How Newport, Rhode Island Could Lead the World
Op-Eds Published in the Newport Daily News & Newport This Week

Newport’s Two Marshmallow Moment (February 2012)

A single marshmallow is placed before the child.

He is told, “ I need to leave the room. If you don't eat this marshmallow, I will give you another one, and you can eat them both.” Can the child hold out? This famous psychological test, designed by Stanford Prof. Walter Mischel, tests one's ability to defer gratification for the greater reward

The governor, his tax staff, and the Legislature would, likely, eat the single marshmallow. Most Newporters would do better.

Mr. Chafee opened offering the legislature one percent taxes on currently untaxed items; they balked. During the campaign he told me that he questioned whether Curt Schilling’s loan guarantee wasn’t actually a loan. Once in office, the governor embraced it, regardless. Recently, Mr. Chafee proposed increases on the salaries of state directors; then suggested lifting the meal and beverage tax. Most of Newport’s tourism-related taxes already go straight to Providence.

Business people know that targeted taxation, credits, and exclusions are patently unfair. We also understand why a flat and broad tax base is high-octane for economic growth. As the co-chair of Newport's comprehensive land-use plan, my colleagues and I have struggled to identify strategies to help the city council attract (and keep) money in Newport. Some of those concepts include: public-private partnerships, increased city density, a year-round economy, and an ombudsman for City Hall.

If the state followed Newport in broadening its tax base, it would soon be among the best states for business. The tax base would be fair, equivalent and highly productive (fewer loopholes, more tax dollars). By contrast, a state that considers taxing tax preparation, as RI has, is borderline absurd, and so, irrelevant to the global economy.

Newport has a few of its own strategic economic advantages.

At its best, the city manager form of government insulates day-to-day management from politics. Managed well, the City mirrors a well-balanced corporation: City manager/CEO, Mayor/Chairman, City Council/Board of Directors.

A growing national program, “Strong Cities Strong States,” shows that fiscal success follows decentralizing state government.

Say “Rhode Island” and most people think, “Newport!” City Hall should be marketing that singular advantage, but from the inside out.

Jack Kemp used to say: "Tax the behavior you don't want, subsidize behavior you do want.”

Where political tax policy is the politicians’ social tinker toy, he’s right. By contrast, broadening Newport’s tax base and mastering inside-out policies are local and achievable.

To count on the ruler of Smith Hill and the mob of dim lights in the seats is futile. For its part, Newport has an unusual opportunity to run from the inside-out for the first time since the head of the island was a Wampanoag.

Think, Then Act, and Don't Mix Those Up (January 2012)

School uniforms. Queen Anne Square. The Pell School. Wind Turbines. The SRO System. How the Mayor is chosen. Washington Square. Police and fire pensions. Charter review. Historic District commission. Waterfront planning commission. America's Cup at Fort Adams.

Each of these is a puzzle piece in Newport's future. So, why don’t these puzzle pieces form the clear image of a great city?

Business has shown me how much can be lost by confusing activity with progress. Governance is a type of business, and rarely practices this habit. Economic recession reveals this as true.

Public issues attract constituencies. These constituents become part of the political process. Governance would be all smooth sailing if constituents, issues, and political agendas were all in alignment. But how often does this happen, outside of Cuba? Public debate, once informed and experienced, has been supplanted by emotional rancor. On the national stage it’s one thing—too big to hail. Tiny Newport can do better.

Assuming all 24,672 (down 6.8% btw) of us take our local government seriously, contentiousness isn’t charming; it’s destructive. And fractiousness is not a constitutional right, as some have actually claimed, it’s abusive, self-serving, and demeaning to residents.

Where is the City's better, larger self? And where is the selfless common purpose? I think you know.

As the co-chair of Newport’s comprehensive land-use plan, I was initially curious to see if we as a group would experience similar divisiveness. At the beginning…maybe a bit. We evolved a new path, however, where specific objectives and common courtesy fostered idea generation, and remedies.

Earlier this year, I made a point of discussing the comp plan with each city counselor. Each was courteous enough; but, four Council members pointedly told me they enjoyed, and appreciated, our conversation. (Apparently, envisioning change can be painless.)

It will be very useful to have a City Council open to ideas, because there are always new puzzle pieces. Just today those include: Alternative energy; a community fiber optic network; an ‘open’ waterfront; measures which broaden the tax base; the NEW homeless and jobless; the City’s (versus the State's) responsibilities and tax-dollar share of large events; and Newport's image with young people and families.

Long-range problems test our ingenuity and character. They challenge our ability to arrange the puzzle pieces logically to imagine the paths to desirable solutions. Curiosity will be required and questions such as these: What are the patterns? What outcome do we intend? Are we reasoning well? Are we looking at this matter clearly?

Of course, all this assumes people are more interested in the challenge of identifying solutions than expressing their opinion. You know what they say about assuming.

The Path to Leadership: Expect Public Sector Accountability for Results (December 10, 2011)

Newport's municipal government is unusual. Our charter essentially reduces Council members to little more than stewards of City policy. The city manager is Newport's shadow ruler. Put mildly, Newport's formal leadership is vacated, which makes the current environment opportune for a change to legal accountability for long term results.

How?

What if each city councilor 'adopted' an element of the City's comprehensive land use plan as her professional focus? The comprehensive land-use plan was mandated by the state beginning in 1990. Essentially, it's a report on the City's vision of the future.

With professional concentration, councillors would develop subject matter expertise. The acquired knowledge would be passed on to the public in the form of initiatives. The stewards would become contributors to a results-oriented process. The city manager would be the efficiency and cost-effectiveness czar executing reviewed policy. Perhaps he would become the City's pro tem ombudsman. All hands on, transparent--and measurable.

Such concentration and expertise will provide councilors and city staff with measurable, practical guidelines and expectations. Efficient time and project management. Outside resources that support precise understanding and compel common sense solutions. Responsibility (and accountability) for managing for productivity and results. Reward the successes!

How might the council initiate this low cost/high impact concept? Try this right now. Visit the City's website to see what you can learn about the councilors--and ask around. Match each councilor's professional experience and with one or more elements.

I'll start.

To no one's surprise, the core element of the City's comprehensive land use plan is land-use. The city councilor assigned to this element might study and monitor management, policy and planning, something like the Secretary of the Interior. She would manage the vision and see that it agrees with the guidance provided by the other elements.

The six other elements are: Housing (residential living and low income housing programs); Economic development (business climate & a long view of flow of funds); Nature/Culture (Visitors/residents and outdoor living/arts); Community Facilities (Health and safety); Open Space (Environment, fitness); Circulation (Multiple modes of transportation, including walking!)

Giving each councilor area-specific accountability—particularly during the current recession—achieves several objectives. Subject matter expertise prods professional-level results. Popular discussion moves from opinion to logical argument based on facts and tested concepts. Intelligent action brings sacrifice, sometimes discomfort. Get over it. Achieving the common good requires work.

There is, however, one overriding reason to make these changes.

Self-determination leads to self-sustainability that is more true than what is proposed by any outside body keen to decide our future.

Openness, transparency, hard work are the characteristics of self-governance at it best. So, why not the best?

Newport's Underground Entrepreneurial Engine (October 29, 2011)

Think of Thomas Edison. Or, Nicola Tesla. Or Steve Jobs.  Each one devoted his life to solving BIG questions.

Edison: Which material will conduct, electrify, and shine bright and long?  Tesla: How can continuous electrical current be delivered?  Jobs: What if computers were highly functional and beautiful?  Boldness was their business partner.

As the co-chair of the 2011 Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the City of Newport, I've been part of similar framing-and-solving. In our case, for the last 27 months, my colleagues and I have researched and probed Newport's biggest problems. The State’s comprehensive land-use law, mandated in 1988 by the Rhode Island state legislature, guides all this. It calls for municipal governments to develop locally initiated solutions with a long view, working under the auspices of the local planning boards. 

Practical solutions are interdependent. Consider this: Good schools require a strong housing policy, and a sound economy requires strong schools. Social and environmental projects have a cost, likely to increase home prices. (In some communities these are offset by property transfer fees paid by the buyer.)

Meanwhile, small offices in ‘downtown’ Newport are newly abuzz, despite recession, king-size public obligations, and Newport’s core economy. That is the sound of entrepreneurs creating (year-round) commercial success in several industries.

Here are a few other considerations in fostering integrated, locally actionable economic and resource policies: 

To retain its marine heritage, Newport will almost certainly need to embrace science. This includes pursuing unhampered discoveries and commercialization in aquaculture and the world famous Narragansett oyster beds, as well as other food and energy produced here.

A commitment to world-class excellence in education for students of all ages to compete and win is interdependent on moderately priced housing, including rentals. 

Manufacturing, such as Newport Biodiesel and Coastal Extreme Brewing, attract fresh capital and new talent.  Positive experience with public-private initiatives demonstrates that conservatively run enterprises can become profitable, and benefit many.

Our current new technology, science, and manufacturing oriented industries tend to pay above average annual wages—some into six figures. If Newport manages the local very high speed LTE Internet connection to support this trend, it will attract additional right-fitting businesses, which also broadens the City’s tax base.

At the core of all these ideas is a paradox. Newport could actually resume her historic place as a center for global exchange of products and services, if we will look forward, energetically committed to the shared success ahead, and not backward, incapacitated by memories.

The Path To Real Leadership: Newport Needs an Ombudsman (December 10, 2010)

Six years ago I returned home to Newport, anticipating a smoothly run city. Instead, I began observing a strange phenomenon around our news and public affairs. Opinions are often regarded as 'truths.'

Individuated opinion is hardly public discussion—it’s therapeutic banter.

Information moves fast today. Unfortunately, misinformation and public gossip move equally fast. We turn to the press, anticipating clarity.

Reporters, working on deadline are relied on for their questioning and reporting skills. The desk editor encapsulates each story in a headline. The headlines attempt to focus issues as handled by the low wage, part-time, zero-research-budget City Council.

The residents, businesses, property owners, and visitors need more than to keep this game going.

To do their job properly, City reporters need credible, regular contact with the government. City employees deserve clear reporting of their efforts.  And this same voice, representing local government, can foster informed public discussion.

Newport’s operating annual budget is approximately $103,000,000, about the size of an American company poised for explosive growth. Leadership, a united mission, a growing market, quality output are easily understood inside a company. And yet, the City's 60-year-old charter reduces the elected city councilors to little more than stewards.

Where is the voter transparency? And who leads?

The people of the City of Newport deserve an ombudsman (paid as the City Manager is paid) to post and communicate legal items, to educate, to ensure vital communications, perhaps sometimes, to act as liaison to progress. In other cities, ombudsmen transmit public information from various city offices and to the proper & necessary constituencies.

Defined, "an ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests."

Without a full-time, empowered Mayor, Newport lacks a unified voice of leadership and vision that businesses and individuals can follow, or readily support. In contrast, the ombudsman is a spokesperson for the various parts of local government. This person is part press flack, part information resource, part conduit and facilitator of ideas and action. It doesn't require a charter change--and (this is sure to be popular) it can be undone!

The preferred path is commitment to the post, improvement of the system and removal of  politics from the operational functions of City government.

'To every thing there is a season,' said Solomon. In this season, the City needs an advocate, entrusted with the ability to unify, to speak to, and to empower the ideas and efforts of all stakeholders. Such stakeholders include the policy-related public employees inside City Hall and those in the federal and private sector outside--the ones who pay the bills.