Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner today made the following statement in response to Governor Gina Raimondo's pledge to prioritize school construction in tonight's State of the State address:
"Fixing Rhode Island's aging school buildings must be a priority. I was honored to co-chair the School Building Task Force that developed the plan to make a once-in-a-generation investment in our school buildings, and I commend the governor for including it in her budget." said Treasurer Magaziner. "No parent should have to worry if their child's school is safe. Unfortunately, every school district has at least one building that doesn't meet a minimum 'warm, safe and dry' standard."
"Rhode Island must make this once-in-a-generation investment, so that our children have a fair shot to succeed in the 21st century economy," continued Treasurer Magaziner.
Treasurer Magaziner served as co-chair of the Rhode Island School Building Task Force which, in December 2017, released a series of recommendations to address the condition of Rhode Island schools. According to Jacobs Engineering, Rhode Island school districts currently have $2.2 billion in immediate needed repairs, more than $600 million of which is needed to meet basic 'warm, safe, and dry' standards for student safety.
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