A Message From Governor | Gina M. Raimondo

by: Governor Gina M. Raimondo

Rhode Island had a good year. My goal is to make Rhode Island work again, and we are making progress toward that goal. Together in 2016, we created thousands of jobs and vast opportunities for our state.

While maintaining our valued relationships with employers like A.T. Cross and Electric Boat, Rhode Island has attracted well-known companies like Johnson & Johnson, GE, Virgin Pulse, Wexford Science & Technology, and the Cambridge Innovation Center. Our state is gaining a national reputation, all thanks to our skilled citizens ready to get to work creating and innovating.

In contrast to our nation’s current political climate, I worked closely with the General Assembly to pass a $4 billion infrastructure plan – putting thousands of skilled Rhode Islanders to work rebuilding and enhancing our state’s infrastructure.

Together over the past two years, we have lowered the unemployment insurance tax, reduced the corporate minimum tax and eliminated the sales tax on energy.

Since I took office, we have reformed our state’s Medicaid system, saving hundreds of millions of dollars this year and in future years without raising costs and cutting eligibility. Rhode Island has become a national embodiment of successful Obamacare, with 95 percent of our population and 97 percent of our children having health insurance.

Through record investments, we have made it easier for Rhode Islanders to get the necessary degrees and certifications vital for success. Students now save in areas such as textbooks, PSAT/SATs, and even college credits obtained in high school.

My administration’s Real Jobs RI job training program partnered with Electric Boat at Quonset to start providing Rhode Islanders the skills the company will need as it grows its manufacturing workforce.

We have worked to put money back in the pockets of Rhode Islanders by reducing the tax on Social Security income to make sure seniors can better make ends meet, expanding the earned income tax credit so families can keep more of what they earn, and raising the minimum wage.

Vibrant and prosperous opportunities are growing for Rhode Islanders at an exponential rate.

Though there is still work to be done, the wind is at our backs. We are a great state with hardworking people who are just waiting for the chance to show what they can do. In the coming year, I will continue working to ensure Rhode Islanders from all walks of life get the opportunities they need and deserve.

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Avatar About the Author: The Rhode Island Small Business Journal is a printed monthly magazine and an online resource for the aspiring and start-up entrepreneur and small business owner.

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