2022 -- S 2824 | |
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LC005613 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022 | |
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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N | |
TO AUTHORIZE AND APPROVE A REFERENDUM TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE | |
QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AT THE NEXT GENERAL | |
ELECTION TO ALLOW THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND TO ISSUE GENERAL | |
OBLIGATION BONDS, REFUNDING BONDS, AND/OR TEMPORARY NOTES IN AN | |
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWENTY-THREE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND | |
DOLLARS ($23,500,000) FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A STATE-OF-THE-ART | |
CARBON-NEUTRAL EDUCATION CENTER AND EVENT PAVILION AT ROGER | |
WILLIAMS PARK ZOO. | |
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Introduced By: Senators Goodwin, and McCaffrey | |
Date Introduced: March 24, 2022 | |
Referred To: Senate Finance | |
1 | WHEREAS, The Roger Williams Park Zoo brings in over 800,000 visitors each year, |
2 | including over 400,000 from out of state, contributing to over $50 million in economic impact for |
3 | Roger Williams Park, the city of Providence and the State of Rhode Island; and |
4 | WHEREAS, The Roger Williams Park Zoo's educational programs directly touch more |
5 | than 138,000 learners of all ages each year and provide free and reduced entry to ensure that |
6 | students of all backgrounds have access to these camps and programs; and |
7 | WHEREAS, Unlike many Zoos nationwide that receive dedicated state or local revenues, |
8 | the Roger Williams Park Zoo relies on entry fees and memberships for capital improvements; and |
9 | WHEREAS, Rhode Island voters approved $15 million for the Zoo as part of the 2014 |
10 | "Clean Water, Open Space and Healthy Communities" bond, which the Zoo used promptly to |
11 | build a brand new "Faces of the Rainforest" exhibit. The exhibit brought an estimated 36,657 |
12 | additional visitors to the Zoo in the first year and demonstrated a positive return on investment by |
13 | contributing $15.65 million in direct value to the local and state economy; and |
14 | WHEREAS, These projects will help the Zoo meet the technology demands of the |
15 | modern-day classrooms, increase student capacity to expand its education programs to Rhode |
16 | Island schools and provide a large venue with seating capacity for lectures, assemblies, and |
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1 | artistic performances. Both projects will improve access and further contribute to the Zoo's |
2 | positive economic impacts on Roger Williams Park, the city of Providence and all of Rhode |
3 | Island; now, therefore be it |
4 | RESOLVED, There shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the State of Rhode |
5 | Island at the next general election for their approval the following referendum question: |
6 | "Shall the action of the general assembly, by an act passed at the 2022 legislative session, |
7 | authorizing the issuance of bonds, refunding bonds, and temporary notes of the State of Rhode |
8 | Island for the capital project and in the amount with respect to the project listed below be |
9 | approved, and the issuance of bonds, refunding bonds, and temporary notes authorized in |
10 | accordance with the provisions of said act?" |
11 | Approval of this question will allow the State of Rhode Island to issue general obligation |
12 | bonds, refunding bonds, and/or temporary notes in an amount not to exceed twenty-three million |
13 | five hundred thousand dollars ($23,500,000) for the new construction of a state-of-the-art carbon- |
14 | neutral education center and event pavilion at Roger Williams Park Zoo; and be it further |
15 | RESOLVED, That the said proposition of amendment shall be submitted to the electors |
16 | for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the |
17 | several cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for |
18 | general officers of the state; and be it further |
19 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall cause the said proposition of amendment |
20 | to be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the |
21 | said meetings of the said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or |
22 | notices to be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town, |
23 | ward, or district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, city, ward, or district |
24 | meetings to be held as aforesaid; and be it further |
25 | RESOLVED, That the town, city, ward, and district meetings to be held as aforesaid shall |
26 | be warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and |
27 | district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town, |
28 | city, ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state. |
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LC005613 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N | |
TO AUTHORIZE AND APPROVE A REFERENDUM TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE | |
QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AT THE NEXT GENERAL | |
ELECTION TO ALLOW THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND TO ISSUE GENERAL | |
OBLIGATION BONDS, REFUNDING BONDS, AND/OR TEMPORARY NOTES IN AN | |
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWENTY-THREE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND | |
DOLLARS ($23,500,000) FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF A STATE-OF-THE-ART | |
CARBON-NEUTRAL EDUCATION CENTER AND EVENT PAVILION AT ROGER | |
WILLIAMS PARK ZOO. | |
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1 | This resolution would allow the State of Rhode Island to issue general obligation bonds, |
2 | refunding bonds, and/or temporary notes in an amount not to exceed twenty-three million five |
3 | hundred thousand dollars ($23,500,000) for the new construction of a state-of-the-art carbon- |
4 | neutral education center and event pavilion at Roger Williams Park Zoo. |
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LC005613 | |
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