Independent candidate for governor Ken Block on Monday tried to reassure Rhode Island voters of his support for the changes made to healthcare under the Affordable Care Act.
It came among a laundry list of priorities he said he would pursue if elected to Rhode Island’s top job, as he pressed his case against Democrat Helena Foulkes.
Block took issue with Foulkes’ campaign ads recounting his past criticism of the Affordable Care Act.
“While I was critical of the Affordable Care Act 12 years ago, I view it as settled law today,” he said during a news conference in front of the Statehouse. “As governor, I’ll take no actions that undermine the ACA.” Rather, he said, “I want to expand access to health insurance and healthcare services.”
Block's 17 steps span healthcare policy, energy and utilities, and affordability and government efficiency.
On healthcare, Block said his goals include starting talks with other New England governors about creating a regional health insurance market, with the goal of decreasing insurance costs; strive to raise Medicare reimbursement for providers in Rhode Island; and review findings by the state auditor general, with the goal of boosting efficiency in healthcare spending.
In a news release earlier in the day, Foulkes’ campaign faulted Block for vowing to be a transparent governor while declining to release his tax returns and for not saying whether he voted for Donald Trump for president or who he supports for lieutenant governor.
“Rhode Islanders deserve a transparent governor, not lip service from a candidate who has run for governor three different times under three different party affiliations,” said Foulkes spokeswoman Angelika Pellegrino.
Block ran as a Moderate in 2010 and as a Republican in 2014. He had said releasing his tax returns could expose confidential information about his software engineering firm – and he said he doesn’t think Rhode Islanders really care about that information.
In two recent polls, Foulkes led Block by between 9 and 11 points, although he asserts his campaign is gaining momentum. Republican Aaron Guckian has lagged behind in polls.
On energy policy, Block said his priorities include redirecting money from a regional initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to aid low-income ratepayers; ending subsidies for out-of-state renewable energy projects; and working with the General Assembly to push back from 2033 to 2040 the state’s goal to rely 100% on renewable energy and incrementally lowering related taxes.
Block’s other goals include eliminating tax on Social Security income; backing legislation to stop auto insurers from using credit-based insurance scores to determine rates; making a timeline for merging the Rhode Island Bridge and Tunnel Authority with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation; and assembling a team to focus on troubled state computer systems and related contracts with vendors and outside consultants.
The election ends in just over a week on Nov. 3.
