To the Editor:
The recent CNBC report on the business friendliness of each of the 50 states clearly demonstrates that national analysts pay close attention to legislative policy shifts. The rankings carry weight. The factors that drive the rankings change every year. Rhode Island has made some progress on the metrics, but it’s a dynamic environment and every state is making adjustments to get ahead.
The message is obvious: lawmakers and regulators must be cognizant that every legislative amendment or regulatory rule factors into the national rankings’ calculus. We don’t want to be in the bottom tier of states. That’s why our pro-business lobbying team at the
Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce carefully scrutinizes bad bills and suggests improvements.
Case in point: The issue of employee misclassification/independent contractor status was an especially contentious one in this year’s General Assembly. The final bill, which we worked on, addressed the pressing concerns of employees without making it harder to do business in Rhode Island. House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi took responsibility for surgically crafting a reasonable solution. We applaud his leadership and responsiveness and thank him for appreciating what it takes to be positioned as a leader, not a laggard.
Laurie White
President, Greater Providence
Chamber of Commerce