Thank you for printing the names and photos of the Rhode Island legislators who voted for the state budget. Voters need to take note and remove every one of these people from office in the next election (assuming, of course, that they are not the only candidates to choose from).

The House Finance Committee has virtually ignored any and all methods of improving the long-term economic viability of the state and instead opted to levy more taxes upon us and use the latest federal handout to patch the shortfall in the budget. This is guaranteed to make next year’s financial situation even worse, since more people will leave Rhode Island and more businesses will either close or relocate. Revenue will decline at a greater rate than this year’s deep plunge and the budget shortfall will increase.

This is the year that our legislators could have reduced spending, cut taxes and embarked on the long road to recovery. Instead it is “business as usual” as we go further down the road to financial ruin in Rhode Island.

STEPHEN H. STONER

Barrington