Question 5Bond (state borrowing)
Environmental and water bonds
Explain it like I'm 5
The state would borrow money for cleaner water, flood protection, parks, farmland, open space, and polluted-site cleanup. It is like fixing storm drains and protecting a shared yard before damage gets worse.
Yes vote
Rhode Island may issue up to $55 million in bonds for environmental preservation, recreation, climate resilience, and water-related projects.
No vote
Rhode Island may not issue these bonds for the proposed environmental and water projects.
The question to ask yourself
Are the combined water, resilience, conservation, and recreation projects worth new borrowing?
The case for
- Flood-resilience work could protect homes, roads, and communities.
- The measure supports water quality, watershed restoration, parks, farmland, and open space.
- Cleaning contaminated sites can make land safer and more useful.
Backed by: East Coast Greenway Alliance
The case against
- The measure combines several priorities, so voters cannot choose among them.
- Borrowing adds debt and interest costs.
- Some recreation and land projects may be less urgent than basic water infrastructure.
Opposed by: House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale
- Money
- The official guide estimates $55 million in principal plus $33,275,000 in interest, for $88,275,000 over the bonds' life.
- Don't be misled
- Calling it only a water or climate bond is incomplete, because it also funds parks, brownfields, farmland, open space, and marine-related projects.