PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The Latest on Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo’s State of the State speech (all times local):
7:40 p.m.
Gov. Gina Raimondo says she wants to reinvent Rhode Island’s manufacturing industry, provide free tuition at state colleges, raise the minimum wage and cut car taxes by 30 percent.
The Democrat outlined several initiatives to improve the state’s economy as she delivered her annual State of the State speech Tuesday night. It was her third since taking office in 2015. It roughly marks the halfway point of her term as she eyes re-election in 2018.
Raimondo is pitching her initiatives as a way of helping the state adapt to a changing economy.
The speech advances priorities from the budget plan she plans to release Thursday.
She says the state’s leaders for years have missed opportunities to revive the state’s manufacturing industry as factories closed and jobs disappeared.
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12:28 p.m.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo is expected to use her annual State of the State address to outline policy goals, including a plan to provide two years of free tuition at the state’s public colleges.
The Tuesday night speech will be the Democrat’s third since taking office in 2015.
Another goal on her agenda is increasing the state’s hourly minimum wage by 90 cents. She said Monday she would like to raise it to $10.50 an hour in October. It’s currently $9.60 an hour.
Raimondo is also expected to talk about past accomplishments.
In a change from the previous two years, she won’t be presenting her budget plan on the same day as the speech.
Her tax-and-spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year will be rolled out Thursday.
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