RHODE ISLAND GRAND OLD PARTY
In an opinion column, entitled “Census Results Send A Warning to Rhode Island” published this week in the Cranston Herald , Warwick Beacon and Johnston Sunrise , R.I. Republican National Committeeman Steven Frias argues that the because of low population growth, Rhode Island is getting closer to losing a congressional seat and Rhode Island adopts polices that promote economic growth, its population will continue to be essentially stagnant and Rhode Island will eventually end up having only one congressional district.”
Here are excerpts:
“Rhode Island’s history demonstrates a clear linkage between economic growth and population growth. From 1840 to 1910, Rhode Island simultaneously experienced incredible economic expansion and rapid growth in population.
From 1910 to 1970, Rhode Island’s population growth only increased by ten percent every ten years. This decline in population growth coincided with the decline in Rhode Island’s manufacturing employment, which began after the First World War.
Unable to remake itself following this de-industrialization, for the last half century, Rhode Island’s economic growth has lagged behind other states and its population has stagnated.
From 1970 to 2020, Rhode Island … had the 8th lowest population growth in the nation. Meanwhile, from 1977-2020, Rhode Island had about the 11 th lowest growth in real GDP in the country.
In fact, Rhode Island was ranked last in population growth and in real GDP growth among the New England states during this time period.
Not only has Rhode Island’s economy and population been slow to grow, but its stagnation has caused young, educated people to leave … in 2012, the U.S Census Bureau published a report showing that Rhode Island had a consistent net out-migration of its young, single, college-educated population since 1965.
The economic policies that Rhode Island has followed for generations have not worked. Instead, Rhode Island should emulate low tax New Hampshire, which over the past half-century, had the fastest population growth and greatest real GDP growth in New England. Unless Rhode Island changes, ten years from now this state will probably lose a congressional seat.”