Question 4: Cultural Economy ($50 million)
Statewide — all of Rhode Island
General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- Placed on the ballot by the General Assembly: the Rhode Island Voter Information Handbook describes Questions 1 through 5 as authorizing the State to borrow through bonds and temporary notes for capital investments under an act passed at the January 2026 session (Chapter 084, Public Laws 2026).[1]
The question on the ballot
Shall the act passed by the General Assembly at the January 2026 session, allowing the State of Rhode Island to issue bonds, refunding bonds, and temporary notes to pay for the projects listed below, be approved, and the State be allowed to issue these bonds, refunding bonds, and temporary notes as outlined in the law? 4. CULTURAL ECONOMY - $50,000,000 To provide funding for cultural economy efforts, to be allocated as follows: a. State History Center - $45,000,000 b. State Preservation Grants Program - $5,000,000[1]
The bond would provide $50,000,000: $45,000,000 to construct a State History Center within the state government complex in Providence, with exhibit space for historic documents and secure storage for State Archives holdings, and $5,000,000 for the State Preservation Grants Program. Official cost estimate in the handbook (assuming 5% interest and level payments over 20 years): principal $50,000,000, interest $30,242,500, total $80,242,500.[1]
A YES vote means
A vote to Approve means that you support the State issuing $50,000,000 in general obligation bonds for cultural economy efforts.
A NO vote means
A vote to Reject means that you are against the State issuing $50,000,000 in general obligation bonds for cultural economy efforts.
Official fiscal estimate
Per the Rhode Island Department of State handbook: $50,000,000 in general obligation bonds. Assuming 5% interest and level payments over 20 years, interest is $30,242,500 and total cost $80,242,500 (cost of issuance estimated at 0.4% of principal). The State History Center is expected to be ready for use by fall 2030 (about 50 years of useful life); preservation grants begin in 2027 and are awarded over three to five years.[1]
Arguments made for
- None found in public sources.
Arguments made against
- None found in public sources.
On record in support
- Coalition to Preserve Rhode Island’s History, the campaign supporting Question 4.[2]
- Secretary of State Gregg Amore, quoted on the campaign site.[2]
- Keith W. Stokes, Rhode Island Historian Laureate, quoted on the campaign site.[2]
- Rhode Island Building and Construction Trades Council (President Michael F. Sabitoni), quoted on the campaign site.[2]
- Rhode Island AFL-CIO (President Patrick Crowley), quoted on the campaign site.[2]
On record in opposition
- None found in public sources.
Research notes & limits
The ballot text, approve/reject statements and cost estimates are from the Rhode Island Department of State's 2026 Voter Information Handbook (PDF text extracted and checked by script). The handbook publishes no arguments for or against, and no verbatim argument against the measure was found; the argument lists are left empty so both sides stay balanced (supporters, where found, are listed under supporters). The Secretary of State's website and Ballotpedia blocked automated requests; the five-question list is from the handbook, which covers all statewide referenda. Added (Oct. 19): full text is Article 5 of H 7127 Sub A as amended (enacted as Public Laws 2026 ch. 84); cost figures restate the handbook. No campaign-finance totals were found (the state campaign-finance portal was not queried). Supporters are from the campaign’s own site (a group’s own statement of its stance). No opposing statement was found, so argument lists stay empty to keep both sides balanced.
Sources · 2
Researched 2026-10-19. Green citations are official government records.
- 1.A Guide to State Referenda and Voting Procedures in Rhode Island: General Election November 3, 2026 (Voter Information Handbook) · Rhode Island Department of State Official record
- 2.Vote Yes on Question 4: Rhode Island State History Center · Coalition to Preserve Rhode Island’s History Candidate's own words