Gemma Says He Can Create 10,000 Jobs for RI
Stephen Beale, GoLocalProv News Editor
Gemma Says He Can Create 10,000 Jobs for RI
“My Congressional 21st Century Jobs Plan is an efficient and innovative program designed to create jobs,” Gemma said. “I reasonably estimate that this plan will create ten thousand jobs for Rhode Island in the wellness industry, the expanded healthcare sector, education, and a revitalized construction industry over five years.”
Gemma said Rhode Island could create the new jobs by capitalizing on the growth of the $125 billion wellness industry and expanding its health care industry. He said fostering those two industries would also lead to the creation of more construction jobs.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe wellness industry includes fitness and recreation centers and businesses that sell various food products, such as dietary supplements, natural and organic foods, and vitamins.
If elected, Gemma said he would seek a whole series of incentives to get those businesses to move to Rhode Island, including: tax credits for employers who create jobs, access to a capital fund, and access to a $250 million grant fund for small businesses with 100 or fewer employees. And he proposed exempting employees at those businesses from having to pay incomes taxes for the first 18 months in the state.
He also said he would push for funding for new curricula at the Community College of Rhode Island and other schools to train Rhode Islanders for jobs in the wellness industry.
(Click here to read the entire jobs plan.)
Gemma: ‘I am uniquely qualified’ to create jobs
Gemma said that his background in business “uniquely qualified him” to create jobs.
In 1998, Gemma became the Executive Vice President of Gem Plumbing, later serving as the President and CEO until 2008. Under his leadership he said he had created 300 permanent new jobs, managed health care costs, and developed performance standards for other businesses to follow. As a result, he said the company today has sales in excess of $40 million.
If elected to the First District Congressional seat, he suggested he could do the same for Rhode Island.
“Unlike the employment strategies presented by other candidates, my Congressional 21st Century Jobs Plan challenges all of us to move beyond politics as usual,” Gemma said. “Its detail is as daunting as its promise is thrilling, for unprecedented challenges demand unprecedented solutions.”
How do the other candidates compare?
With the release of Gemma’s jobs plan, GoLocalProv asked the other candidates in the First District race what their thoughts were on job creation.
Like Gemma, Democrat David Cicilline also has a record of producing jobs as the mayor of Providence, according to campaign spokesman Rich Luchette. As mayor, he said Cicilline had brought billions of dollars of investment to the city and used federal stimulus funds to establish the Jobs Now Providence program. “He has the experience and knows what it will take to get things done in Congress on day one,” Luchette said.
As a candidate, Cicilline formally kicked off his campaign with a plan for creating jobs and helping the economy to recover. Key elements included: block grants and tax credits for manufacturers, a National Infrastructure Bank to fund repairs on roads, bridges, and access to credit for small businesses.
Republican John Loughlin, on the other hand, said reducing the role of government in the economy was the key to getting out of the recession.
“The best way to create jobs is to cut taxes and control spending. When businesses have access to more of their own money, they will reinvest, hire more people and grow our economy,” Loughlin said.
“The stimulus plan simply didn’t work – we’ve blown through billions that our children and grandchildren will owe and have nothing to show for it,” Loughlin added. “Jobs are created when the risk-takers and the entrepreneurs have the resources to do what they do best and government gets out of the way.”
Democratic candidates Bill Lynch and David Segal did not respond to the query.