Donald Carcieri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Donald Carcieri
73rd Governor of Rhode Island
In office January 7, 2003 – January 4, 2011
Lieutenant	Charles Fogarty Elizabeth Roberts
Preceded by	Lincoln Almond
Succeeded by	Lincoln Chafee
Personal details
Born	Donald Louis Carcieri (1942-12-16) December 16, 1942 (age 82) East Greenwich, Rhode Island, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Suzanne Owren ​ ​ (m. 1965; died 2018)​
Alma mater	Brown University (BA)

Donald Louis Carcieri (born December 16, 1942) is an American politician who was the 73rd Governor of Rhode Island. He served from January 2003 to January 2011. Before becoming governor, Carcieri worked as a teacher, a banker, and a business executive. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early Life and Career

Donald Carcieri was born on December 16, 1942, in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. His father was a football and basketball coach. Donald played baseball, basketball, and football in high school. He earned a scholarship to college.

He went to Brown University and studied International Relations. After college, he started his career as a high school math teacher. Later, he worked in banking and business. He became a high-level executive at a bank.

In 1981, Carcieri and his family moved to Kingston, Jamaica. There, he worked for Catholic Relief Services, helping people in need. Two years later, he came back to Rhode Island. He became an executive at a company called Cookson Group. He even helped the company set up its U.S. headquarters in Providence. Donald Carcieri has four children and many grandchildren.

Time as Governor of Rhode Island

Donald Carcieri speaking in 2006

In 2002, Carcieri decided to run for Governor of Rhode Island. He won the Republican primary election and then defeated the Democratic candidate, Myrth York, in the general election. He was re-elected for a second term in 2006.

The Station Nightclub Fire

A tragic event happened early in Carcieri's time as governor. On February 20, 2003, a terrible fire broke out at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The fire resulted in the loss of 100 lives and was one of the worst fire disasters in American history. As governor, Carcieri spoke to the public about the event, and his statements were shown on news programs across the country. After the fire, he declared a temporary ban on pyrotechnics (fireworks used for entertainment) in places with crowds of under 300 people.

Working with the State Legislature

During his time as governor, Carcieri, a Republican, often had disagreements with the Rhode Island General Assembly (the state's legislature), which was mostly made up of Democrats. ..... Carcieri vetoed the bill, which means he rejected it. However, the legislature voted to override his veto, and the bill became a law.

Carcieri also had different views on government spending. He often warned that the state could not afford to expand certain government programs.

2007 Snowstorm

In December 2007, a major snowstorm hit Rhode Island during the evening commute. The storm caused major traffic jams on the highways, and some school buses were stuck in the snow for hours. At the time, Governor Carcieri was traveling in the Middle East and was hard to reach.

Many people criticized his administration for not handling the storm well. Carcieri later admitted that his team did "a poor job of communications" during the emergency.

Immigration Rules

In 2008, Governor Carcieri signed an Executive Order, which is a rule made by a governor. This order required all state agencies and companies working for the state to check that their employees were in the country legally. It also instructed state police to work with federal immigration officials to enforce immigration laws.

Veto of Domestic Partner Bill

In 2009, the Rhode Island legislature passed a bill that would have allowed domestic partners to handle funeral arrangements for a same-sex partner. Governor Carcieri vetoed the bill. In his veto message, he stated his belief in traditional marriage. In 2010, the legislature voted to override his veto, and the bill became law.

Electoral history

See also

In Spanish: Donald Carcieri para niños

• 2006 Rhode Island gubernatorial election