RI State House Revolving Door Has Begun Spinning - When Will It End?

RI State House Revolving Door Has Begun Spinning - When Will It End?

Staff of many of the top elected officials in Rhode Island are starting to scatter. Some of the changes are the natural progression of right people in wrong positions and others are tied to lack of success by the respective elected officials and their need to shake up the roster.  

Here are some of the recent changes and there is a growing expectation that many more changes are in the works.

Treasurer Seth Magaziner — He is already on his third Chief of Staff in his first 18 months. Andrew Roos was gone after nine-months and now his replacement Jeff Padwa is gone after a similar nine month timeline. Seems like the gestation period for the birthing a Chief of Staff is quite short for the Magaziner. He is also on his second communications director as well.

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Governor Raimondo — Maria Montanaro has resigned as the director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals. Raimondo’s Chief of Staff Steve Neuman is expected to depart in the next few weeks. 

Commerce Corporation -- More departures may take place at Commerce. Already departed is Chief Marketing Officer Betsy Wall and Stefan Pryor’s tenure is in question. The failure to produce any major economic development projects has been a major disappointment for the Raimondo administration.

For Raimondo, who ran on a pro-business platform, the inability to land any significant economic development projects presents an issue -- staffing aside. 

There are significant rumors that as many as four significant members of the Raimondo Administration could be next to leave. 
For Raimondo who promised in her campaign job plan to move swiftly in growing the economy, saying "we must move quickly and with a sense of urgency. We need to focus on areas that will both put people back to work in the short term, and set Rhode Island up for economic prosperity for decades to come” — these first two years are a disappointment.