Ken Block, business owners pitching tax, education ideas to Governor Chafee, legislature

By Philip Marcelo PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Business owners led by Moderate Party founder and former gubernatorial candidate Ken Block have been meeting with Governor Chafee's office and staff for the General Assembly in recent weeks, offering tax and education ideas that they believe will help turn around Rhode Island's economy.

Among the proposals is legislation to exempt new businesses from the capital gains tax, a move they believe will help attract out-of-state companies.

They are also calling for changes to the state's unemployment benefits fund, Temporary Disability Insurance program, and its worker training fund -- all paid through taxes on businesses or their workers.

Block, president of Simpatico Software Systems in Warwick, said Friday that those ideas are just the start: he and other business leaders are developing a five-year plan for the state.

"Our plan here is to provide advocacy on these issues," Block said. "To help make sure our elected leaders understand businesses feel these are crucial issues and that we have got to make substantive progress in these areas."