Re-elect Jan Malik District 67
Serving the public: Don’t make promises you can’t keep
By Jan P. Malik
Imagine a rookie playing for the Red Sox who claims he will win Rookie of the Year honors, along with a batting crown, Gold Glove and also lead the league in steals. Even Red Sox Nation might be a little skeptical.
Imagine a candidate for a seat in the General Assembly claiming he will fix our economy, attract jobs to our state, correct our structural deficit and never miss a day of session.
Democracy is a process and the General Assembly is a body of 113 individuals. Progress is often slow and requires cooperation and collaboration. No one person, no matter how good his or her ideas, can bring enormous change, instantly, and certainly cannot do it alone.
My opponent in the District 67 election says he will reform Rhode Island’s tax structure and create jobs. He will reduce the state sales tax and eliminate the motor vehicle excise tax.
Lofty goals, and possibly something he could accomplish if he were elected King of Rhode Island and could simply order these things to happen. But he needs to realize that, as one of 113 legislators, he will have to work with others to accomplish anything and many of those other legislators may not agree with all his ideas.
He does not say what the fiscal impact of his plans are. Reducing the sales tax, for instance, would leave a $256 million annual hole in the state budget. Eliminating the auto excise tax would force cities and towns across the state to fill a $200 million hole in their collective budgets, money that will not be restored by the state, as it was in the past. What will the municipalities have as an option other than raising property taxes?
How does Mr. Costa propose to close this enormous financial gap? He doesn’t say. But then, apparently, he doesn’t really care how it impacts regular taxpaying families. In a recent article in the Warren Gazette, he acknowledged that he only pays sales tax, so I guess when cities and towns are forced to raise property taxes or auto taxes to address the enormous holes his plan will create, it won’t affect him.
So much for electing a Representative who has a clue what it’s like to be a normal Barrington and Warren resident, who pays taxes.
In the waning days of the election, Mr. Costa seems to be getting desperate. Why else would he mail out a brochure with attacks on me that are simply untrue. He claims I am somehow meddling with women and their insurance coverage, that I have not fought for appropriate funding for our regional school district, that my vote on pension reform has hurt police and firefighters and teachers when, in fact, the pension reforms we implemented are saving communities millions of dollars that would otherwise have to be generated through even higher property taxes.
Finally, my opponent suggests I am responsible for the 38 Studios disaster when, in fact, legislators who were voting on that financing measure for the EDC were not informed specifically where the money was headed.
I suppose if there are a lot of voters in District 67 who are gullible enough to believe Mr. Costa’s mistruths and distortions, they may vote for him.
But facts matter and the fact is I don’t make lofty promises I cannot keep. My only promise has been and continues to be that I will work as diligently as I can to help the residents of District 67 and all of Rhode Island to restore prosperity to our state.
Sincerely,
Jan P. Malik
Still Broke
1:16 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012
Rep. Malik...
I understand what you are saying but, I respectfully disagree. When your opponent says he is going to make all of these changes, I believe that means he will work hard to make these changes. No one expects him to make all of these changes by himself.
I think you're a good guy Jan. I really do but, I'm not voting for you this time. You've been in office a long time and I don't like the way things have been going since you've been in office. I think it's time for new blood, new ideas, anything that will help get RI out of the rut it's in.
Your statement above kind of locked it in for me. Rather than find ways to cut costs and live with the money you have, you look for other reason to raise taxes and then shift responsibility for the higher taxes to someone else like the towns. There is so much waste in state gov't. I'll bet if you (the collective state reps.) really tried, you could eliminate $200 million in waste in the state and not have to rob $200 million from the cities and towns.
One other thing, the idea of lowering the state tax is that it would actually bring in MORE tax revenue. As it is, I bypass Malik's on my way to Gasbarro's because it's cheaper there and no sales tax. I get gas in Somerset or Swansea because their gas is cheaper. Know why it's cheaper? Lower tax on the gas.
Imagine if people from Mass came to RI to buy gas? Or pass by Gasbarro's on their way to Malik's?
b kcaj
3:19 pm on Friday, November 2, 2012
Jan Malik is a good man and a good legislator. Unfortunately his teabagger opponent has decided to start slinging mud as some candidates do when they become desperate.
Thank you for your years of service Rep. Malik, and soon Tuesday will come and go and this teabagger Costa will crawl back under the rock where he came from.
Re-elect Rep. Jan Malik!
Mike M
11:38 pm on Saturday, November 3, 2012
An interesting article, and an interesting situation. I tend to lean more towards Malik, as he has experience, and has a good point about making lofty goals that aren't feasible. Still Broke above also has a good point that Mr. Costa may work hard to make changes, but he never has explained the fiscal ramifications, which would be substantial. Still Broke is right, most will drive to Swansea for liquor unless they are pressed for time. When gas goes up, it is cheaper in Swansea, although when it goes down, Warren seems to be the cheapest for gas around, especially Iggys and Cumby's. Costa tries to get the Portuguese vote by flaunting his heritage, but most Portuguese aren't rich and living in Barrington. They are hard working and paying tons of taxes like the rest of the middle class. I personally plan to vote on Malik, as I feel he has made good decisions, and while new blood is good, this guy just seems arrogant and immature. I do think that Malik should be friendlier at his store though, I have gone in a couple of times with him there, and he can be dickish. Be more friendly to the locals, especially the ones GIVING YOU $$$. This will be an interesting election, and Malik, what are you fighting towards? Anything specific????
Anna
10:51 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012
Mr. b kcaj,
After 16 years in office, it is very sad for the people of Warren that Mr. Malik's only defense is to refer to hardworking Mr. Costa as a "teabagger" (whatever that is?) and to tell him to "crawl back under the rock where he came from."
Shame on you and shame on Mr. Malik.
As a Warren voter, I expect our leadership to be a role model and to reach beyond party politics and work for us and work for our vote. Your name calling and bullying has not helped our state.
Very shameful.
jonnieh
3:50 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012
Rep Malik I don't how anyone would think your 16 years of experience is any match for 1 year as a page. He knows his way around. And I think he just realized we pay car and property taxes but then again how would he know he doesn't pay either of them. Oh excuse me he does pay sales tax. Mr Costa you may be portuguese but don't throw it around like all portuguese people are not too bright and will vote for you because your portuguese. We portuguese are proud of our heritage and we can see when someone is using us for personal gain.
Crescer menino e trabalhar o seu caminho para o topo não tente comprá-lo
Ernesto
11:21 am on Sunday, November 4, 2012
Why would you and Malik say Portuguese people are not too bright?? Peter Costa is a Portuguese American and he will be our voice at the state house and I saw his interviews and pictures on the Portuguese Americans in Rhode Island website and he wants to have portuguese translations! I didn't see Malik on tv supporting us! All Portuguese Americans should be proud to vote for Peter Costa. I am!!
Kim
7:10 am on Monday, November 5, 2012
I'm not saying Jan Malik is the best Representative we have ever had, nor does he say he is. However, being a middle class homeowner (tax payer), and parent of 2 children, I think I have to ask myself, "Can a person who lives with Mommy and Daddy, no matter how smart he is, really get it?" It's been almost 20 years since I've had the "luxury" of living with my parents, and occasionally I think back to how easy it was, and how little about the real world I really knew back then, even though I graduated from college and had a job. I applaud Mr. Costa for being a go-getter and wanting to make change, and I'm sure he is very educated and "book smart" about the position he's running for, but he's inexperienced at life. Come back in 10 years, Mr. Costa, after you've been employed, owned a home, and most importantly, lived like a grown-up and I'll be happy to vote for you, but just not yet.
John Geils
1:25 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
It's too bad that "Still Broke" uses this forum to take cheap shots at Rep Malik, regarding pricing at his liquor store. If you knew what you were talking about you would realize that pricing at all liguor stores is almost the same with very little difference, the difference depends on which store hapens to be running a sale on the item you are attempting to purchase at that time.
Jan has served us well over his tenure in office, always working to bring home the bacon to Warren and has equally shared his interest in the Barrington residents that he serves there as well.
Costa boasted himself as an "Independent Voice' but took all the Repubilican money he could, that's the future lawyer in him talking!
Why would anyone vote for a college student who might not be able to put the necessary time into attending the legislative sessions if he is in class? He also didn't commit past the next two years. It takes time to establish yourself in the legislature and devlope a working relationship with fellow representative which Jan has done so well. He has never shown any special interest in selfishness becuase he is there to serve, not deserve.
No one mentions all the extra time he has spent serving on various committes and attending soical events. I watched the Bristol 4th of July parade, he marched in it repersenting his district.
Give this guy the credit he has earned and only hope that he can continue to represent our interest for a long time to come!
@RightInRI
1:50 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Marching in the Bristol 4th of July parade and attending social events doesn't necessarily make someone a great politician....except in RI of course.
Denny Souza
9:07 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
I am Portuguese, I voted for Jan.
I vote for his expertise, not his nationality.
Hope to see him in next years "Fourth of July Parade".