Property Tax Reform That Works For Everyone

Rhode Island Gets Honorable Taxation
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How to assure that tax limits don't become targets.

Town councils and managers are faced with enormous challenges, especially today with a troubled economy both nationally and locally. The revenue problems are unprecedented yet the needs remain - we need good schools, good roads, fire and police protection.

On the one hand every effort is made to control spending. Not too long ago the Assembly passed S 3050 which limits the growth of tax levies to an annual 4% by 2013. If we keep well below the limit it's a good thing for the citizens. It means however that the following year any increase will be based on a smaller number than it could have been had the town increased to the allowable limit.

In other words a town is "punished" for being frugal . This is not in the best interest of the tax payers.

Towns should be able to "bank" unused increases for a certain period to be used if and when needed. Massachusetts has a similar provision in its tax law.

For example, if a town is entitled to a 4% increase or $1 million dollars but holds the levy increase to 2%, or $500,000, the town could "bank" the difference, $500,000 which would then be available in the future.

A town would thus have the incentive to keep budgets as lean as possible but, if the 4% limit based on that prior year's lower budget proved inadequate, they could use their 'banked' revenue and towns wouldn't have to spend money to sue in a Caruolo action.

Details will need to be worked out by legislators, such as how many years of excesses will be available. Let's not punish towns tomorrow for holding the line on spending today.

We, the undersigned, respectfully request that the proposals offered by R.I.G.H.T. be used as a model to stimulate legislative discussion, debate and ultimately to restore fairness in property tax procedures.

Kimberly Aguiar
Carmen Baker
Jim Baker
Korinne Barnes
Diane Barzaghi
Robert A. Benson, Jr
Richard Bee
Judith Bitting
Alice Blair
William F Bonneau
Allan Brockman
Kathleen S. Brown
Andrie Butler
David Butler
Donna Cameron
Kathy Carniaux
Bob Carniaux
Steve Cevoli
Kathy Cevoli
Lance W. Chappell
Howard Cohen
William Connelly
Heath Cooper
David Darlington
Debra Davis
Hilarie Davis
Laura Davis
Joseph T. DeAlteris
Sandra A. DeAlteris
L&F DeBoer
Bradley Dracott
Arlene Fall
Victor P. Fasolino
Elizabeth Finneran
Tom Fitzgerald
Eugene Fry
David Gagnier
Darlene Godin
Donna Tocco-Greenaway
William J. Greenaway
Michael Griffin
Vida-Wynne Griffin
Scott J. Grzych
G.M. Hadley
Nancy Harrington
Dale Harrington
Katherine Harrop
Robert Hutchison
Marjorie Johnston
Ann Jones
Joanne Lamora
Bruce Larson
Carol Larson
George W. Lavoie
Michele Leavitt
John Leventhal
Rep. John Loughlin II
Mark Lucas
Kiersten Marek
Linc Materna
Nicolette Mathews
John Maxwell
Gerald Maxwell
Mary Maxwell
Stephen McKendall
Kelly McGovern
Shawn McGowan
Anthony Micheletti
Virginia Micheletti
Dee Michelson
Sanford Miller
Barbara Montecalvo
Thomas Mowry
Bill Mudge
Pam Neal
Carl Neal
Edwin Nicholson
Gregg O'Neill
Charles Ostiguy
Yvonne Parker
Anne Pascucci
John Pascucci
Raymond Rivet
Raymond Schleicher
Ronda Schuster
Suren Semonian
Tom Sgouros
Grace Shabo
Russell Shabo
Erin Sharaf
Barry Sharaf
Bill Sharp
Tamara Sharp
Shirley Sheehan
John Sivo Jr.
Marjorie A.Sivo
Anthony M.Sivo
Derek A.Sivo
Mike Smith
Paul Smith
Amy N. Sonder
Hilda M. Souza
Richard A. Souza
Eileen Spillane
Wendy C. Sturn
David Sullivan
John Sweeney
Lisa Tener
Nicholas Tiernan
Gary W. Trott
Ellen Waxman
Judy Waxman
Harvey Waxman
Holly R. Wiesendanger
Bernhard Weiss
Charles Weiss
Maria Weiss
Robert Wilson
Michael Wood

Know someone hurt by soaring property taxes? We'd love to talk to them. Contact us:
R.I.G.H.T

INSANITY: using the same solutions to a problem and expecting different results.

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Rhode Island Gets Honorable Taxation
R.I.G.H.T. © 2006
L.E.F.T.
Let's Everyone Fix Taxes

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Harvey Waxman
73 Wright Lane
North Kingstown, RI 02852