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Rhode Island Question 3, Housing Bond Measure (March 2021)
| Rhode Island Question 3 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date March 2, 2021 | |
| Topic Bond issues | |
Status Approved | |
| Type Bond issue | Origin State Legislature |
Rhode Island Question 3, the Housing Bond Measure, was on the ballot in Rhode Island as a legislatively referred bond question on March 2, 2021. It was approved.[1][2]
A "yes" vote supported authorizing the state to issue bonds in an amount not to exceed $65 million for building and renovation projects, including projects affordable to households with income below a certain level. |
A "no" vote opposed authorizing the state to issue bonds in an amount not to exceed $65 million for building and renovation projects, including projects affordable to households with income below a certain level. |
Election results
|
Rhode Island Question 3 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
|
|
69,318 | 66.03% | ||
| No | 35,654 | 33.97% | ||
Overview
What did the bonds issued by Question 3 fund?
- See also: Full text
Question 3 authorized the state to issue bonds in an amount not to exceed $65 million for new housing construction, renovation, and property acquisitions, including projects with housing affordable to households with income below a certain level.[2]
How did Question 3 get on the ballot?
- See also: Path to the ballot
To put a legislatively referred bond question before voters, a simple majority vote is required in both the Rhode Island State Senate and the Rhode Island House of Representatives. Question 3 was introduced into the Rhode Island General Assembly as a provision of Article II of House Bill 7171 (HB 7171) on January 16, 2020. HB 7171 included a total of seven bond measures. The legislature voted on each article of HB 7171 separately.
On December 16, 2020, Article II of HB 7171 passed in a vote of 58-7, with 10 members not voting, in the state House. On December 18, 2020, the state Senate voted 31 to five, with one member not voting, to approve Article II of HB 7171. Governor Gina Raimondo (D) signed HB 7171 on December 18, 2020, certifying the seven bond issues for the ballot. All but nine Democratic state legislators voted to approve Article II, and no Republican state legislators voted to approve it .[1][3]
What were the other bond questions that appeared on the March ballot?
Seven bond questions appeared on the statewide ballots in March. Since 2008, an average of four bond questions have appeared on statewide ballots.
The following chart lists all the bond issues (totaling $400 million) that appeared on the ballot in March:
| Measure | Primary purpose | Amount | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Higher education | $107,300,000 | |
| Question 2 | Water and recreation | $74,000,000 | |
| Question 3 | Housing | $65,000,000 | |
| Question 4 | Transportation | $71,700,000 | |
| Question 5 | Education | $15,000,000 | |
| Question 6 | Culture and arts | $7,000,000 | |
| Question 7 | Industrial infrastructure | $60,000,000 | |
What was the history of bond measures in Rhode Island?
- See also: Background
Between 2008 and 2020, voters in Rhode Island had decided 22 bond measures, totaling $1.3 billion ($1,310,915,000) in principal value. Voters approved 100 percent of the bond measures, with support ranging from 55.23 percent (Question 2 of 2010) to 83.89 percent (Question 3 of 2016). Voters had not rejected a bond measure since 2006, when 50.56 percent of electors rejected a $4.0 million bond for improvements in Fort Adams State Park.
As of the fiscal year 2019, the Rhode Island state debt from general obligation (GO) bonds was $1.22 billion, a $61.2 million increase from the prior fiscal year.[4]
Text of measure
Ballot question
- See also: Full text
The ballot question for the bond issue was as follows:[2]
| “ |
3. HOUSING AND COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITY -$65,000,000 To increase the availability of affordable housing and support community revitalization through the redevelopment of existing structures, new construction, and property acquisition. [ ] Approve [ ] Reject[5] |
” |
Fiscal impact
The following chart was included in the state voter guide. It shows the estimated cost of issuing the bonds for a 20-year term at an interest rate of 5%.[6]
| Estimated total cost of Rhode Island bonds (March 2021) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond question | Principal | Interest | Total cost |
| 1. Higher Education Bond | $107,300,000 | $64,900,592 | $172,200,592 |
| 2. State Beaches and Water Bond | $74,000,000 | $44,759,029 | $118,759,029 |
| 3. Housing Bond | $65,000,000 | $39,315,363 | $104,315,363 |
| 4. Transportation Bond | $71,700,000 | $43,367,870 | $115,067,870 |
| 5. Early Childhood Care and Education Capital Fund Bond | $15,000,000 | $9,072,776 | $24,072,776 |
| 6. Cultural Arts and State Preservation Grant Programs Bond | $7,000,000 | $4,233,962 | $11,233,962 |
| 7. Industrial Facilities Infrastructure Bond | $60,000,000 | $36,291,105 | $96,291,105 |
| Estimated total costs | $400,000,000 | $241,940,697 | $641,940,697 |
Full text
The full text of Article II of the state budget can be read below:[2]
Readability score
- See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2021
| Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The state legislature wrote the ballot language for this measure.
|
Support
Yes on 3 led the campaign in support of Question 3.[7]
Supporters
Officials
- Rhode Island State Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi (D)
- Mayor of Pawtucket Donald Grebien
- Mayor of Central Falls Maria Rivera
- Rhode Island State Treasurer Seth Magaziner (D)
Organizations
Arguments
Opposition
If you are aware of any opponents or opposing arguments, please send an email with a link to editor@ballotpedia.org.
Campaign finance
There was one ballot committee registered in support of Question 3: Friends of Yes on 3. The committee reported $300,000 in contributions.[8] If you are aware of a committee registered to support or oppose this measure, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.
| Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | $300,000.00 | $0.00 | $300,000.00 | $270,800.48 | $270,800.48 |
| Oppose | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Total | $300,000.00 | $0.00 | $300,000.00 | $270,800.48 | $270,800.48 |
Support
The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of Question 3.[8]
| Committees in support of Question 3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committee | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions | Cash Expenditures | Total Expenditures |
| Friends of Yes on 3 | $300,000.00 | $0.00 | $300,000.00 | $270,800.48 | $270,800.48 |
| Total | $300,000.00 | $0.00 | $300,000.00 | $270,800.48 | $270,800.48 |
In addition to the committee registered in support of the question, Build RI made $23,502.14 in independent expenditures supporting the measure.[8]
Donors
The following table shows the top donors to the support committees.[8]
| Donor | Cash Contributions | In-Kind Contributions | Total Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Way of Rhode Island | $100,000.00 | $0.00 | $100,000.00 |
Opposition
If you are aware of a committee registered to oppose this measure, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.
Methodology
To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.
Background
Housing bond measures on the ballot in Rhode Island
From 2008 through 2020, Rhode Island voters had approved all three bond measures related to housing that appeared on the ballot totaling $146 million in bonds. Approval rates for the measures ranged from 61.6% to 83.9%.
Bond issues on the ballot in Rhode Island
Between 2008 and 2020, voters in Rhode Island had decided 22 bond measures, totaling $1,310,915,000 in principal value. Voters approved 100 percent of the bond measures, with support ranging from 55.23 percent (Question 2 of 2010) to 83.89 percent (Question 3 of 2016). As of 2021, voters had not rejected a bond measure since 2006, when 50.56 percent of electors rejected a $4.0 million bond for improvements in Fort Adams State Park.
The following table contains information on the 22 bond issues that appeared on the ballot in Rhode Island between 2008 and 2020:
| Year | Measure | Primary purpose | Amount | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Question 1 | Transportation projects | $87,215,000 |
|
| 2008 | Question 2 | Environment and recreation | $2,500,000 |
|
| 2010 | Question 2 | Higher education | $78,000,000 |
|
| 2010 | Question 3 | Transportation projects | $84,700,000 |
|
| 2010 | Question 4 | Environment and recreation | $14,700,000 |
|
| 2012 | Question 3 | Higher education | $50,000,000 |
|
| 2012 | Question 4 | Housing | $94,000,000 |
|
| 2012 | Question 5 | Water infrastructure | $12,000,000 |
|
| 2012 | Question 6 | Environment and recreation | $20,000,000 |
|
| 2012 | Question 7 | Housing | $25,000,000 |
|
| 2014 | Question 4 | Higher education | $125,000,000 |
|
| 2014 | Question 5 | Museums | $35,000,000 |
|
| 2014 | Question 6 | Transportation projects | $35,000,000 |
|
| 2014 | Question 7 | Environment and recreation | $53,000,000 |
|
| 2016 | Question 3 | Housing | $27,000,000 |
|
| 2016 | Question 4 | Higher education | $45,500,000 |
|
| 2016 | Question 5 | Transportation projects | $70,000,000 |
|
| 2016 | Question 6 | Environment and recreation | $35,000,000 |
|
| 2016 | Question 7 | Environment and recreation | $50,000,000 |
|
| 2018 | Question 1 | School buildings | $250,000,000 |
|
| 2018 | Question 2 | Higher education facilities | $70,000,000 |
|
| 2018 | Question 3 | Environment and recreation | $47,300,000 |
|
GO bond debt in Rhode Island
As of the fiscal year 2019, the Rhode Island state debt from general obligation (GO) bonds was $1.22 billion, a $61.2 million increase from the prior fiscal year.[4]
Path to the ballot
To put a legislatively referred bond question before voters, a simple majority vote is required in both the Rhode Island State Senate and the Rhode Island House of Representatives. In Rhode Island, the state General Assembly must ask voters to issue general obligation bonds over $50,000, except in the case of war, insurrection, or invasion.
The bond measure was introduced into the Rhode Island General Assembly as a provision of Article II of House Bill 7171 (HB 7171) on January 16, 2020. HB 7171 included a total of seven bond measures—Higher Education Bond Measure, the State Beaches and Water Bond Measure, the Housing Bond Measure, the Transportation Bond Measure, the Early Childhood Care and Education Capital Fund Bond Measure, the Cultural Arts and the Economy Grant and State Preservation Grant Programs Bond Measure, and the Improvements to Industrial Facilities Infrastructure Bond Measure. The legislature voted on each article of HB 7171 separately.
On December 16, 2020, Article II of HB 7171 passed in a vote of 58-7, with 10 members not voting, in the state House. The measure was sent to the state Senate. On December 18, 2020, the state Senate voted 31 to five, with one member not voting, to approve HB 7171. Governor Gina Raimondo (D) signed HB 7171 on December 18, 2020, certifying the seven bond issues for the ballot.[1][3]
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How to cast a vote
- See also: Voting in Rhode Island
Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in Rhode Island.
| How to cast a vote in Rhode Island | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll timesPolls in Rhode Island open at 7 a.m. Eastern Time except in New Shoreham, where they open at 9 a.m. All polls statewide close at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[9] Registration requirements
To register to vote in Rhode Island, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Rhode Island, and at least 16 years old. To voter, one must be at least 18 years old by Election Day.[10] Applicants can register online, by mailing in a voter registration form, or in person at the local board of canvassers or other state agencies such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Human Services, or the Department of Mental Health.[10] Automatic registration
Rhode Island enacted automatic voter registration in 2017.[11] Online registration
Rhode Island has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Same-day registration
Residency requirementsTo register to vote in Rhode Island, you must be a resident of the state. Verification of citizenshipRhode Island does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury. All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[12] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters. Verifying your registrationThe Rhode Island Department of State allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website. Voter ID requirementsRhode Island requires voters to present photo identification (ID) while voting. Accepted forms of ID include a Rhode Island driver's license, Rhode Island voter ID card, and U.S. passport. For a list of all accepted forms of ID, see below. The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2023. Click here for the Rhode Island Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
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See also
External links
Support |
OppositionSubmit links to editor@ballotpedia.org. |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Rhode Island State Legislature, "House Bill No. 7171 SUB A," accessed December 17, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Rhode Island State Legislature, "Text of House Bill No. 7171 SUB A," accessed December 17, 2020
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 LegiScan, "Rhode Island House of Representatives Vote on December 16, 2020," accessed December 16, 2020
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Rhode Island Controller, "Financial Reports," accessed December 23, 2020
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Rhode Island Secretary of State, "March 2021 Voter Guide," accessed February 10, 2021
- ↑ Yes on 3, "Home," accessed February 11, 2021
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Rhode Island Board of Elections, "Campaign Finance Portal," accessed February 8, 2021
- ↑ Rhode Island Department of State, "Election Day Voting Hours," accessed September 24, 2024
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Rhode Island Department of State, "Register to Vote," accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Providence Journal, “Raimondo signs automatic voter registration bill into law,” August 1, 2017
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
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