Jay Gotra

Why they say you should vote for them

The candidate's own case to voters, summarized from their campaign and public statements.

• Says he would run state government like a business, governing by "profit and loss, not politics."[1],[2]
• Pledges to eliminate Rhode Island's tax on Social Security income within his first two years.[2],[3]
• Pledges to fully fund pensions for teachers and firefighters.[2]
• Says he would cut regulatory barriers to make Rhode Island friendlier to business.[2],[3]

Background

• Founder and CEO, Smart Green Solar · 2021–2024 (company ceased operations in 2024)[1],[4]
• Founder, Alliance Security (home security company) · 2003–2020[4],[1]
• Defendant in a civil lawsuit filed in 2023 by the Rhode Island Attorney General alleging deceptive door-to-door solar sales practices; the case was pending as of May 2026 and Gotra says he did not violate state trade laws, Providence County Superior Court · 2023–present[1],[5]
• Filed as a Democratic candidate for governor before running as an independent, 2026 Rhode Island gubernatorial election · 2026[1],[6]

Where they stand

• Taxes
  Would eliminate the state income tax on Social Security benefits and reduce the tax burden across the board.[3],[2]
• Economy & Jobs
  Proposes a zero-based review of the state budget in his first 90 days and publishing a plain-language state financial report.[3],[1]
• Energy & Environment
  Sets a goal of cutting energy costs 30% in four years through distributed solar, battery storage and grid modernization.[2],[3]
• Housing
  Sets a goal of 20,000 new housing units in four years and reducing zoning barriers.[2]
• Education
  Proposes teaching artificial intelligence in every Rhode Island high school by 2028.[2]
• Health Care
  Proposes capping out-of-pocket costs and using cross-state competition to drive health care prices down.[2]

Voting record

Jay Gotra has not held an office with a recorded voting record. See Background and Where they stand.

In their words