Critics of state governmental spending are quick to point out when dollars are wasted, but they are less vocal to discuss initiatives worth the investment.

The three measures asking for Rhode Islanders’ support on this year’s ballot are each worthy due to one simple, underlying fact — they support initiatives that will directly, or indirectly, positively affect all Rhode Islanders.

Question 1 asks for voter support to borrow $100 million for the University of Rhode Island to help position it as a national leader in the so-called Blue Economy. As a state that rightfully owns the moniker of the Ocean State, we have already shown incredible growth in this industry throughout the state (it generates $5 billion annually throughout the defense, marine trades, tourism, and fisheries industries) and we would be foolish to deny further investment in this bleeding-edge field.

The University of Rhode Island, as our flagship state university, is the exact right institution towards which to funnel these dollars, as they already produce top-tier talent that will be further incentivized to remain in Rhode Island, working in the types of industries this bond will help bolster and support.

Question 2 should not even require a vote. Considering all the legitimate complaints citizens across every Rhode Island community can reasonably levy against their public school districts, the continuation of an investment in repairing and upgrading our aging schools is something we cannot afford to deny. The initial $250 million bond, approved in 2018, has resulted in success stories across the state in the way of countless infrastructural upgrades to school districts that would have otherwise been unable to afford them. It is simply the right thing to do, and we must continue the work.

Question 3 would allocate $50 million towards climate resiliency, green energy loans, water quality improvement, forest and habitat restoration, land revitalization, open space acquisition, local recreation grants, and new facilities at the Roger Williams Park Zoo. In the scope of our massive, more than $13 billion budget, again, this investment is something that no true Rhode Islander should be hesitant to vote for.

Our natural resources are everything. They drive tourism, they provide us with the high quality of life we all enjoy, and they are in jeopardy due to rising ocean waters and climate change. This bond will provide money available to every Rhode Island community to help them do local, tangible projects that have real, observable results. It is, again, an investment we cannot afford to not make.

There will be plenty of room for critics to complain about how the money is ultimately allocated, or how effective the bond measures are overall after the fact — but to deny the state the opportunity to tackle the three key issues these questions seek to address would be foolish, shortsighted, and against a potentially brighter future for Rhode Island.