Newport Daily News Editorial

When Paul Crowley announced in June 2006 that he would seek re-election to the House district he had served for more than 25 years, he believed he had beaten cancer and still had much to give to the state of Rhode Island.

The latter certainly was evident last April, when Crowley took part in a panel discussion about education funding, part of a series co-sponsored by the Newport County Fund of the Rhode Island Foundation and The Newport Daily News. Many attendees were impressed with Crowley's depth of knowledge on the topic and his articulate, thoughtful opinions.

At the time, a legislative committee was studying proposed education-funding formulas. Crowley asserted that he would not support such a formula unless it was tied to a statewide teachers contract, noting that salaries and benefits for teachers are the biggest line item in any community's education budget.

"We do need a new formula, but we also need to take bold steps to have a statewide (teachers) contract," he said.

Indeed, in the area of public education, Crowley was a recognized leader in the General Assembly.

Rhode Island lost that leader on Monday, as Crowley succumbed to cancer at his home in Newport. He was 57, and still had much to give the city of Newport and the state of Rhode Island.

"His support of charter schools, promotion of school accountability, and backing of technical education are a living testament to his foresight and his work," Gov. Donald L. Carcieri said in a prepared statement.

We did not always agree with Crowley - the issue of separation of powers is one notable example - but we respected him, his work ethic and his sensibilities. (As just an example, after Rhode Island voters overwhelmingly approved separation of powers in state government, Crowley, who initially was opposed to separation of powers, served as vice chairman of the House committee charged with implementing the change).

Respect is a word that comes up time and again as Crowley is remembered. Another is leadership. Crowley was a senior member of the House of Representatives and vice chairman of the powerful House Finance Committee; the ability to leverage those positions to benefit Newport and the state as a whole was a driving force in his decision to run for re-election last year.

Colleagues of both political parties and in both chambers of the General Assembly described Crowley as passionate, hard-working, knowledgeable, straight-forward and caring. They called him a visionary and a champion.

But the best way they could honor Crowley is to continue his work, particularly in the area of public education, which is so critical to the future of the state he loved and served so well.

- Sept. 25, 2007