198 replies to this topic

[Frankie811]

State’s business taxes still highest in region. http://www.projo.com...SJ.270c55f.html

[Frankie811]

A Massachusetts bioengineering company has decided against an expansion in Rhode Island.

Instead, Canton-based Oranogenesis plans to stay in Massachusetts and expand there.

That's the word today from Gov. Deval Patrick.

Organogenesis, which makes living skin substitutes, had been thinking about expanding in Rhode Island and had even picked out a site. But the president and CEO of the company, Geoff MacKay, says Patrick's commitment to promote life sciences research in Massachusetts helped convince the firm to stay.

It reversed course after Patrick announced a $1 billion life sciences initiative last month.

Organogenesis will add 300 new highly skilled jobs, doubling its existing employee base and expanding its facilities to 250,000 square feet.

http://www.beloblog....ny_de.html#more

[mental757]

aww, that sucks - RI could use those 300+ jobs.  although being in Canton, some of those folks could easily live in Providence and take the train...

[crossroad]

Projo said today that “Large numbers of Rhode Island adult job seekers and incumbent workers lack the skills to fill vacancies in high-demand occupations,” according to the study, released this morning at the council's quarterly meeting. “Rhode Island’s economy and workforce are moving in opposite directions.”

[Baines]

crossroad, on Jun 3 2007, 01:25 PM, said:

Projo said today that “Large numbers of Rhode Island adult job seekers and incumbent workers lack the skills to fill vacancies in high-demand occupations,” according to the study, released this morning at the council's quarterly meeting. “Rhode Island’s economy and workforce are moving in opposite directions.”

Add this to the discussion:

Moody's has ranked the top 25 city/metros for "economic vitality" (household income,labor availabilty,employment volatility) and there is not one northeastern city on the list. Southern and western cities dominate. In fact, the closest city to the northeast listed in Washington, DC.

So, I read two things into this report:
1- Providence Metro (and the controlling Rhode Island factor) is not uniquely in trouble- it is reflective of the region
2- Providence Metro really competes against other northeastern cities

So, the challenge is for the Providence Metro and the state to create a 1) better business climate and 2) develop the skills required to meet the high demand jobs. Focus should be placed on accounting/financial, engineering, and high-tech.

[crossroad]

http://money.cnn.com...ities/index.htm

The 258 fastest growing U.S. cities

Here's the stats on all 258 cities listed by the Census Bureau and Northeast is falling behind, with Pvd ranked 240th and Boston 246th.  The Region might need to do something together to reverse this downward spiral trend and achieve synergy.

[Recchia]

crossroad, on Jul 3 2007, 01:58 AM, said:

http://money.cnn.com...ities/index.htm

The 258 fastest growing U.S. cities

Here's the stats on all 258 cities listed by the Census Bureau and Northeast is falling behind, with Pvd ranked 240th and Boston 246th.  The Region might need to do something together to reverse this downward spiral trend and achieve synergy.

Looking at city propers for growth makes no sense when comparing cities who can annex versus those who cannot, like Boston and Providence and many other northeastern cities.  And the census bureau has proved miserable at its estimates of growth and decline in the past, so I'm not too worried.

[Baines]

Recchia, on Jul 3 2007, 05:08 AM, said:

Looking at city propers for growth makes no sense when comparing cities who can annex versus those who cannot, like Boston and Providence and many other northeastern cities.  And the census bureau has proved miserable at its estimates of growth and decline in the past, so I'm not too worried.

Excellent point. There are other indicators that can draw accurate pictures of economic health including population and business. Not to say that PVD is doing well in many areas (as we are all aware of).

[Frankie811]

R.I. taxes rising, now seventh in the country.  Rhode Island has one of the nation's highest tax burdens - and a big reason for that is local property taxes, a new study shows.

[Frankie811]

Study: R.I. has nation’s worst business tax climate.

[CtownMikey]

http://www.pbn.com/stories/31303.html


yay good for competiton

[Dan]

Analysts say R.I. economy in recession

[CtownMikey]

http://www.pbn.com/stories/31746.html

[Frankie811]

Providence-area economy is among nation’s weakest.

The economy of the Providence-Fall River-New Bedford metropolitan area was among the 20 weakest performing in the nation as of March 31, according to a study issued on Wednesday by the Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public-policy organization based in Washington, D.C.

http://www.projo.com...v9.37b0ea0.html

[HartfordTycoon]

That's really pretty bad. There's much work to be done to get your metro to be competitive. Springfield and Worcester are both faring far better according to their rankings and Hartford, Boston, and Albany are all doing fairly well. New Haven was ranked in the top 20. Why does Metro Providence have it so rough and is there something that can be done?


Springfield Republican American


Worcester joined Springfield in the middle 20 cities ranked from 40 to 60. Hartford, Boston and Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y., all ranked from 20 to 40. Providence, R.I., was 91st.

[numonex]

Unfortunatly the words RI and competative shouldnt be in the same sentance right now.  I dont know what it is but this state is not going to turn around until the populations mindsets turn around.  We chase everything good out of the state and just become content with being a parking lot for surrounding states.  Even now as I type this the states second largest money generating entity is filing for chapter 11.  

When, and I do say when, Twin River closes up shop and gets transformed into more useless condos, like we need like a hole in the head, our taxes will continue to rise as we work our out of state jobs and spend out money out of state.  Until this state collapses onto itself.

[CtownMikey]

http://news.yahoo.co...s_state_budgets

"The governor of Pennsylvania is proposing a 16 percent tax increase. A budget veto by the Illinois governor left the state with no spending plan at all. Indiana barely avoided a shutdown."


Now can we stop shoving negative local news down each others throats, create a new topic about the positive things happening in the state, and posts happy news on a daily basis in that topic?

[runawayjim]

numonex, on Jun 30 2009, 10:36 AM, said:

Unfortunatly the words RI and competative shouldnt be in the same sentance right now.

Yes, they should not be in the same sentence until all Rhode Islanders receive a proper education from grammar school.

[Frankie811]

runawayjim, on Jul 1 2009, 10:12 PM, said:

Yes, they should not be in the same sentence until all Rhode Islanders receive a proper education from grammar school.

  Yes, Untill..................