economic development

(PROVIDENCE, RI) Ten Rhode Island colleges and universities are teaming up to help the state out of its economic doldrums.

Gov. Lincoln Chafee has announced the formation of the “Rhode Island Higher Education Research Collaborative.”  Its mission: to provide nonpartisan data that will help state leaders develop sustainable economic policies.

A report released Tuesday morning by the state Senate and the business-backed Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council uses a color-coded system to assess the state's performance on different economic indicators and recommends a series of steps for improvingits underperforming economy.

As part of a series of recent interviews with state officials, House Speaker Gordon Fox sat down with RIPR political reporter Ian Donnis this week to discuss jobs, same-sex marriage, and other issues facing the House of Representatives. 

Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian joins us this week to discuss his political future, Rhode Island's population loss, the outlook on same-sex marriage, RIPTA, and more.

House Speaker Gordon Fox sat down this week with RIPR political reporter Ian Donnis to discuss his legislative priorities for 2013 and other issues, including payday lending.

House Speaker Gordon Fox and Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed cruised to re-election in their leadership positions Tuesday while pledging increased legislative attention to trying to boost Rhode Island’s underperforming economy.

Governor Lincoln Chafee is declining to talk specifics about whether his next budget will include revenue increases – a.k.a. tax hikes.

The governor offered this comment during an interview last week (excerpts of which will be broadcast on RIPR Thursday morning):

“The budget will come out in January … we’re still putting it together.”

James Diossa, the mayor-elect of Central Falls, says he hopes to raise the level of investment in the city by restoring confidence in its municipal government.

During an interview broadcast this morning on RIPR, Diossa said:

Governor Lincoln Chafee remains open to the idea of putting one person in charge of the state’s economic development efforts, although the precise approach for doing that hasn’t been decided, his office says.

Almost two months have passed since the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council issued its recommendations for reshaping the state’s strategy to improving the economy.

Governor Lincoln Chafee, perhaps responding to the clamor about the need for more short-term steps on boosting hte economy, has issued this news release: