PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- House Speaker Gordon D. Fox says he's disappointed but not discouraged by Governor Chafee's strong rebuke of a key piece of House Democrats' economic development package: an overhaul of the state Economic Development Corporation.
He said the proposal, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also voiced concerns about, was meant to be a "discussion starter."
But Fox said he strongly disagrees with Chafee's stance that Rhode Island should stay the course and not make dramatic changes to state government.
"That's not good enough," he said, speaking before Wednesday's House session. "They should ask the average Rhode Islander if everything is fine in terms of economic development."
Fox continued: "They say, 'Don't do anything because everything is working out.' Well everything is not fine. The public knows that."