gross income to pay off his or her share of the total spending and regulatory burden imposed by federal, state, and local government. Rhode Island's Cost of Government Day fell two days after the national Cost of Government Day.
 
"Why should it take almost two thirds of the year just for us to make enough hard-earned money to satisfy our governments spending habits? Cost of Government Day should really hit home with the people of Rhode Island," said OSPRI President Bill Felkner. "I don't think anyone can argue that our governments aren't spending enough. We need cut spending and reduce the size of government in order to give people the liberty to save or spend the money they earned."
 
Last year, national Cost of Government Day was on July 16; this year it fell 26 days later as a result of the massive spending increases. As for Rhode Island, the taxpayers in only nine other states work longer to pay their share.
 
"The people of Rhode Island, and the rest of the country for that matter, should not be brainwashed into thinking that government spending is a one-way street," Felkner said. "Government programs and spending can be reduced, reversed, or cut. It's just a matter of deciding who you want spending your money: the government or yourself."
 
The national Cost of Government Day is calculated each year by the non-partisan, non-profit group Americans for Tax Reform. The Ocean State Policy Research Institute is proud to work with Americans for Tax Reform to calculate Rhode Island's specific Cost of Government Day and publicize that information to the taxpayers.
 
Find the complete Cost of Government Day report HERE.


About OSPRI:
 
Created in 2007, our work is focused on crafting sound public policy based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, and traditional American values. We offer timely research and analysis on important issues to be shared with elected officials, the media, business leaders, community organizations and individual citizens. In recent months, we have been responsible for such successful projects as the Transparency Train - A public financial and legislative information repository, as well as regular updates published and available on our website and companion blog.
 
About The Transparency Train:
 
The Transparency Train Web Portal (www.transparencytrain.org) provides access to a variety of websites designed to present public information in a Google-style searchable format. These sites include:
RI Data which contains every budget, payroll, public employee contract and monthly check register for all cities, towns and school districts in Rhode Island.
RI Votes which is an online database of legislation and voting records.
LRB Watch provides analysis and information on the State Labor Relations Board.
RI Stimulus Watch allows taxpayers to vote and comment on stimulus projects in Rhode Island. 
RI Schools is an interactive website that allows viewers to create comparative graphs of school districts plotting various metrics such as cost per student, test scores and the number of employees (coming Spring 2009).
RI Donors will contain a "connect the dots" approach to viewing political and lobbying finances (coming Fall 2009).
Take Action, a "how-to" manual that shows citizens how to file Freedom Of Information Act requests for public information and what to do if they don't comply.

 

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