羅德島州首名參選州長的華裔候選人馮偉杰，昨（廿八）日傳出前州長林肯雅門（Lincoln
Almond）站台支持的喜訊。
林肯雅門（Lincoln
Almond）昨日站在羅州州政府大廳的台階上，稱許馮偉杰擔任市長時的政績，指出那是他決定支持馮偉杰的重要因素。
他說，那都和經濟有關，要讓人們有工作，是就業問題，而這個人（馮偉杰）就致力於創造工作機會，在克蘭斯頓市（Cranston）市做到了。他強調，“這不是花言巧語的空話，我真的很高興支持他當羅德島州長”。
林肯雅門還借機會批評另一名羅德島州州長候選人Ken Block的競選許諾，要刪減十億元的州政府預算，稱那是典型政客的花言巧語。
林肯雅門的支持，是馮偉杰在最近數週獲得的支持中最新的一個。其他的背書支持包括中城（Middletown）及東格林威治(East
Greenwich)共和黨鎮委員會，羅德島州的共和黨全國黨委會代表Carol Mumford，以及Steven Frias，克蘭斯頓（Cranston），納拉甘西特（Narragansett），新港（Newport），夕丘（Scituate），以及溫莎基（Woonsocket）等五地的共和黨委員會主席及會員，日前還聚會分享促使他們支持馮偉杰的個人經驗。
馮偉杰昨日推出的首支宣傳路影片，也在強調他是個有政績為証的改革者之餘，也指出他有為克蘭斯頓市帶來一千個工作機會的記錄。他的政績還包括降低了退休金的費用，刪減了政府支出，連續三年在不加稅之下都能平衡預算等。
馮偉杰的競選陣營日前向外公佈了他參選以來的籌款成績，截至今年三月三十一日紙，已達五十一萬一千餘元。
Dear Friends,
I am very proud to have the endorsement of former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Almond, who for eight years presided over our state budget and brought more than 40,000 private sector jobs into the state.
I appreciate Governor Almond's praise for my accomplishments in the City of Cranston, including spending cuts, creating more than 1,000 new jobs, and balancing budgets without raising taxes. Under Governor Almond, Rhode Island had a strong economy and low unemployment and he shares my confidence that as Governor, I can do the same for our state.
Governor Almond also looked at the outlandish promises from my opponent and exposed Ken Block's plan as the "Empty Rhetoric of a Typical Politician." Don't be fooled by Mr. Block's vague and empty promises.
Instead, please consider my accomplishments and imagine what this type of leadership could do for the State of Rhode Island.
Please take a look at Governor Almond's own words.
Thank you,
AllanFung
Allan Fung
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BY LINCOLN ALMOND
Ken Block has some explaining to do.
When he first announced his candidacy for governor last fall, Ken Block proudly declared he had a plan to save $1 billion. At first, he gave the impression that his plan would save $1 billion annually from the state budget. Then he clarified that it would be $1 billion in savings in four years. Then he further corrected the misimpression he created that the money he was proclaiming to save would come entirely from the state budget.
In fact, on a recent Sunday news program, Block said about a third of the savings over four years would come from the budget. But he has never explained how he would reduce state spending. And don't bother visiting his website for answers. I did, and they are not there.
I know the state budget. During my years as governor, though unemployment was low and the economy was strong, funding essential services of government was always a challenge. One billion dollars is a lot of money. Ken Block's simple explanation of saving a third of a billion dollars to "fix" the state's unemployment insurance program, a third of a billion dollars to "fix" its temporary disability insurance program, and a third of a billion dollars from undeclared cuts in its budget may be a great campaign slogan. When Herman Cain ran for president in 2012, he, too, had a great slogan: "9, 9, 9" - but we learned fast how flawed his math was.
Mr. Block, Rhode Island voters do not need empty rhetoric from a typical politician.
In the 2010 gubernatorial campaign, Block, then the Moderate Party candidate, claimed to have played a key role in saving the State of Texas's taxpayers $1 billion through welfare fraud detection. Although Journal's PolitiFact found that the computer system developed by Block's firm contributed to the $1 billion saved over 15 years, it also cited Texas officials who disputed his claim of how significant a role he or his company played in the savings that occurred in the Texas budget.
After losing the 2010 governor's race, capturing only 6.5 percent of the vote, he began working with the Chafee administration to do for Rhode Island what he claimed he did for Texas - root out Medicaid fraud and abuse. In fact, he estimated that our state could save between $100 million to $250 million a year. His 16-page report was presented to Governor Chafee in 2013. Those estimated savings have never been realized. Just more empty rhetoric from a typical politician.
It all comes down to credibility. Voters need to have confidence in their elected leaders. I, and many other governors, have recognized the power of the bully pulpit that the office of governor bestows. A candidate seeking the state's top office needs to be honest, forthright and open, not dodging reporters' questions, as Block tends to do.
The next governor needs to have the experience, leadership and vision to move our state forward. Last summer I started meeting with Cranston Mayor Allan Fung as he explored the possibility of running for governor. I was impressed with his understanding of the issues facing our state. Mayor Fung's record speaks for itself: more than 1,000 jobs have been created in Cranston in his years as mayor, and many new companies, including the world headquarters of Alex and Ani, have chosen Cranston because of the city's pro-business environment.
Mayor Fung respectfully and successfully negotiated with his local unions to achieve pension reform, resulting in significant savings to the taxpayers. And for the third year, the mayor has presented a budget with no tax increases, while continuing to provide the services his constituents deserve.
The next governor will take office on Jan. 6, 2015. It is a job with enormous responsibilities. We can't afford to have a governor who needs on-the-job training. We do not need another governor who intends to run state government as if it is a business. In the past, our state has elected governors who did not have any government experience; the results were mixed.
Rhode Island does not need another typical politician with empty rhetoric. We need a governor who has a record of proven accomplishments, who has a vision of putting people back to work, and who can get things done. That is why I am supporting Mayor Allan Fung to be the next governor of the State of Rhode Island.
Lincoln Almond, a Republican, served as governor of Rhode Island from 1995 to 2003.
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You can also find Governor Almond's op-ed on-line here.
