Rhode Island Experts Grade General Assembly Session on Business

Rhode Island Experts Grade General Assembly Session on Business

The 2013 General Assembly adjourned last week, after one of the longest -- and most contentious -- sessions in recent history.

Just prior to adjournment, Governor Lincoln Chafee signed into law the fiscal year 2014 budget, saying that while it had "several encouraging priorities and initiatives, specifically the investment in education, infrastructure and workforce development," it was "still inadequate for [RI] cities and towns" -- and that "several of my proposals were altered such as my recommendation to lower the state’s corporate tax rate from 9% to 7% over three years."

With the end-of-session approval of legislation to create a new Secretary of Commerce position, to be appointed by the Governor and head an "Executive Office of Commerce" -- as well as a new "Rhode Island Commerce Corporation" to assume the duties of the existing Economic Development Corporation -- GoLocal spoke with leaders in the state to get their assessment of how the General Assembly did this session in terms of improving the economy.

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