Jun
4
Written by:
Elizabeth Roberts
6/4/2010 11:37 AM
I am deeply disappointed that the General Assembly has opened the door for cities and towns to reverse the phaseout of the regressive car tax through an amendment to the budget that passed in the House last night. From a release I issued today:
Today, Lt. Governor Elizabeth H. Roberts called on General Assembly leaders to reverse course on the rollback of the car-tax phaseout that is currently in the budget for the next fiscal year. The proposal, developed in an amendment late last night, would allow for significant increases in the amount of car excise tax paid by Rhode Islanders.
"I am outraged that we are going backwards as a state by opening the door to the return of the most regressive tax in RI history—the car tax," said Lt. Governor Roberts. "When I voted to phase out the car tax more than a decade ago, it was to start the process of eliminating a tax that truly hurt hard-working families. It is shocking that in 2010 Rhode Islanders will again face paying a tax that they can afford even less in this tenuous economic climate.
"I call upon the General Assembly to reverse course on the resurrection of the car tax. We must not go backwards--this is the wrong way to solve the budget problem," said Roberts.
While in the State Senate, Roberts served as Vice Chair of the Finance Committee and was a leader in budget negotiations to begin the phaseout of the car tax.
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