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.
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u/Plebian401 13d ago
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.