Governor Dan McKee framed affordability, economic security, and community resilience as the defining challenges facing Rhode Island during his State of the State address Tuesday night, unveiling what he called the state’s first comprehensive “Affordability for All” agenda.
McKee opened the speech with a solemn reflection on the deadly incident involving Brown University students one month earlier, calling it an “unthinkable tragedy” and reaffirming his administration’s commitment to campus safety. He said state leaders have convened college and university officials to review security protocols and expanded coordination among mental health providers to ensure access for students, faculty, and staff statewide.
He also thanked first responders, hospital workers, mental health professionals, and community leaders, singling out Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and Police Chief Oscar Perez for what he described as steady leadership during the crisis.
Turning to the broader theme of his address, McKee said rising costs are creating uncertainty for families across Rhode Island, from groceries and energy bills to housing, health care, and higher education.
“Every decision we make ultimately reaches one place: the homes where Rhode Island families come together,” McKee said, emphasizing that affordability is central to the state’s economic future.
The governor sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s economic and trade policies, arguing that tariffs and federal uncertainty have driven up prices nationwide. McKee said the average household has paid hundreds of dollars more in recent months and pledged to “fight back against harmful federal policies” to protect Rhode Island’s economy and values.
At the center of McKee’s proposal is a budget plan designed to keep $215 million in Rhode Islanders’ pockets in its first full year and $1.4 billion over five years. Key elements include eliminating Rhode Island’s tax on Social Security — a levy imposed by only a handful of states — and creating the state’s first permanent child tax credit, offering $325 per child.
The plan would also roll back last year’s gas tax increase, reduce state-imposed charges on electric bills, and deliver more than $1 billion in energy relief over the next five years. McKee noted that Rhode Island has some of the highest electricity rates in the nation and said families are “at their breaking point.”
Health care affordability also featured prominently. McKee proposed enforceable caps on private insurance cost growth, penalties for noncompliance, and a $9.5 million Marketplace Affordability program to support roughly 20,000 residents at risk of losing coverage through HealthSource RI.
On education, the governor called for making the Hope Scholarship permanent for qualifying students at Rhode Island College, expanding tuition-free opportunities, and investing in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and career training. He also proposed a $50 million bond to modernize career and technical education classrooms statewide.
Housing, McKee said, remains one of the state’s most urgent challenges. His budget includes a $120 million housing bond to increase supply and lower costs, with $25 million dedicated to expanding homeownership, alongside a new $20 million initiative aimed at producing hundreds of affordable homes.
McKee also outlined major infrastructure investments, including $600 million in bonds to “Keep Rhode Island Building,” funding upgrades to ports, schools, higher education campuses, and state facilities. He reaffirmed his commitment to rebuilding the Washington Bridge, saying the project is on track to be completed sooner than comparable efforts in other states.
Closing his address, McKee called on lawmakers to support the affordability agenda, framing it as a defining moment for the state.
“Rhode Islanders always have each other’s backs,” he said. “Together, we’re building a future worth fighting for — and a future that must be affordable for all.”
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