Gov.-elect Gina M. Raimondo has rightly identified job creation as a top priority as she prepares to take the reins from Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee. And in reaching out to the business community through last week’s Jobs Summit, she has also struck the right tone with a constituency that too often has failed to connect with Mr. Chafee. But Raimondo’s efforts to help grow jobs, like those of Mr. Chafee and state legislative leaders, will come down to the details and her ability to find consensus.
It also would be wise for both Raimondo and legislative leaders not to confuse the mandate to lead that comes with elections with the notion that they are now empowered to cast aside work that has been ongoing for years.
On that score Raimondo made a good choice not to dismiss the recently approved RhodeMap RI economic plan that was the culmination of two years of effort by 35 different organizations.
Neither Raimondo nor lawmakers are bound by any of the proposals, but the plan reflects a collective vision from constituencies that have been living with the state’s economic malaise.
Ignoring their input now would cost the state time it doesn’t have in forging a broad economic plan. It would also reinforce the perception state leaders are more interested in satisfying political constituencies than solving real economic problems. •