McKee to sign 2025 state budget

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Governor Dan McKee is set to sign the 2025 state budget this morning, approving millions of dollars for everything from healthcare and education to the Washington Bridge.

McKee introduced the $13.9 billion budget back in January with the mentality of “Team Rhode Island,” hoping to raise incomes for Rhode Islanders and address funding issues in housing and education.

“The Team Rhode Island budget that I’m sending to the General Assembly today prioritizes programs and initiatives that will help raise the incomes of our fellow Rhode Islanders,” said Governor Dan McKee back in January.

“By using available resources in a targeted and strategic manner, we will continue to make progress on our RI 2030 goals while putting Rhode Islanders to work in good-paying jobs on projects that will pay dividends for decades to come,” he said.

Both of those big-ticket items will see their fair share of funding in the coming year, with a $70.9 million increase in state aid towards schools and a $120 million housing bond set for voters on the November ballot.

“Through this budget, we are emphasizing education at every level and supporting children,” said Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi in a statement, shortly after the budget was officially passed by the House Finance Committee.

“This budget is the result of a truly collaborative process between my colleagues here in the House, the dedicated members of the House Finance Committee, our partners in the Senate and Governor McKee and his team to carefully create a plan that meets Rhode Island’s needs for education, students and children first, while addressing our challenges, such as housing and health care,” he said.

Several things that weren’t necessarily on the plan are a chunk of funding, including just over $83 million for the Washington Bridge, which will be matched by federal funding as the demolition and then reconstruction continue for the next few years.

It also includes funding to increase Medicaid reimbursements next year and send $10 million dollars in unspent COVID funding to help nursing homes.

There’s more that’ll be addressed by the budget including a 25-cent raise in the tax on cigarettes and a plan to provide free school meals to thousands of students.

McKee is set to sign the budget today at 11:15 at the state house.