I attended a SBANE breakfast meeting this morning where Mike Saul, the new Director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation spoke. He hit on several key points: (1) a need for regional (within RI and with RI's neighbors) planning and development; (2) a full range of options for capital financing from start-ups through attracting businesses to relocate into the state and every step in between; (3) streamlining and rationalizing the regulatory environment to reduce the costs of doing or keeping business in RI.
One member of the audience raised a question about RIEDC's role and ability to lead. Mr Saul observed that there have been 29 Directors in 39 years. While the early Directors laid out the basic economic development strategy for growth, over the years the agency's authority and responsibilities have been diluted as these have been shifted to new agencies and power centers.
My feelings are that Rhode Island as a state has tremendous potential. As a community, however, it is too insular and provincial to make the sacrifices and compromises necessary for the common interest. And in this class and a territorial warfare, waste and inefficiencies are the rampant way to maintain the petty warlords in the legislature. As long as we look at Rhode Island as a zero sum game, it will trail behind its immediate competitors Massachusetts and Conneticutt.
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