11-R441
2011 -- S 0324 SUBSTITUTE A AS
AMENDED
Enacted 07/13/11
J O I N T R E S
O L U T I O N
CREATING A
SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE WYATT DETENTION FACILITY
Introduced
By: Senators
Date Introduced: February 16, 2011
WHEREAS, It is in the public interest to encourage economic
development projects
which enhance the economic welfare and happiness of the
inhabitants of the state; and
WHEREAS, It is in the public interest to ensure that when state laws
are enacted to
facilitate the financing of, or provide tax benefits to these projects,
that the state review the
projects to ensure that they yield the public benefit
expected; and
WHEREAS, Wyatt Detention
Facility is operated by the Central Falls Detention Facility
Corporation (“CFDFC”), a non-profit corporation
created in 1991 through an Intergovernmental
Agreement (“IGA”) between the
City; and
WHEREAS, The creation of CFDFC was authorized by Rhode Island General
Laws
section 45-54-1 et seq. (the “Detention Center Act”), which
allows municipalities to pursue
economic development through the acquisition or construction
of correctional facilities; and
WHEREAS, As a tax-exempt entity, Wyatt was expected to make an annual
impact fee
payment to the City in order to still provide the City with
the benefit of economic development—
tax revenue for the City—but would do so in the form of
an impact fee payment rather then
through taxes; and
WHEREAS, The non-payment of impact fees by the Wyatt Detention
Facility is a
contributing factor to the fiscal challenges facing the City; now,
therefore be it
RESOLVED,
That a special joint study commission to be known as
the “Special
Legislative Commission to
Study the Wyatt Detention Facility”, is hereby created consisting of
seven (7) members: two (2) of whom shall be members of the
Senate, not more than one of whom
shall be from the same political party, to be appointed by
the Senate President; two (2) of whom
shall be members of the House, not more than one of whom
shall be from the same political
party, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; and two
(2) experts in the public safety field,
one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island
Department of Corrections, or his or her
designee; and one of whom shall be a representative of the
Rhode Island Department of Public
Safety, or his or her
designee; and the city clerk of the city of
In
lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to an advisory
commission, a
legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General
Assembly resolution, the
appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public
to serve in lieu of legislator.
The
purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of the Wyatt
Detention
Facility and its operations and finances.
Forthwith
upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet and
organize and shall select a chairperson.
Vacancies
in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.
The
membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.
The
Wyatt Detention Facility, including, but not limited to, its Board of Directors
and
any and all staff, the City of
furnish such advice and information, documentary and
otherwise, to said commission and its
agents as is deemed necessary or desirable by the commission
to facilitate the purposes of this
resolution.
The
Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to
provide
suitable meeting space for said commission; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the commission shall report periodically on its
findings and will
report recommendations to improve the efficiency and
financial stability of the organization to
the Senate and the House with a copy to the Director of
Revenue, and the Governor’s Office no
later than December 1, 2011, and said commission shall
expire on February 1, 2012.
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LC01131/SUB A/2
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