Senator DiPalma Announces Third Term Candidacy
The incumbent State Senator has announced he will run for a third term. He plans to knock on as many doors as he can within his constituency. Use this cheat-sheet to prepare your questions!
Senator Louis "Lou" DiPalma (Democrat - District 12, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Tiverton) announced that he will run for a third term as State Senator.
“Hopefully the voters will see fit to vote me in again,” said the Senator. DiPalma hopes to knock on every door within his constituency to talk to the voters during his campaign.
Patch wants you to be prepared! Below is a cheat-sheet on Dipalma's background, recent legislation and priorities for next term.
Whether you vote on strictly the issues or believe that good people make good government, we want you to be able to ask the questions that matter the most to you as a voter.
General Background:
- Raised in Bridgeport, Conn.
- 51 years old
- Graduated from the University of Bridgeport with a B.S. in Computer Engineering.
- He moved to Middletown on August 20, 1983, one day after graduation, after an offer from Raytheon.
- In 1989 DiPalma graduated with a M.S. in Computer Science from Brown University
- Currently works as a Technical Director, Raytheon Company - Integrated Defense Systems
Family Life:
- Senator DiPalma has been married to his wife Margaret for 28 years
- His daughter Kellie DiPalma is on the Middletown School Committee and is getting married this August
- His second daughter, Abbie, is 24 years old.
Political Background:
- 2004 and 2006, Elected Middletown Councilor
- 2008 and 2010, Elected State Senator for District 12
- 2012, DiPalma will run for a third term
DiPalma said his greatest accomplishments over this past term have been:
- His ability to use his understanding of data and appreciation for fact-based decisions to engage in budget discussions. “The needle is moving in the right direction,” said DiPalma.
- His push to establish the framework for municipal shared services. If adapted, shared services can reduce municipal expenses and lower property taxes, he said. He pointed out that change takes time, but the conversations have been started. “It’s not a sprint,” said DiPalma.
Most Recent Legislation:
- Food Allergy Bill
Middletown Resident Danielle Mongeau contacted DiPalma about a bill that would require restaurants to increase their awareness of food allergies. - Complete Streets
The bill requires projects that receive state or federal funding to take into account all roadway users, including bicyclists, walkers and public transportation
If re-elected, his main priorities will be (not in a particular order):
- Dipalma said his priorities overlap, since a healthy government has jobs, a sustainable budget and good education system.
- Lowering property and income taxes. He will continue to push for shared services to save the cities and towns money.
- Job creation
- Education
Hobbies:
- The Senator said he enjoys reading, but prefers non-fiction. He said that life is fiction; he does not need to read about other characters and story-lines. He is currently reading That Used to Be Us by Tom Friedman. He also read Friedman’s previous books, Hot, Flat and Crowded and The World is Flat.
- He enjoys working outdoors and said he even maintains plants such as a fig tree and grape plants in his yard.
Bill Gerlach
1:42 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Senator DiPalma: Glad to hear you're running again. I've been impressed with your performance so far -- and am looking forward to seeing what else you can accomplish for the residents of Tiverton. You have my support!
William F Horan
3:00 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
You had been proactive in damage control re sponsorship for the RI GA EDC EBEC bill in the RI GA senate. You had implemented revisions addressing concerns etc. But, its foundation once coupled to what it had morphed into it is clear that something was wrong. It is time to end what EBEC morphed into. Yes, an attempted plunder of the RI Tax payer and electrical rate payer. Clearly this ill conceived and dangerous misadventure , smelling of a classic Smith Hill low Tide, must be canceled. This EBEC concept for addressing our local energy security like many undertaking had good intentions.Today, EBEC in its actions has become a monster that seems to project a priority that would feed the revenue stream brokers of bonds and tax credits and creates yet another quasi public agency beyond the control of the tax payer and rule of law. Rather this burdens our stalled economic recovery. The solutions that EBEC publicly embrace are OBE in the energy markets. To have a quasi public corp just pass on expenses to the tax payer and rate payer would be akin to economic terrorism. I would strongly advise the RI GA to defer to the RI PUC in matters of energy policy and public utilities regulation. I note that our electrical rates are already burdened. This is not a component of a solution that maintains a predictable and reliable energy sources and a viable public utility industry.
William F Horan
3:03 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
The Citizens pay fuel taxes at both the state and Federal level that is earmarked for the Highway and bridge implementation. As I stated in a email to you back when you were on the revenue enhancement study group for highway maintenance funding - Among the topics The Rt 24 Aquidneck Island bridge replacement due to malfeasance of management in annual maintenance , required replacement. Accordingly the new / replacement bridge design phase and then implementation phase was essentially from those funding sources (as advertised in the legacy construction site signage and several additional documents). Today a bait and switch so called revenue stream enhancement Smith Hill slight of hand. Yes, an accounting fraud performed to transfer the rt 24 Aquidneck Island bridge to a quasi public corporation and perform another plunder of the tax payer and the highway user. Yes, RI co mingles the monies and drains off (socialist wealth redistribution) funds for further expansion of the RI Pseudo Socialist agendas. Especially public works projects has been a source of the welfare industry, bond brokers and unions for all to long. This further exacerbates the terrible environment for business and chases away the talented citizens that we need to attract business. Will you work to undo this latest fraud of the tax paying legal citizens of RI.. Remove the tolls on the rt 24 bridge connecting Aquidneck Island that we have already paid for several times over.
Michael E. Whitty
1:25 am on Wednesday, October 17, 2012
A simple question. "How did you vote on the toll issue?" I do hope it was NO!