The most telling statistic released in the past few weeks about national economic trends is not that Rhode Island is one of only nine states in recession.

No, the most telling statistic is that Massachusetts' economy grew by 3.2 percent last quarter while Rhode Island's contracted. It is one thing to suffer economic difficulties because of competition from foreign shores or other sectors of the country. It is another thing entirely when your next door neighbor, a state with which you share nearly everything including climate, educational opportunities, history, cultural mores etc., leaves you in the economic dust. When you both have the same opportunities and drawbacks and yet one state outperforms the other so badly, there must be other explanations.

About the only thing significantly different in Massachusetts is that they are not governed by the Rhode Island General Assembly. Various non-partisan organizations have rated Rhode Island as the worst state in America in which to do business. Without jobs and economic opportunities to generate tax revenues, we have nothing. There is no money to pay for social programs or state pensions. There is no money for schools or roads. There is nothing. And for year after year, our legislature has chosen to stick its head in the sand and ignore obvious structural problems with the state tax and budget system that have led to this approaching catastrophic situation. Sometimes it is something specific such as allowing government pension liability to slowly spiral out of control. Other times it is more general such as failing to exhibit an iota of foresight and scrambling every May to throw together a stop gap spending plan to meet the constitutional requirement of a balanced budget without any thought as to why we seem to face a budget shortfall each year and then making systemic changes that will bear long term benefits. The examples of legislative incompetence we have witnessed for years on end are innumerable. Either way, year after year, our legislators do nothing - except of course collect their free taxpayer funded health care or, in the case of several (including North Smithfield's Ray Church), collect an extra $2,002 check for declining this free (to them) benefit. It is a disgrace that Rhode Island languishes while Massachusetts forges ahead. The state that was once a national laughingstock because of its unfriendly business climate and crushing tax burden has apparently learned its lesson. So must we. But so long as we continue sending the same people back to the Statehouse every two years, we will get the same results. We cannot keep blaming "other peoples' representatives" but assume "our guy" is leading the charge for reform - because that simply isn't happening.

Brian C. Newberry

North Smithfield