JOBS

Let's face it, most of our problems could be solved with more good-paying jobs. What we seem to have been doing for the past few years is playing a game of one-up-manship (also known as "chicken") with neighboring states to give tax breaks & incentives to large corp. with no idea if this really pays off or how much each job actually costs ALL of us. A regional tax policy would help. In addition we should be encouraging creation of new jobs. Other states are doing this (Hawaii, Calif, Ind., N.Y.) and it's working. Former Gov. Bruce Sundlun encouraged this indirectly when he wrote recently of his support of a new bill. This bill would :

authorize an annual appropriation of state funds as matching funds for the federal research, extension, and training grants received by URI faculty and staff.authorize an annual appropriation of state funds as matching funds for the federal research, extension, and training grants received by URI faculty and staff.

This activity would return $5 for each state dollar spent. Hopefully, some money can be found this year or next in the budget to support economic funding, such as this, rather than tax incentives given with a cross-your-fingers & pray attitude, or cut-your-neighbor's throat & laugh (for a short time). And let us not forget, cut taxes on the very wealthy & "they will come" and shower money on us (anyone need my address?).