Happy Saturday! Here's another edition of my weekend column for WPRI.com -- as always, send your takes, tips and trial balloons to [email protected] and follow me on Twitter, Threads and Facebook. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Nesi's Notes SIGN UP NOW 1. The election may be front of mind for most people, but State House leaders are already looking ahead to difficult budget decisions that loom in 2025. "This will be a very challenging year," Speaker Shekarchi told RIPEC's annual meeting on Wednesday night. "Because I assure you -- there is no more federal money." The numbers have worsened significantly due to fresh spending commitments the General Assembly authorized last spring. A new R.I. Office of Management and Budget report projects that the budget deficit for 2025-26 is now nearly $400 million, a big leap from the $250 million or so previously estimated. The report forecasts that things will only get worse from there, with the deficit reaching almost $700 million in 2029-30 unless significant policy changes are made. Why? Simple math: state tax revenue grows by about 2.5% a year, but expenditures grow by about 3.7%, driven by spending on social services, education and local aid that is mostly on autopilot. This hot potato is now in the hands of Governor McKee, as he and his team craft a budget plan to close the deficit, which is due in January. McKee has consistently pushed lawmakers to allocate one-time federal money to one-time expenses over recent years; the Assembly has also repeatedly rejected ideas put forward by McKee to restrain spending growth. "Given our current economic strength, now is the opportune time to focus on modernizing government operations and increasing efficiencies," the governor said in a statement Friday. "As we navigate these financial challenges, it is crucial to prioritize fiscal responsibility and protect Rhode Island taxpayers." 2. And speaking of state money, did you know Rhode Island has already allocated up to $654 million to fund demolition and reconstruction of the Washington Bridge? R.I. Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti threw out the dollar figure this week during his monthly interview on 12 News at 4, describing it as "more than we think we'll need." How does the math add up? A majority of the money is debt: $335 million. That's how much the General Assembly has authorized RIDOT to borrow to deal with the bridge, to be paid back using future federal highway aid. (The state recently floated $140 million in bonds based on that authorization.) The next big chunk of money is federal grants: $221 million secured by the congressional delegation. RIDOT also has three smaller buckets of Washington Bridge money allocated by lawmakers so far: $45 million from the state's pay-as-you-go capital account; $35 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds; and $18 million in additional state funds. 3. Things are looking brighter for at least one source of financial concern for state leaders: Thundermist Health Center, which is no longer at risk of closing after getting emergency financing. 4. The fall campaign for Cranston mayor has been a somewhat quieter affair than the primary race, at least when it comes to generating statewide news coverage. Republican incumbent Ken Hopkins made a show of strength when he defeated GOP challenger Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung by double-digits in the primary, reinforcing the perception that his Democratic opponent, City Councilman Robert Ferri, is an underdog. But Ferri is running a well-financed and well-organized campaign, and supporters think he has a path to victory. A wild card is the presidential contest at the top of the ticket -- if Kamala Harris outperforms expectations, Ferri could theoretically get swept in on her coattails. Still, Cranston voters have historically been willing to split their tickets; four years ago, 54% of city voters backed Hopkins, while only 42% went for Donald Trump. Hopkins and Ferri met Friday in our studios for their only TV debate of the campaign, and things got feisty fast. (There's some personal history there: Ferri, a former Republican, used to be a Hopkins supporter.) The pair do agree on some matters, like RIPTA's proposed light-rail service along Route 2 or the performance of Police Col. Michael Winquist. But they are far apart when it comes to the city's financial health, how to address homelessness, overnight parking -- and whether Hopkins did something wrong when he took possession of that car without paying for it. You can watch the full debate here. 5. There is high drama playing out in the Rhode Island Senate, mostly -- but not entirely -- behind the scenes. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio publicly moved last week to bounce Majority Leader Ryan Pearson out of leadership in favor of Whip Val Lawson, but so far the idea hasn't generated a large show of public support from other Senate Democrats. Privately, text messages are flying and phone lines are burning up. Ruggerio's power play has actually caused him more problems in the short term, since it liberated Pearson to give candid interviews about how the Senate president's frail health and frequent absences are hurting the chamber. Further complicating matters, as Ian Donnis reported, it's unclear how Senate Democrats feel about Ruggerio potentially giving the No. 3 position of whip to Jake Bissaillon, who was previously Ruggerio's chief of staff but is the most junior member of the chamber. As of Friday night, the official line was that no decision has been made about the whip (a job appointed by the Senate president, not elected by the caucus). The clock is ticking: Assembly leaders usually call a party caucus within days of the election to cement their hold on power for the new session, so it's possible this could all be over two weeks from now. 6. Rhode Island's U.S. Senate race has been a lopsided fight financially, with incumbent Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse vastly outspending GOP nominee Patricia Morgan so far. But Morgan is now getting some outside help. Roosevelt Society Action, a super PAC with an Alabama address that was established last month, just spent $54,000 on a pro-Morgan mailer that is now hitting mailboxes. The group has also posted a 30-second ad on YouTube attacking Whitehouse and talking up Morgan, though it's unclear if it will air on broadcast TV or just be a digital spot. Who's paying for all this, and do they plan to spend more? That's unclear. The super PAC's only reported income to date is a $200,000 contribution on Sept. 17 from an entity called The Roosevelt Society. It has an address in Hudson, Wisconsin, that pops up in the FEC database tied to other conservative political donations. 7. Senator Whitehouse also got an unexpected endorsement this week -- from the menswear guy on Twitter. (If you're not familiar with him, here's some background.) 8. As a state representative and previous candidate for governor, Patricia Morgan brings a degree of statewide name recognition to her bid for U.S. Senate. The same can't be said for her fellow Republican congressional candidates, 1st District nominee Allen Waters and 2nd District nominee Steven Corvi. If you want to learn more about them, both men recently joined Kim Kalunian for live interviews on 12 News at 4 -- you can watch Waters here and watch Corvi here. The incumbent Democrats they're challenging have also stopped by for live interviews -- you can watch Gabe Amo here and watch Seth Magaziner here. 9. Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera wants control of the city schools back, and she's out with a new 136-page report making the case to state leaders. "My heart aches for the challenges our students face," Rivera said in a statement, "but I stand ready to accept responsibility for fighting for their future." 10. Remember Joe Mollicone from the 1990s credit-union crisis? He's only paid $54,000 of the $12 million in restitution he owes Rhode Islanders, and just had his probation revoked. Tim White has the story here. 11. An East Providence man wants an apology from Mayor Bob DaSilva after he says he was wrongfully accused of vandalizing a patriotic crosswalk on a neighborhood street. 12. There's a new power player at CVS Health as the company navigates its current turmoil, according to Fortune magazine: Executive Chairman Roger Farah, the 71-year-old former CEO of Ralph Lauren, who came to the CVS board through its 2018 acquisition of insurer Aetna. 13. With Election Day around the corner, I've enjoyed making the rounds to discuss the political outlook and where things stand. Last Sunday I visited Touro Fraternal Association, the 106-year-old Jewish men's group based in Cranston, to field some smart questions about everything from political polling to hospital financing. (And to eat some excellent lox.) On Monday, I swung by Bill Bartholomew's studio to tape his podcast for a great conversation about politics, the news business, and parenting. And Wednesday I was glad to moderate a discussion at RIPEC's annual meeting with Inside Elections editor/publisher Nathan Gonzales, who reaffirmed that the presidential race is just as close as the polls suggest. Gonzales also had an interesting perspective on the battle for control of Congress -- he thinks a Republican majority in the Senate is basically a done deal, but the House is still a jump ball. 14. Trusting the polls has its downsides. But in 1956, The New York Times learned that ignoring the polls has its downsides, too. 15. James Taylor went rowing on Narragansett Bay, and posted it on Instagram. 16. Rest in peace, Jack Jones, gone at 86. He was one of the last great pre-rock singers who was still with us. And if you only know him from the "Love Boat" theme song, check out his great 1964 Christmas album once the holidays roll around. 17. Set your DVRs: This week on Newsmakers — a debate between Cranston mayoral candidates Ken Hopkins and Robert Ferri. Watch Sunday at 5:30 a.m. on WPRI 12 and 10 a.m. on Fox Providence, or listen on the radio Sunday at 6 p.m. on WPRO. You can also subscribe to Newsmakers as a podcast via Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you back here next Saturday. Ted Nesi ([email protected]) is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesi's Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Threads and Facebook. Your Local Election HQ☆ Latest Headlines »☆ Race Results »☆ Voter Guide »☆ Where They Stand »