Editorials

Craving leadership
Rhode Island craves leadership – always has. We hope that Gov. Lincoln Almond sees that as an opportunity as he embarks on the last two years of what could still shape up as a largely successful eight-year run as governor.

Almond’s most recent State of the State address focused on some very real past accomplishments, in terms of economic development. The governor deservedly pointed out that Fidelity Investments is doubling its workforce in Smithfield, Citizens Bank is adding 500 employees in Cranston and Providence Place has created hundreds of new jobs.

We are pleased to hear that Almond plans to place greater emphasis on education initiatives, that the health care crisis is high on his agenda and that he appears committed to providing more funding for local arts programs.

But we have yet to get a strong sense of tangible leadership – a sharp call perhaps to “follow me.”

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Frankly, we are growing tired of hearing that consultants are looking into what is best for Quonset Point/Davisville. We want to know what the governor wants at the former Navy base and how he plans to accomplish it. There are other economic development issues which seem to beg for answers.

For example, is the state still committed to biotechnology among the cornerstones of its economic development? What more is being done to keep us competitive in financial services, and to grow the technology sector? How are we preparing for the new, knowledge-based economy? What are our plans to develop as a regional economy, as suggested by the Economic Policy Council? What are our contingencies in the event of an economic slowdown? How committed are we to continuing the reduction in auto and excise taxes? What’s being done about the growing property tax burden on homeowners?

And in the wake of the credit card fiasco, what does the governor expect out of his Economic Development Corporation – and why wasn’t he a bit angrier when that story broke?

Almond’s tenure opened strong. He has survived several cabinet changes in recent years, by making what appear to be several strong hires in mid-term. But we sense a sluggishness during the last year. Perhaps the port proposal has frustrated the governor and become a harder sell than he expected. Maybe the Dr. Robert Carothers controversy took even more out of him.

But whatever the reason, the governor needs to seize the opportunity before him. Almond needs a strong finish. He needs to demonstrate the leadership that too many Rhode Islanders feel is missing.

Smoking ban
While we endorse efforts to persuade people not to smoke, and for restaurants to voluntarily ban smoking, we disagree with initiatives now under way in the state legislature that would require the banning of smoking altogether from restaurants.

Many restaurants voluntarily choose to ban smoking, finding it creates a better environment, and maybe even serves to attract customers who prefer non-smoking establishments.

But other restaurants find they have a substantial trade among people who choose to smoke, and fear that a total ban on smoking would prove a difficult economic hardship. They also point to California, where a ban on smoking has been divisive, where they say it has financially hurt some restaurants, and where they maintain there is now talk of modifying such laws.

Instead of an outright ban, we’d prefer to see the legislature consider requiring that restaurants with smoking areas, assure those areas are separate from the non-smoking sections of the restaurant, not just a portion of a large room. Additionally, we’d like to see requirements not only for smokeaters but ventilation systems that keep the air as fresh as possible. Those restaurants that want to accommodate smokers, also need to put in the safeguards for those patrons who don’t want to be subjected to second hand smoke.

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