Gary Sasse Op-Ed: Not Only Wrong, Not Constructive
Gary Sasse is generally an honest actor and sometimes a smart economist, but his piece in today’s Providence Journal displays neither of these attributes. Sasse argues that because the governor did not follow the bad advice of right-wing think tank he used to lead that, “Rhode Island leaders are denying economic reality.” Not only is [...]
Progress Report: Brien Brings Hatch Act in Woonsocket, New Leaders Project’s ‘Pro Jobs’ Agenda; State Sues Orphan
Rep. Jon Brien thinks he can retain his House seat without winning the election. His path to victory: eliminating the man who beat him in a primary. Brien thinks the federal Hatch Act might prohibit fire fighter Stephen Casey from serving in the state legislature because the Woonsocket Fire Department got a $300,000 grant from [...]
RIPEC Wants DEM Run by Proposed Commerce Czar
Take a look at RIPEC’s board of directors – they are largely bankers, lawyers, health care professions and business executives – and it shouldn’t surprise that the pro-business lobby and advocacy organization wants the DEM to be subservient to a proposed commerce secretary. Of course environmental management is in no way, shape or form simply [...]
Progress Report: RIPEC Report Misses Mark; Marriage Equality’s Subtle Win; TV Debate Controversy; NFL Refs
It’s no secret that Rhode Island needs a new strategy for economic development but RIPEC’s new report offers little in the way of real solutions to this conundrum. Instead, the business-backed lobby and advocacy group used the opportunity as a power grab for its laissez-faire agenda. We’ll post more on this later, but for now [...]
Progress Report: Economic Development Void in RI; GOP Fans Father-Daughter Dance Flames; James Diossa
It seems RI Future and RIPEC agree on at least one thing. “Rhode Island does not have a clear vision of how to expand its economy or a governmental structure that helps create jobs, encourage companies to expand, attract businesses and develop workers’ skills,” reports the Providence Journal about RIPEC’s report on the EDC this [...]
RIPEC Report: State Cuts Strangled Struggling Cities
A new report from the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council confirms an idea that RI Future has been reporting on for a month now, namely that state cuts to cities and towns are a big factor in the state’s struggling cities inabilities to balance their budgets. Since 2008, says the report, state aid to cities [...]
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