Giarrusso: “I Can Understand How We Got Into This Mess”

One year after declaring his candidacy for the District 30 state representative seat, Anthony Giarrusso said he’s learned a lot since he was elected in November.

The 2013 session ended Wednesday, July 3, three days into the new fiscal year and a month beyond what early predictions had been for the session’s end.

“It’s been quite the learning experience for sure,” Giarrusso, a Republican, said in a recent interview.

“I can kind of understand how we got into this mess,” he said, “how things get to the floor, how they don’t, who decides... There’s an awful lot of push and pull from the lobbyists.”

Giarrusso took over the District 30 seat from Bob Watson, who’d served as EG’s representative for 20 years. Giarrusso said last year he was running to be able to provide jobs for his children and their peers. He owns a jewelry manufacturing company in Johnston.

“I’ve heard lots and lots of good stuff that would have make a big impact that never saw the light of day,” he said of some proposed bills, “and some things that did pass and you kind of scratch your head.”

On the “good stuff” side, Giarrusso referred to one bill that would have allowed companies greater flexibility in deciding which days off they offer. Rhode Island is the only state in the country that celebrates Victory Day (the second Monday in August), a problem for some companies with a multi-state presence, he said.

“They wanted holiday flexibility,” he said. That bill didn’t go anywhere.

Another bill Giarrusso backed called for allowing companies to move to a bi-weekly payroll system. Right now, workers must be paid weekly, something other states don’t demand.

“It is a burden for some businesses that have a multi-state operation with one payroll system for the country and one for Rhode Island,” he said. “That actually made it’s way to the House and it passed. It goes to the Senate and they chopped that bill up to shreds. They put six different provisions in there.”

Or, to put it another way, he said, “It started out as chocolate and strawberry and it ended up as vanilla.”

As for legislation Giarrusso thought wasn’t good, there’s a list.

“There were some bills that came out that were really bad,” he said. “The most hideous one that I’ve ever seen [was] binding arbitration for teachers.”

Giarrusso said binding arbitration would take control away from individual cities and towns. That bill didn't pass.

“Another one that was pretty bad was unionizing daycare workers,” he said, which did pass. “Eventually, everybody’s going to pay more for daycare.”

Giarrusso said the biggest surprise of the session was “no matter how much common sense something made, it wouldn’t have a chance without leadership’s blessing.”

And he said he was very frustrated by the GA’s decision to make the $2.5 million 38 Studios bond payment.

“38 studios was a disaster,” he said. A general obligation bond needs to be paid back, he said, but a moral obligation bond such as the 38 Studios bond … “it’s not moral and it’s not an obligation.”

That said, Giarrusso points to many positives from his first year.

“I was able to get legislation passed that I was either a prime sponsor or co-sponsor. That is pretty rare for a freshman,” he said. “I was able to meet some very good people along the way to help navigate through the system.”

He also enjoyed hearing from constituents about issues, and to bear witness at a number of district events.