01:00 AM EDT on Saturday, April 15, 2006

Rhode Island is well known as the state with an abundance of "freebies," the nation's "candy store." With that in mind, I was extremely disappointed to read that a Senate Committee voted against Voter Initiative.

With the state facing a budget deficit of $350 million, we taxpayers absolutely need new influence in our government. Balancing the budget is of prime concern, and anything would be an improvement over what we presently have.

Voter initiative would give citizens an alternative when their lawmakers fail to listen to the very people who voted them in office.

Opponents asserted that voter initiative would allow majorities to trample minority rights and use the ballot referendum power to ban same-sex marriage and end some forms of affirmative action. But the proposed legislation would aim to protect everyone's civil rights by establishing reviews of ballot questions.

Some senators were concerned that children would be denied health benefits. Hogwash! Children have never been denied health care and will not be in the foreseeable future as long as we put a cap on all the freebies and immigration. The sooner, the better.

It's obvious that some senators refuse to admit what has happened in Massachusetts with Proposition 2 1/2, limiting property-tax increases. I find it hard to believe that Rhode Islanders would not be interested in tax relief.

If not for a few people at our State House, this could happen. Maybe our lawmakers think we are all idiots, and maybe we are. We keep re-electing the same people who are bent on marching to a different beat than the taxpayers.

I hope this may serve as a wake-up call.

DOLORES JORDAN

Greenville