McKee budget accounts for $610 million surplus

Critics say tax rebates lack sustainability, fail to address structural economic issues

BY YAEL SARIG SENIOR STAFF WRITER

While the rest of the country braces for a possible recession this year, Gov. Dan McKee’s proposed budget is at odds with the doom and gloom of economic forecasts. The state is heading into the 2023-24 fiscal year on track for a $610 million surplus, and the budget proposal contains several tax cuts, including energy rebates and a reduction in state sales tax for Rhode Islanders.

The proposed budget aims to support citizens who have been struggling with the increasing cost of living and inflation, according to state Sen. Louis DiPalma MSc’89 P’08 (D-12), chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance. Earlier this year, utility rates rose almost 50% in Rhode Island, and increased gas and grocery prices have affected people worldwide.

DiPalma said the budget re - flects the priorities of the Senate: monitoring the economic impact of inflation on Rhode Island residents and businesses.

He added that the budget is likely to change after it passes through the numerous legislative hoops standing in its way.

“In my 15 years, no budget that’s come to the General Assembly came out the way it went in,” DiPalma said. “The committee … (is) gonna go back and look at what the residents want.”

In an email to The Herald, Rhode Island House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-23) said the budget would undergo a “thorough vetting of proposals through the House Finance Committee process,” adding that he felt “confident that effort will yield a final product we can all be proud of.”

How the surplus came to be

This marks the second straight year that Rhode Island will be left with an excess of money. Rhode Island finished the last fiscal year with a surplus of $480 million, part election — with the National Labor Relations Board on Jan. 11 after the University initially declined its request for voluntary recognition in December.

At filing, TALO received authorization cards from over 70% of TAs who worked during the fall semester and over 50% of TAs who are working for the current semester, according to Colton Rusch ’23, a TALO organizer.

University News

Group combines Western, Bollywood music, will perform at annual spring show

BY SWARAJ AGARWAL SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Like most members of Brown Barsaat, President Rohit Panse ’24 sang before he got to Brown, performing in a vocal jazz group throughout high school. He also grew up listening to both Bollywood and English music, which made joining a club where he could perform in both styles particularly exciting.

Founded in the early 2000s, Barsaat is Brown’s South Asian fusion a cappella group. The 14-member group consists of singers with both classical South Asian and Western musical training, and draws upon both styles in their performances on campus and beyond.

Panse highlighted the tight-knit community that Barsaat provides, noting that it makes the club unique.

Growing up, former Barsaat Music Director Urvi Binjrajka ’23 kept busy by participating in musical groups.

“I came to Brown looking for a similar community to get involved in and auditioned for several a cappella