The country is enjoying an economic boom but you would never know that if you took a ride through Rhode Island which still features empty buildings and plenty of office space. While Boston remains a thriving city, it would appear fifty minutes south down I-95 it is another world. Governor Gina Raimondo was elected Governor in 2014 but it seems any window of opportunity for business transformation has been lost with Raimondo more focused on herself rather than the state she was elected twice to govern. Raimondo was suppose to be the business friendly Democrat that could network with top CEO’s but she has delivered far less to put it mildly.
Governor Raimondo has failed to manage the General Assembly and instead opted for gimmicks of “free tuition” and road construction. The Superman building remains vacant as a symbol of a dying northeast city left behind like a ghost town of the old west. The 195 land remains mostly vacant with a few building but tenants that simply moved in from across the city. The state is no more business friendly now than when she first came into office with no changes planned in sight. It is remarkable that a person with her background and ambition chose to run a very conservative approach while not even attempting to change the status quo and has not introduced one bold concept to try and change the dynamic. The Pawsox leaving are a clear indication of a Governor who refuses to stick her neck out for anybody and chooses to run and hide when things get dicey. Pawsox owners say Raimondo talked a big game behind closed doors but failed to demonstrate the skills needed to get a deal done. Raimondo also failed to address a failing public school system that now has been highlighted for the entire nation to stare at in disbelief as the disgraceful failure known as the Providence public schools (Gina did not care because her kids attend private school.)
