EDITORIAL: McKee’s Vaccine Strategy, Status Quo, and Providence Simply Is Not Safe
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL: McKee’s Vaccine Strategy, Status Quo, and Providence Simply Is Not Safe
We offer three editorials in one.
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Vaccination Leadership
First, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee and his administration deserve real credit for reversing the state’s failed vaccination program. Under Governor Gina Raimondo and the RI Department of Health’s control, RI ranked last in the United States in the percentage of adults vaccinated.
McKee identified the issue and put a new team in place and, for the most part, directly oversaw the vaccination program from the Governor’s office.
McKee deserves credit.
In July of 2019, six months before the pandemic, Rhode Island was ranked 50th "Best States to Do Business.”
Two of the state's largest business sectors -- hospitality and retail -- have been devastated by the pandemic.
While the General Assembly passed a range of legislation, it is hard to identify a significant bill that helps small or large businesses. Legislative leaders have been trying to take credit for not raising taxes on business this session, but only in RI would a 50th ranking and a status quo approach be considered a victory for economic development.
There are few residents in Providence that feel safe. The waves of violence continue and there is reason to believe that this summer will be one of the city’s most violent in recent history.
This past weekend a 14-year-old-girl was shot when three masked men were rampaging and targeting others.
Try and eat dinner outside, and listen to the roaring sounds of illegal ATVs on the streets -- the ones Mayor Jorge Elorza pledged to address, but still run rampant, blowing through traffic lights, putting motorists and pedestrians in danger nearly daily.
It is a city that simply does not feel safe. When 14-year-olds are getting shot -- it is not.