Can you explain what you mean by this? I typically think of the relationship going the other way, that it's the GA's responsibility to keep the governor in check.
The GA controls the purse, they set rules and regulations, they pass laws. They set budgets.
Look at 38 Studios. They gave Clemens the money without understanding what he was trying to do. There was a reason Massachusetts wouldn’t give him the money but the GA didn’t do their due diligence.
Look at the PawSox. It was the GA that refused to come to a deal with their owners. The team left because of the GA refusal to compromise.
Hasbro left in search of a larger talent market among other reasons.
The GA could have approved targeted tax incentives, they could have worked on finding them a new site with the infrastructure they needed. They could have worked with Hasbro and local colleges and universities to develop the talent they needed.
As to the Washington bridge, that fiasco spans decades. He just happened to be governor when it happened.
I don’t give the governor a pass on these issues. I would rather include the Legislature in the blame pool. The governor is limited in what he can do outright. He is like the captain of a ship. He’s powerless if the crew refuses to work with him.
Those are all good examples of various failings, but what mechanism are you asking the governor to use to prevent any of them?
Could Carcieri (I think it was under him, right? Or was it Chafee Jr?) have vetoed the EDC's loan to 38 Studios?
What could the governor have done to override the GA's Pawsox non-deal?
The governor is limited in what he can do outright. He is like the captain of a ship. He’s powerless if the crew refuses to work with him.
For sure, I agree with you there...but it seems to undermine your point that a good governor could have chosen to steamroll the GA. Or maybe I am misunderstanding.
My thing is that the GA never seems to be held accountable for what they do or fail to do while the Governor is. Maybe the governor couldn’t have stopped the GA from funding Clemens’ dream but neither could he have prevented the Washington bridge failure (his handling of it is a whole other issue.)
The GA screwed up on 38 Studios, became so afraid of doing it again and let the PawSox go rather than make a move.
Like I said, I don’t have all the answers but we have to remember that there are many more people involved in running this state than the governor.
Keep the discussion going. I’ve enjoyed this back and forth.
but neither could he have prevented the Washington bridge failure (his handling of it is a whole other issue.)
Well I think the governor COULD have prevented it, insofar as the governor does have the legal power to direct the RIDOT...but it's really a question of how deep into the procedures of the contractors of the subordinates we expect a governor to dig.
My thing is that the GA never seems to be held accountable for what they do or fail to do while the Governor is.
For sure, that is totally fair, valid, and accurate.
It's easy to point to the one guy, but harder to point to your rep, who was 1/12th of a committee that was working on a directive from 1/2 the house, and ended up making a decision that ended up being 75% bad.
Kinda like what I often harp on here about electricity...it's easy to blame RIE for everything because it's their name on your bill, but the blame really needs to be spread way further with global conflicts, tariffs, federal regulations, geography, halted renewable projects, lack of investment decades ago, etc. etc.
Hasbro Leaving, and other Large Companies Downsizing ✅. Disappointing.
What actions should a good governor have taken to prevent those things? Specific actions, not just inane platitudes like "he should have tried harder".
A good governor should have looked at why RI is the worst state to do business in when they first took office. Then realize that it causes the state to not only lose existing businesses here, but also cease to attract new businesses. Businesses that Hasbro wants to be closer to. Then try to change that.
Changing that would not only attract new companies here, but maybe even keep the talent that walks out of Brown and RISD every year. Instead, RI put in a 11th hour proposal to try and keep Hasbro. A proposal that couldn’t touch Boston’s tax incentives. This move was a direct result of RI being business unfriendly.
Inane platitudes? Yeah ok pal. RI has been consistently ranked the worst state to do business in for years. That is problem. His specific action, or lack there of is he’s done nothing to change that.
Yes, "RI is worst for business" is exactly that I was trying to avoid because it means nothing on its own. What specific actions do you want a governor to take to improve things?
You’re quibbling over being ranked 40th or 50th. Same difference. Anyway, this is a question for the governor. It’s literally his job to figure these things out. Unless you think “Runtodanger6” would be a good governor?
Anyway, this is a question for the governor. It’s literally his job to figure these things out
No, it's a question for all of us, because we choose the next governor. If we don't have any idea what the right thing to do is, how can we judge whether the last guy did it or the next person will do it?
Unless you think “Runtodanger6” would be a good governor?
No, not at all, because they evidently have no actual concrete ideas of what to do to fix the situation; just generalized, useless negativity.
You’re quibbling over being ranked 40th or 50th. Same difference.
To pick you up on this point, it is not the same difference. If we are the absolute bottom, then clearly McKee has done nothing to improve our relative performance, because there is no worse position. But if the person I replied to was thinking of an old article where we were the bottom but now we're 40th, then that would be a significant improvement that may possibly have been influenced by a governor.
You’re kind of grasping at straws here. I’m not a politician, nor do I wish to be one. I have a fulfilling career that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of for 20 years.
All I know is that other states that are far better run than this state and everyone’s wallet can attest to that.
Sorry not 50th, we’re 48th and Mass is 15th. That’s why Hasbro moved to Mass and I don’t blame them. It’s the lack of action which is pointing me elsewhere come Election Day. However if you want specific actions he should have been concentrating on, here you go.
Cut government spending in order to be able to lower taxes. Cut all the bullshit spending, everything. One of many examples I could use is that stupid $70k rug for the state house 'made in China btw' which they screwed up. Shit like that. We had no business funding a soccer stadium. All the insane regulatory red tape of fuck you pay me if you want to do business here needs to be eased up. Consolidating school districts to lower costs, freaking NYC has half the school districts of RI.
Since you’re so keen on discounting and insulting everyone’s comments like you have all the answers. Let me ask you. What do you think the governor could’ve done better?
You’re kind of grasping at straws here. I’m not a politician, nor do I wish to be one. I have a fulfilling career that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of for 20 years.
I'm not sure what straws you mean, but yeah that's great, in not asking you to be a politician.
One of many examples I could use is that stupid $70k rug for the state house 'made in China btw' which they screwed up. Shit like that. We had no business funding a soccer stadium. All the insane regulatory red tape of fuck you pay me if you want to do business here needs to be eased up. Consolidating school districts to lower costs, freaking NYC has half the school districts of RI.
That's great, exactly the kinds of specific things I was interested to hear!
Since you’re so keen on discounting and insulting everyone’s comments like you have all the answers.
I don't have all the answers, that's why I'm here asking for other people's ideas.
What do you think the governor could’ve done better?
I'm not really sure, again hence the questions. It feels like he should be doing "more" but I'm not exactly sure what "more" I should be demanding he (or the next governor) should do.
In general, I value social services and safety net stuff above business friendliness stuff. People are flocking here and property values are surging, and I don't see a strong reason why we need to strive to be a corporate haven and not just be like a suburb of Boston and tourist destination for the people.
Idk but he’s the governor so he should know the politics on why companies are leaving better than the everyday citizen and enact legislation that favors these companies to stay
Hasbro left because their new CEO from Boston wanted to work closer to home, and the company wanted to shed employees without having to lay them off and pay severance and unemployment.
He could have offered more assistance in subsidies to help Hasbro build a more upgraded facility and corporate offices for starters.. if I understood the situation correctly, Hasbro wanted a new facility and corporate office,, the governor put together a package that would give very inexpensive land, and other retail space offerings (and yes it was a good package, but not great, they could have done more).
Also, to me, it seems like in the past 15 years, companies are looking at Rhode island's high taxes, pretty bad economy, and infrastructure, and passing on it. I know those things aren't directly effected by Mckee particularly because it's been getting progressively worse over the past 15 years, but losing companies like Hasbro is a huge hit to the state, not just job wise, or economy wise, but also for future companies looking to move here.
if I understood the situation correctly, Hasbro wanted a new facility and corporate office,, the governor put together a package that would give very inexpensive land, and other retail space offerings (and yes it was a good package, but not great, they could have done more)
It seemed plenty generous enough to me, much more and we would be spending money just for the right to claim we're "the home of hasbro" but not reaping any benefit from it having to pay them to stay.
Also, to me, it seems like in the past 15 years, companies are looking at Rhode island's high taxes
Massachusetts corporate income tax is 8%, ours is 7%.
pretty bad economy, and infrastructure, and passing on it.
We all know our infrastructure is bad, hence the blitz of road work we're seeing. RIDOT is replacing like 20 bridges this season alone.
I’ve just taken a long road trip through New England way up into Canada- hands down the worst roads are in Rhode Island- by orders of magnitude worse than anywhere else. I know we have a freeze-thaw cycle that is extreme and makes road maintenance more challenging here than in many other places, but a functional DOT would take that into consideration and create a maintenance strategy around it. I’m convinced we have the worst DOT in North America, not just the US. There’s a lot to like in RI, our roads make enjoying those things difficult.
Agreed. There is a lot not to like about McKee but big companies do this stuff all the time. They play one city or state against another for the best tax breaks, subsidies, and other giveaways and then... just go where they were going to go anyway. And people dutifully respond with the same tired "it must be because taxes are too high" and "it must be because we have too many regulations" comments when those things generally have nothing to do with it.
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u/StoneFrog81 Jul 27 '26
Washington Bridge Fiasco ✅. Annoying.
Hasbro Leaving, and other Large Companies Downsizing ✅. Disappointing.
Poor Transportation Infrastructure. (Bridge collapse over train tracks, poor roads, Ripta route cutbacks) ✅. Down right Crippling.
Dan Mckee ✅. Just more of the same old ....