Committee hears a
different proposal for handling economic development
STATE HOUSE – The
General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Economic Development heard yesterday from
a group of business and development leaders in the state pushing for more interaction
between the state and its universities and the private sector.
Presenting a report
developed earlier this year, “Rebooting the Economic Development System in
Rhode Island,” to the joint committee were its three authors: Scott A. Gibbs
and Marcel A. Valois, president and vice president, respectively, of the
Economic Development Foundation of Rhode Island, and Gary S. Sasse, director of
the Bryant (University) Institute for Public Leadership and former director of
both the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council and Department of
Administration.
Led by co-chairpersons
Sen. James C. Sheehan and Rep. Donna M. Walsh, the joint committee is exploring
proposals to strengthen Rhode Island’s economy in the midst of both a slow
recovery from recession and the failure of a state-backed investment in Curt
Shilling’s now-bankrupt video game development company, 38 Studios.
“We are very much
interested in hearing from anyone who has looked at the issues and has some
suggestions to make. Economic development is no simple formula, and we need to
hear everyone’s ideas in order to make informed decisions about what our state
government should be doing to rebuild our economy and encourage prosperity,”
said Representative Walsh (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown, New Shoreham, South
Kingstown, Westerly).
Said Senator Sheehan
(D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown), “In reality, we can’t expect there
to be a ‘silver bullet,’ one idea that’s going to be the answer to all our
prayers. We need collaboration between our state’s brightest thinkers, people
who have experienced the hurdles facing small and large businesses, and people
who’ve worked in economic development efforts who know what helps and what
doesn’t. We’re looking forward to considering all the plans that come forward.”
The independent plan by
Gibbs, Valois and Sasse would eliminate the Economic Development Corporation –
the quasi-public agency charged with the leading the state’s economic
development efforts – and instead vest those responsibilities in three new bodies:
a strategic office that answers to the governor, a research body based in the state’s universities and a new board of directors that would collaborate with the private sector and administer programs.
Last week the joint
committee received a presentation from the Rhode Island Public Expenditure
Council on a plan it proposed at Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee’s request recommending
systematic changes in the way Rhode Island pursues economic growth.
That report
recommends the appointment of a state commerce secretary who would help shape
the state’s business policies and oversee a new Executive Office of Commerce
that would encompass the Departments of Business Regulation, Environmental
Management and Labor and Training.