The convincing re-election of Gov. Lincoln Almond last Tuesday night came as welcome news to a business community that overwhelmingly supported the incumbent governor.
In the end, it was Almond’s own polls that proved most accurate. While television stations were predicting a tight race, a confidant Almond in the days before the election said that his own polling numbers had him ahead comfortably. Almond’s nine percentage- point victory was nearer a landslide than a cliffhanger.
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So what happened to York, who four years ago came within three percentage points of becoming the first woman governor in Rhode Island’s history? Doug Mancosh, president of BB&S Treated Lumber in North Kingstown, and a member of the stakeholders’ group working to develop a plan for a shipping port at Quonset Point, believes York didn’t recognize the need to develop a major economic attraction here.
“She left Quonset Point out and when she did that, she alienated labor and it cost her dearly,” Mancosh said. “Her approach to business was to support small businesses and supply resources. But what we all need is a good economic playing field to build on.”
Mancosh said that while Almond may not be the most aggressive campaigner, he had gotten results.
“Almond has been well balanced,” said Mancosh. “He’s a performer. She just didn’t grasp the economic issues.”
Ted Almon, president of Claflin Co. of East Providence, a distributor of medical supplies, was glad to see the Almond administration earn another term.
“It would have been a shame not to give Lincoln Almond a chance to complete the initiatives in economic development that he started,” Almon said.
Almon believes that generally elected officials and the business community agree.
“(Politicians) don’t always agree with the business community on what is best for the economy, but in this case there does seem to be a narrow consensus,” he said. “The awareness of the relationship between the economic values of our community and quality of life in our community is something that has made significant progression. I hope they continue to recognize that.”
James Hagan, president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, has been impressed by the efforts of the governor and General Assembly leaders to work together in recent years.
“A pro-business climate helps to create jobs for the private sector,” Hagan said. “In the last four years, the governor and the General Assembly have worked well together on such things as unemployment insurance, recruiting financial services companies, and further efforts to reform workers’ compensation.”
Gary Palardy, director of software development at Blue Moon Industries Inc. in East Providence, said he wasn’t really surprised by the outcome of the Rhode Island elections. When it came to the governor’s race, Palardy said the outcome perhaps “reflects that the state has been doing pretty well” and that Almond has “set a nice balance” during his tenure. He added that a more aggressive Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation has done much to improve the state’s fiscal picture, and better prepare the state for possible economic downturn.
“I think the steps they’re taking are hedging against that happening,” he said. “The work they’re doing targets growth and improvement the things they’re doing are insulating us. The types of businesses they’re attracting, the initiatives they have for biotech, the financial services industry — they’re bringing in a lot of solid companies.”
Joseph Martins, president of Wood Fence Co., Inc., in Pawtucket, said he was happy to see Almond re-elected.
“I think he’s been doing a good job and has a lot of irons in the fire that he needs to get wrapped up, like the development of Quonset Point,” Martins said. Martins also said that the state must prepare itself for an inevitable economic downturn.
