The state Commerce Corporation is slated to meet Wednesday to consider incentives meant to secure General Electric jobs in Providence. Governor Gina Raimondo has said the incentives will not be paid until the jobs are actually created.
Plans were announced in June for GE to open a Providence office with about 100 initial new jobs. At the time, state officials said they expected $5.65 million in incentives, over 10 years, to be part of the deal.
Some critics call these kinds of incentives corporate welfare. Governor Raimondo contends other states use the same approach, and she says Rhode Island needs to compete on an equal footing.
In relocating its headquarters from Connecticut, GE chose Boston. But if the new digital technology center in Providence is successful, it could eventually bring hundreds of additional jobs.
