With news that Rhode Island is the only state in New England in a recession, facing a $168 million deficit this year and a projected $384 million shortfall next year, you would think the General Assembly would have the common sense to at least pretend to be concerned.

A proposal for the legislators to contribute 10 percent toward their health care would be a token gesture. But it would be the least the Assembly could do after knocking 3,400 low-income children off welfare, taking health care away from 2,800 children whose parents are considered “noncitizens” and slashing housing assistance for low- and moderate-income Rhode Islanders. The legislators, however, apparently are more worried about their own gravy train than in helping the less fortunate among us.

Taxpayers pay $1.3 million a year to provide health care, free of charge, to state legislators. They include lawyers, teachers, other professionals and retirees. Taking the full benefit are Rep. Donald J. Lally Jr. (D-Dist. 33) of North Kingstown, Narragansett and South Kingstown, a lawyer; Rep. David Caprio (D-Dist. 34) of Narragansett and South Kingstown, a lawyer; and Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski, an organic farmer. Rep. Donna Walsh (D-Dist. 36) of South Kingstown, Charlestown, Westerly and New Shoreham, a middle school teacher, voluntarily pays 6 percent of her premium.

Included in that $1.3 million is a $2,002 payment for legislators who don’t take the benefit. That’s right – we’re even paying legislators who already have health care. Among that group is Rep. John Patrick Shanley (D-Dist. 35) of South Kingstown, a retired parole officer, and Sen. James Sheehan (D-Dist. 36) of North Kingstown and Narragansett, a school teacher.

While the legislators have argued in the past that health care is a justifiable compensation for the long hours they put it on Smith Hill, we would suggest that such arguments pale in comparison to the sacrifices being asked of the general population. Clearly many of these legislators can afford to pay for their own health care; they just prefer not to. All are gainfully employed or receiving pensions. How they can justify taking state money in this economic climate, while poor children go without health care and adequate food and clothing, is unconscionable. Never mind the 10 percent – they should be forgoing this benefit altogether.

In these times of economic trouble, where is the moral leadership from our elected representatives? Where is the commitment to doing the right thing? The caring about fellow human beings? Not in our state capitol, where senators and representatives scurry about protecting their own pocketbooks.

Consider what our General Assembly, and our governor, would say to the low-income mother whose welfare benefits are about to be slashed: Get a job! Or to the immigrants whose undocumented children will no longer be eligible for RIte Care: It’s your own fault! So to the legislators we say: You don’t want to pay for your own health care? Well, isn’t that too damn bad.

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