THE NEW BUDGET: TAXES, GIMMICKS AND RETALIATION

Warwick, RI – According to recent news reports, the budget approved by House Finance while you were sleeping on Friday night will:

(1) expand the sales tax;

(2) scoop $4 million from the Infrastructure Bank;

(3) continue to misuse 911 fees while changing the name of the 911 fee;

(4) rely on $23.5 million in sports gambling revenue although it is unclear if voter approval is still required under the Rhode Island Constitution; and

(5) reduce payments to nursing homes so that they do not benefit from their successful lawsuit against the Raimondo administration, which was botched by Greg Hazian, the state lawyer with ties to Speaker Mattiello.

Chairman Brandon S. Bell commented: “This budget means taxes, gimmicks, and retaliation. Because the new budget increases spending by $317 million over last year’s budget, Mattiello and Raimondo worked together in this budget to expand the sales tax, and to rely on gimmicks like scooping and using 911 fees. Changing the name of the 911 fee does not change the fact that our 911 fees are too high and are being misused.”

Bell concluded: “Perhaps the saddest thing about this budget is that Mattiello and Raimondo teamed up to retaliate against the nursing homes. The nursing homes filed their lawsuit in good faith. They won it in court. But, in Rhode Island, even if you win your case at the courthouse, you may end up losing it up at the State House. For powerful State House politicians, the game they play is always the same: heads they win, tails you lose. What message does this send to businesses in and out of state? In November we need to send a message to the Raimondo-Mattiello tag team. Let’s put this tag team out of business.”