Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

WESTERLY -- This holiday season, state officials and business owners are encouraging Rhode Islanders to buy local.

"Buy Local RI," a new economic development initiative to support local businesses, officially launched yesterday.

Today, Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, chairwoman of the Small Business Advocacy Council (SBAC), will make her first stop on the "Main Street" walking tour.

Roberts, state and local elected officials, chamber of commerce members, and local business owners will visit downtown Westerly businesses this afternoon. The "shopping" tour will begin at 1 p.m. at In Due Time Boutique, 12 Broad St., and will continue along Broad Street and up High Street to Canal Street.

Additional "Main Street" events will include Greenville, Providence, Wickford, Warren and Newport.

"The economy in Rhode Island is struggling," Roberts said yesterday in a news release.

"As we look at our economy turning down, we need to invest our dollars here in Rhode Island. One of the best things we can do is to support local businesses. We know that Rhode Island is home to thousands of unique artists, artisans, retailers, manufacturers, cafes, restaurants and farmers whose small businesses are locally owned and crucial to our neighborhoods, our quality of life, and Rhode Island's overall economy."

 Tags  Buy Local RI economic development Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts shopping

Comments

Not Impressed said:

Photo ops. Big deal.

If she really wanted to encourage Rhode Islanders (and others) to support RI businesses then she'd be pushing her Democrat colleagues to lower our sales, gasoline, meals and cigarette taxes to no more than those of our neighboring states, and even better to lower than those of our neighboring states so that their citizens would come to shop here!

But then her union and "poverty advocate" supporters wouldn't want to risk that, now would they?

So it's photo ops and hoping that few in RI will notice that it's merely cheap showmanship.

Link | November 19, 2008 2:12 PM
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mike said:

Since being elected, this is one of the few times I read anything about what the Lt. Gov is doing. The first step in getting the state budget under control is to eliminate this ridiculous position.

Link | November 20, 2008 9:59 AM
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