Governor Chafee Visits with Small Businesses in Providence to Discuss Their Needs and Focus on ‘Main Street’ Development
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April 26, 2011 | Print this page | Share This |
In an ongoing series of visits with small businesses in the state’s urban core communities, Governor Lincoln D. Chafee and Keith Stokes, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC), joined Mayor Angel Taveras and State Representative Grace Diaz this morning to meet with a number of business owners on Broad Street in Providence. They heard from small businesses about their needs and discussed plans to revitalize Rhode Island’s traditionally underserved urban business centers.
“These small businesses are hardworking, tenacious and demonstrate inspiring energy and vitality. We are out here meeting with them to listen and learn about their needs so we can respond with a focused plan to help them become more successful,” Governor Chafee said. “We want to provide our urban communities and businesses with the resources they need to grow and create more jobs.”
Stimulating Rhode Island’s economy and renewing our commercial Main Streets are among Governor Chafee’s top priorities. As part of a focused economic growth strategy, Governor Chafee has directed the RIEDC to develop a plan to provide greater access to capital and business development expertise to small businesses and make infrastructure improvements that will help create a vibrant, mixed-use environment with unique and attractive destination clusters in our urban communities.
“What small businesses have told us over and over again is that they need greater access to capital and business know-how, improved infrastructure and a more streamlined permitting process. Developing a concrete action plan to address those concerns to support and strengthen the vitality of existing businesses in our urban communities is a top economic development priority for our state,” Stokes said.
Rhode Island’s urban revitalization effort focuses on an integrated approach that combines the physical transformation of city spaces and promotes the success of businesses in those communities. The goal is to provide small businesses with access to private working capital and connect them with practical business know-how resources that will help maximize their growth opportunities.
To continue to better inform the small business community and listen to their concerns, the RIEDC and Rep. Diaz will work to schedule a community meeting in the coming weeks for businesses and entrepreneurs to learn about the many business development programs and services available through the RIEDC and other state and federal resources.
To continue to better inform the small business community and listen to their concerns, the RIEDC and Rep. Diaz will work to schedule a community meeting in the coming weeks for businesses and entrepreneurs to learn about the many business development programs and services available through the RIEDC and other state and federal resources.
Governor Chafee, RIEDC Executive Director Stokes, Mayor Taveras and Rep. Diaz visited businesses including: Quisqueya Market, 933 Broad Street; Star Cleaners, 1060 Broad Street and AG Services, 1214 Broad Street.