Latest news with #SenateCommitteeonFinance
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rhode Island's IT department wants a fresh install of 15 full-time roles
Rhode Island Department of Administration Director Jonathan Womer, left, and Chief Digital Officer Brian Tardiff testify before the Senate Committee on Finance on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) More than half of Rhode Island state government's IT workforce are contractors, Department of Administration (DOA) Director Jonathan Womer told the Senate Committee on Finance during a hearing on Tuesday afternoon. 'That's not an ideal situation,' Womer said. Now Rhode Island's state IT department thinks it's time for a little spring cleaning: It's asking the General Assembly to approve 15 new full-time hires for fiscal year 2026 to replace contractors with in-house talent. Womer appeared before the Senate committee to testify on budget amendment #10 from Gov. Dan McKee that would add the 15 positions to the DOA's technology arm, the Division of Enterprise Technology Strategy and Services (ETSS). The request is budget-neutral, Womer said, as an internal service fund would subsidize the new hires. Rather than draw from general revenue, the Information Technology Internal Service Fund grows from billing other state agencies for IT services they use. A complementary budget amendment #9 details how state agencies are charged for enterprise technology, with leftover project funds going into a restricted receipt account. 'We're not asking for any more money for this,' Womer said. 'We're going to make sure absolutely that this pays for itself.' Womer added his agency looked inward when servers holding the state's public benefits eligibility system were breached last December, compromising and leaking the personal information of an estimated 657,000 Rhode Islanders. The system, RIBridges, was built and continues to be maintained by state contractor Deloitte, which never sent a representative to any of McKee's numerous press conferences about the breach. 'One of the many things we did when we looked at the RIBridges incident was take a look at institutional and strategic things that we could change to make our IT system stronger,' Womer said, 'and one of those we looked at pretty heavily is making more of our IT personnel state employees.' Brian Tardiff, the state's chief digital officer and head of the enterprise technology division, testified beside Womer, describing an IT agency whose reliance on contractors goes well beyond the spectacular example of the RIBridges breach. There are 382 IT personnel who work for the state right now, Tardiff said. Of the 193 contractors, only 40 are working short-term assignments that will end when their contracts do. The remaining 153 workers provide daily operational support — something the state wants to bring in-house. We're not asking for any more money for this. We're going to make sure absolutely that this pays for itself. Department of Administration (DOA) Director Jonathan Womer 'The remaining balance is on full time to support normal IT operations in critical leadership roles and critical functional areas,' Tardiff said. 'Compounding our challenge, within the next 48 months, we're looking at a 33% attrition rate through retirement of the workforce.' That's why the state needs 'the agility to produce job classifications that represent a modern workforce,' Tardiff said. McKee's budget amendment would achieve that by stripping away some usual formalities involved in the state hiring process, including public hearings and other rounds of approval needed to change job classifications and pay scales. Womer explained that revising a job description can take up to nine months. 'Sometimes nine months in the IT world, things have changed completely,' Womer said. Topping Tardiff's wishlist for his department are an RIBridges technical lead, a security analyst, and project delivery management to improve coordination of major IT initiatives across agencies. Tardiff told lawmakers the average cost of a contractor is $260,000 to $280,000 per year, while the proposed full-time staff would cost around $240,000, including benefits. Ideally, some contractors could be brought in-house, which would also enlarge the state's pension fund, Tardiff said. Sen. Susan Sosnowski called the pivot from contracted labor 'refreshing.' 'Sometimes I feel like it's a sense of déjà vu, because I could remember years ago in the Finance Committee, how we were told it was the best thing to have contractors and so forth versus employees,' Sosnowksi said. Freshman Cranston Democratic Sen. Lammis Vargas was so eager to ask about the 15 IT hires that she mistakenly directed her question at the afternoon's first presenter Richard Charest, head of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Charest answered anyway: 'I'd love to have 15 FTEs,' he said with a smile, drawing laughter from the audience and committee alike. Once Tardiff and Womer sat down, Vargas picked up where she left off, and questioned Tardiff about high turnover in the department. Only 172 of 189 state IT positions are filled, Tardiff said, and despite actively recruiting for eight more hires, turnover is constant, with the number of vacant slots mercurial. 'That number fluctuates almost monthly,' Tardiff said. 'Last month it was five. I had three personnel retire this month. So now it's eight.' 'Might be tough for you to answer, but how long do you foresee filling these in?' Vargas asked. 'There's always going to be five or six [vacancies] for that volume of personnel,' Womer replied. 'We'll have that number of vacancies at any given point in time…We thought we could successfully do 15 in the next fiscal year, which is the reason we only asked for 15.' Vargas was also concerned that the request is not genuinely cost neutral. 'With the contractors, we're not paying health insurance,' Vargas said. Womer acknowledged there might be individual differences in pay rates for individual contractors, adding retention over time could complicate compensation for future years. But he was firm that the measure will pay for itself. Chair Lou DiPalma replied playfully to Vargas, 'Senator, we're not giving them any more money.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
RIPTA's finances are one hot mess. Lawmakers have four different solutions.
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority CEO Christopher Durand, center, stands inside the Senate Committee on Finance hearing room on April 8, 2025. He had just wrapped up a presentation on his agency's financial outlook for fiscal year 2026. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) A bill by Sen. Sam Zurier offers one way to plug the $32.6 million hole in the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority's upcoming budget: increasing the bus agency's share of the gas tax. The Providence Democrat's bill — one of four proposals seeking to solve the cash-strapped bus network's funding woes — would increase RIPTA's share of the state's tax on gasoline from 26% to 30%. It's a funding strategy that's garnered support from transit advocates and the agency's leader. 'With a $32 million shortfall, that's helpful,' RIPTA CEO Christopher Durand told the Senate Committee on Finance at a hearing on Tuesday. But the chairman of RIPTA's board of directors is opposed to the idea, arguing Zurier's gas tax shift would take away from the state department he leads. 'It would result in an annual loss of approximately $7 million, significantly impacting our capital program,' Rhode Island Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr., who the state mandated to steer RIPTA's board in 2023, wrote to the committee. Alviti did not attend Tuesday's three-hour hearing. Zurier argued Alviti's stance goes against RIPTA's board-supported goal of finding a sustainable funding source — which the gas tax has become less stable as more drivers shift to more fuel-efficient and electric vehicles. RIPTA now gets about $40 million in annual gasoline tax revenues, based on its existing allocation of 9.75 cents per gallon. That revenue is projected to drop over $1 million when fiscal year 2026 starts July 1, according to projections from the Rhode Island Department of Revenue. 'This would only restore the share RIPTA had,' Zurier said. 'It's very common sense.' Three other proposals were heard by the committee: A bill by Sen. Meghan Kallman, a Providence Democrat, would add a 75-cent fee to each fare collected by rideshare companies in order to fund mass transit. A bill by Sen. Robert Britto, an East Providence Democrat, would earmark the state's existing tax on rideshare trips toward mass transit. A resolution by Sen. Mark McKenney, a Warwick Democrat, would allocate $32.6 million from the general fund to fill RIPTA's latest budget gap. All four bills were held for further study by the committee as is standard procedure for an initial vetting by a legislative panel. Realistically, Durand said RIPTA can only cut around $10 million from its deficit because most of the expenses in the agency's $154 million spending plan are funded with federal money or tied into existing operations. 'There really isn't a whole lot to trim,' Durand said. The agency projects about 300 employees losing their jobs if lawmakers don't provide any new funding. There are ways RIPTA can try to generate revenue. A presentation Durand gave the committee floated a 5% fare increase, which the agency projects would bring in $470,871 annually. But such a change could decrease ridership by 100,000 trips, according to RIPTA's presentation. Durand had promised the agency's board of directors last December that raising fares would not be on the table. Another potential source could be by courting more businesses to buy ad spots on sheltered stops, which the agency projects would bring in $440,000 annually. Committee Chairman Lou DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat, suggested RIPTA could take over non-emergency medical transportation for Medicaid enrollees, something the agency used to provide until the service was privatized some years ago. State leaders are still waiting on RIPTA to submit an independent efficiency study of its operations, as mandated in the state's fiscal 2025 budget. The study was supposed to be done March 1, but the agency's board of directors delayed the bid process last year until it could find a permanent CEO Durand, who was the interim CEO for seven months, took over the agency permanently last November. RIPTA's board finally awarded a contract to do the efficiency study on March 27 to Canadian engineering consulting firm WSP, which likely won't have a final report complete until the summer — after the General Assembly likely wraps up this year's legislative session. Durand provided lawmakers with a two-page memo from WSP detailing how transit agencies nationwide are dealing with ridership and workforce challenges following the pandemic. DiPalma called the lack of a final study at this point 'extremely disappointing.' 'We need facts and data,' he said. 'This is not going to satisfy what we need for the budget.' But DiPalma did not blame Durand for RIPTA's latest financial crisis, instead placing it on Gov. Dan McKee for leaving it unaddressed in his recommended budget and passing the buck to the General Assembly. 'That's categorically what happened — we're given the charge to figure it out, and we're going to figure it out,' DiPalma said. 'Rhode Islanders expect to have a public transit authority that serves their needs — in an efficient and effective manner.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Live: Senate committee holds hearing on trade negotiations
(NewsNation) — The Senate Committee on Finance is holding a hearing on trade negotiations Tuesday, following the announcement of President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs and the stock market fallout. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., opened with an announcement that he was introducing bipartisan legislation to undo the latest round of tariffs. He slammed the use of tariffs and the impact on rising prices on Americans. 'The U.S. economy has gone from the envy of the world to a laughingstock in less time than it took to finish March Madness,' he said. Will Trump tariffs bring jobs back to the US? Economists are skeptical Trade negotiator Jamieson Greer will appear before the full committee for questioning. In his opening statement, Greer repeated the administration's critiques of trade deficits with other countries. 'It is a moment of drastic, overdue change, but I am confident the American people will rise to the occasion as they have done before,' Greer said. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, welcomed questions on trade policy but defended tariffs in his opening statements and blamed the Biden administration for failing to address trade deficits. 'We can restore faith in free markets by making it easier to do business in America than ever,' he said. Trump announced his promised tariffs last week, shocking the business and financial world — as well as Republican allies — with steeper duties than expected. The administration placed a 10% tariff on all countries and unveiled a list of around 60 countries with individualized tariffs that included both adversaries and traditional U.S. allies. The stock market tumbled following the announcement, with brief periods of optimism as countries indicated a willingness to negotiate and a false rumor that the tariffs would be suspended for 90 days. A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that would move the power of tariffs from the president to Congress, making it impossible for Trump to implement them unilaterally. Mega Millions raises ticket prices, touting better winning odds While economists and business leaders have warned the steep tariffs are likely to cause a recession and raise prices significantly for American consumers, Trump has remained committed to the plan. He has welcomed countries that have vowed to reduce their own tariffs on the United States but said that the new tariffs are here to stay. Trump promised more tariffs on China, a move that would bring the tariff on Chinese imports to more than 100%. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Hollywood figures rally behind Texas Senate Bill 22 for film industry tax incentives
Hollywood names are speaking up to support Texas Senate Bill 22, which would give millions of dollars in tax incentives to the film industry over the course of 10 years. But if passed, many wonder what impact this bill could have on areas like Tarrant County, where many TV shows and films are already being shot. On Monday, the Senate Committee on Finance approved the bill, which will now proceed to the full Senate. Texas natives and Hollywood stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson attended the meeting. McConaughey shared his testimony with the state's finance committee, highlighting Tarrant County College (TCC). TCC already has a pipeline program that exposes students to film opportunities and connects them with writers, directors, and producers in the industry. "One hundred percent of the students coming out of that program are employed, and getting employed," McConaughey said. "But a whole lot more are needed. We need to scale this idea to more schools in Texas so we can provide a competent workforce wherever we need to film in our state." Beth Hutson, a product of TCC's television and film program, credits the program for helping her succeed in the industry. "I don't think I'd be where I am had I not gone through this program," said Hutson, who now works as a producer. "They opened doors for me, so because of them I had the opportunity to work on some really cool large productions." If passed, the bill would allocate $500 million every two years in tax incentives to the film industry until 2035, doubling the current funds set aside for productions. Taylor Hardy, the Fort Worth Film Commissioner, said the bill would bring jobs to Tarrant County while boosting business for local hotels and restaurants and ultimately attracting more visitors. "Since the Fort Worth Film Commission was founded about 10 years ago, we've measured $700 million in economic impact and over 30,000 jobs supported. Those are over a period of time, but that's almost the equivalent of another American Airlines headquarters in terms of the amount of jobs it's created," Hardy told CBS News Texas. But at least one lawmaker who opposed the bill has raised concerns, particularly about the content being filmed in the state, citing the Paramount show "Landman" as an example. "That whole genre of 'Landman' is incorrect, it doesn't describe Texas oil fields," said Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston. "And having a guy whose primary claim to fame is an F-bomb every two seconds is not something I want to see on television and I certainly don't want to put our money behind it." Currently, states like New Mexico and Georgia are attracting film opportunities because of the incentives they offer. This is just the first step in the legislative process; there are still several more steps before this can become law.
Fox News
25-03-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Senate committee advances nomination of Dr Oz to run Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The Senate Committee on Finance voted along party lines Tuesday afternoon to advance Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to a full confirmation vote. The party-line vote, which saw 14 GOP senators vote in favor of Oz's nomination and 13 Democrats vote against it, follows two hearings by the Senate Finance Committee that probed Oz over his plans for the federal healthcare programs, his views on abortion, potential conflicts of interest in the healthcare industry and more. "Dr. Oz has years of experience as an acclaimed physician and public health advocate. His background makes him uniquely qualified for this role, and there is no doubt that he will work tirelessly to deliver much-needed change at CMS," Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, the chairman of the committee, said Tuesday. Oz graduated from Harvard University and received medical and business degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a former heart surgeon who saw his fame rise through his appearances on daytime TV and 13 seasons of "The Dr Oz Show." Oz later transitioned into politics, launching an unsuccessful bid for Pennsylvania's open Senate seat in 2022. He ultimately lost to John Fetterman, then the state's then-lieutenant governor. If confirmed by the full Senate, Oz would be in charge of nearly $1.5 trillion in federal healthcare spending. Medicare, a federal healthcare program for seniors aged 65 and up, currently provides coverage for about 65 million Americans, according to the Center for Medicare Advocacy. Medicaid, which assists people with low incomes, covers roughly 72 million Americans, according to Oz's leadership would direct decisions related to how the government covers procedures, hospital stays and medication within the federal healthcare programs, as well as the reimbursement rates at which healthcare providers get paid for their services. Earlier this month, Trump's pick to lead the NIH and FDA, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Dr. Marty Makary, respectively, were also approved in committee and are awaiting full confirmation votes in the Senate scheduled for later today. It is unclear when Oz's full Senate vote will take place. Around the same time that Bhattacharya and Makary won committee approval, Trump withdrew his nomination of former Florida Rep. David Weldon to run the CDC, over fears he did not have the GOP support to clear full confirmation. On Monday, the Trump administration named Susan Monarez, acting director of the CDC, as its new nominee.
