Rhode Island... hang on to your #$%!

[=Matt 5.0=]

Copied from another site.

The governor has put together a "blue ribbon panel" to increase revenue into the state's coffers. The ProJo reported some of its recommendations this morning. The entire report is also online. It's important to note that the governor has not endorsed any of the proposals. Not yet, anyway. Take a look: (For the sake of brevity, the following has been shortened to the major points of each proposal.)

Both new and higher fuel taxes. The proposals include increasing the gasoline tax, now 30 cents, by up to 15 cents per gallon by 2016...

Also include is a new petroleum products gross earning tax, beginning with the equivalent of 10 cents per gallon of gasoline in 2010 and adding another 5 cents in 2014. That would affect all petroleum products, from gasoline and aviation fuel to those made from petroleum derivatives, such as plastics, paint and fertilizer.

Car registration fees, now $60 for two years, would rise $40 per year immediately and could more than double, to $140, by 2013...

(If adopted, the $60 fee would immediately rise to $100.)

A new mileage fee. (This one really frosts me.) The $150-million plan would not include it, but the $300-million plan would impose a half-cent-per-mile fee, raising an estimated $50 million per year. But officials said yesterday that they expect to eliminate the transfer of some sales tax revenue to the transportation system, proposed elsewhere in the report. Raising the mileage fee to 1 cent per mile would make up the difference.

At a half-cent per mile, driving 10,000 miles per year would cost $50 per vehicle. One cent would cost $100.

Also referred to as a VMT fee (for vehicle miles traveled), the mileage fee would be based on odometer readings reported by vehicle owners when they renew their registrations. The mileage could be verified during mandatory auto inspections, the study says. Robert A. Shawver, the DOT's assistant director, said that although one state, Oregon, is pilot-testing a similar fee, Rhode Island's would be the first of its kind in the country.

So the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more you pay in this new tax. I trailer my 17 footer around the state, but I also make surf-fishing runs down to the south shores. As my mileage increases, so does the tax.

Tolls. The $150-million plan could include tolls, $3 per car and $6 per truck, only at the Connecticut border, yielding an estimated $39 million per year. The $300-million plan would include similar tolls where all of the state's interstate highways (Routes 95, 295 and 195) cross the state line, and would raise $60 million per year.

While most of the other fees and taxes would affect primarily Rhode Islanders, the tolls would be aimed at out-of-state vehicles which, if they pass through the state without stopping for fuel, now use the roads for free.

Tolls on a new Sakonnet River Bridge. The plan relies heavily on shifting the estimated $210-million cost of a new Sakonnet River Bridge, now the DOT's responsibility, to the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority. It also assumes that the authority would borrow the money to pay for the bridge and charge tolls to pay the cost. Shawver said it isn't clear how much the tolls would be, but guessed they would be in the $3-per-car range. That would take the cost of the new bridge off the DOT's hands, while giving the authority the prickly job of imposing the tolls.

Some recommendations, such as a higher gas tax, could be put into effect quickly. Others, such as tolls, would take years to put into effect. Lewis said the state would try to implement the tolls jointly with Massachusetts and Connecticut, building one set of tollbooths and splitting the money.

The DOT has had a series of expensive embarrassments involving its construction projects over the years. One question yesterday concerned the agency's ability to efficiently spend roughly twice as much money per year as the $354 million it spends now.

Suzanne Greschner, policy director at the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council and a panel member, said she looked through the draft report and found nothing about making sure that the DOT can handle the money effectively. Taxpayers, she said, need to know that the money would be spent effectively.

Several of the proposals are certain to be controversial. In addition to imposing new taxes and sharply higher fees that would affect most citizens, one is already starting to heat up an old regional dispute.

Putting tolls on the new Sakonnet River Bridge attracted loud opposition in the past from legislators whose constituents now use the existing deteriorating bridge for free.

Yesterday, Keith W. Stokes, executive director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, denounced the toll proposal and said he wanted to know why tolls on the heavily traveled Washington Bridge, on Route 195 in Providence, isn't one of the proposals.

As said, the above isn't complete. But it does give us an idea of what's in the works. As as far as I know, no where does this blue ribbon committee recommend a cut in spending. With their projects and handouts, many of these politicians spend our money like drunken sailors. (With my apologies to drunken sailors.)

Bottom line appears to propose raising taxes and fees. And proposing new ones as well. Without cutting spending. These idiots on Smith Hill will bleed us until we have no more blood left to bleed.

__________________

[fishizzle]

I guess I'm not gonna visit RI anymore.

I hate when politicians say no more taxes, then increase other fees.

Either way you're paying

[bassinri]

It doesnt surprise me one bit. Look what they did to the fishing and hunting programs. In all fairness these arent the Governers ideas as they were suggested to him. I will admit, hes been very fair to this point. Hes really in a bind because we are so broke. Thats because of the crooks we had in office for so many years. Lets face it, everyone just loves Buddy Cianci. The guys a 2 time felon! He stole from his own citizes and those very same people call his radio show and kiss his butt! Only in RI!

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I think I just paid like $200 for a 2yr vanity plate (CFK.ORG)  

[Tin]

Just another reason to move down south for me.

[Bassnajr]

I have the answer...buy it's not politically correct, so "they" would never consider it.Form a Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement task force and go after the criminals who are committing welfare fraud on ALL levels. At this time, when more and more legit people will be needing help, we need to flush these scum out from under their rocks and prosecute them. Trust me, there are MILLIONS of dollars stolen from the tax payers each year. It's not the total answer, but it's a start!!

Alan (bassnajr)

[Fishing Rhino]

Regarding the bridge tolls, I buy fiberglass materials from Composites One, in Bristol. To get there from Westport, I cross the Sakonnet River Bridge and the Mount Hope Bridge.

Several years ago, the Mount Hope Bridge was a toll bridge, with the toll being paid on the Portsmouth to Bristol lane. No toll on the return.

However, they eliminated the tolls which were collected to keep the bridge maintained. Unfortunately, the tolls did not even cover the cost of collecting them. The toll booths were taken down 5 to 10 years ago.

Don't feel too badly. RI is not alone in being taxaholic. Mass is considering some of the same to help keep the Mass Turpike Authority in the black. They considered raising tolls on the turnpike and on the Mystic River Bridge as well as the tunnels that run under the Charles.

There was such an uproar, they decided against it, and want to make all the Mass residents, who do not use those routes, contribute to them.

Then you have NY which is worse than MA and RI combined with their new tax package under consideration, which includes an obesity tax.

No, it's not a tax on fat people. It's an 18% tax on sugary drinks such as non diet sodas, to discourage their consumption.

[Fishing Rhino]

I think I just paid like $200 for a 2yr vanity plate (CFK.ORG)

While an outrageous fee, at least you had a choice.  It was a voluntary contribution.

[Fishing Rhino]

Well Matt, I just saw more bad news for RI taxpayers who smoke.  They are considering raising the state tax on a pack of cigarettes to match that of Mass.  

I think making it 2.51 per pack.  Almost half the price will be state taxes.

I hate to think of what the feds and states will do when no one smokes.  Higher taxes on booze?  It'll be a "sin tax" of some type.

[Bassnajr]

"They" force you to do things that you wouldn't ordnarily do. Drive to Cow Hampshire to buy cigarettes and booze, make major purchases in Mass. etc. And the nit wits in this state keep voting the same theives in year after year. This past election anyone who was in, I voted against. Didn't work, but I felt as if I tried. The only chance we have is if someone takes the state over......would you????

[Fishing Rhino]

"They" force you to do things that you wouldn't ordnarily do. Drive to Cow Hampshire to buy cigarettes and booze, make major purchases in Mass. etc. And the nit wits in this state keep voting the same thieves in year after year. This past election anyone who was in, I voted against. Didn't work, but I felt as if I tried. The only chance we have is if someone takes the state over......would you????

Your sales tax is higher, and they charge it on clothing in RI, unless I'm mistaken.  Even Taxachusetts doesn't do that.

But on the bright side, you don't have the equivalent of the Mass Turnpike Authority, yet.  Full of hacks.  The toll takers in the booths make up to 70Gs per year.

Those who run it, make sure that it stays in debt.  Tolls were to be charged until the costs of building it, and the tunnels (once another separate authority) were recouped.  

Then the state highway department was to take over the maintenance, and the tolls were to go away.  Never gonna happen.

[Tin]

Heck, wasn't raising sales tax from 6% up to 7% supposed to be temporary...

Don't worry guys. Just go read Burley's thread on Yellowstone. It wll all be over soon.

[Fishing Rhino]

Heck, wasn't raising sales tax from 6% up to 7% supposed to be temporary...

Don't worry guys. Just go read Burley's thread on Yellowstone. It wll all be over soon.

It is temporary.  Some day the sun will burn out.