By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
Gov. Gina Raimondo says jobs gains would be put at risk by discontinuing tax credits and other incentives that she says have created hundreds of jobs and reduced joblessness.
“It’s important that I get reelected and it’s important that these programs stay in place because if they don’t and if either (Republican Allan) Fung or (Democrat Matt) Brown are elected and they undo the programs thousands of Rhode Islanders are at risk of losing their jobs,” Raimondo said Tuesday in an interview.
Both men have criticized the incentives programs offered through her Commerce Corporation.
Fung, in a statement, called the incentives too costly, adding, “To this I say stop the insanity!”
“The economy is not working for people,” Brown said in his economic platform issued last week, in which he pledged to “end corporate handouts”.
“Here’s what we used to do, we used to do special deals for special people like 38 Studios, and a lot of Rhode Islanders got hurt,” Raimondo said.
“Now we have new programs that are best practices, a lot of other states use them and the proof is in the pudding. People are working and people are going to lose their jobs if these programs are undone, which is exactly what Mayor Fung and Matt Brown have said they will do,” Raimondo said.
She spoke with reporters at the headquarters of UNFI, a natural foods distributor that benefits from tax incentives, and is located in the same Providence building as the state Commerce Corporation.
