January 25, 2008

Taxation

Rhode Island: Fourth Highest Taxed

Monique Chartier

"Our People are Taxed Too Highly."

So said Governor Donald Carcieri during his post State of the State media rounds. And - drum roll, please - the Tax Foundation concurs. For the third year in a row, they ranked Rhode Island fourth highest taxed, state and local combined.

Data source of the Tax Foundation's analysis: Bureau of Economic Analysis, US Department of Commerce.


ADDENDUM

In addition to compiling state by state tax rankings, the Tax Foundation is also the organization which calculates Tax Freedom Day. Will Ricci over at Ocean State Republican advises that there is a refutation rebuttal lame counter analysis of Tax Freedom Day which involves quibbling about the definition of the words "income" and "tax" (shall we add "is"?) and an inexplicable desire to exclude four fifths of tax payers from the calculation.

The Tax Foundation easily exposes the weaknesses of this criticism.

5:30 PM | TrackBack (0)
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As I read it, we're 6th in total tax burden.

Posted by: oz at January 25, 2008 7:38 PM

I'm an idiot..."state & local" is indeed 4th highest.

I don't know why I gravitated to the total tax burden...probably because "tax" is a four letter word for me.

Posted by: oz at January 25, 2008 7:44 PM

Governor Carcieri in his state of the state addresses last year and this year promised there would be NO NEW taxes.

How did RI taxes rise from 12.5% in 2006 to 12.7% to 2007 according to the Tax Foundation?

If the General Assembly overrode Governor Carcieri and the Governor HAS NO control then he should not publicly make verbal and written promises to the general public about state taxes.

It gives the population; cities/towns a false sense of security.

Posted by: Ken at January 26, 2008 2:19 AM

Ken,

The governor said (paraphrasing): "If we follow there will be no new taxes, but you citizens are going to have to become vocal in opposition to the vested interests. If you don't, and those interests succeed in getting the General Assembly to do what it usually does, then your taxes will go up."

He was very clear on the matter.

Posted by: Justin Katz at January 26, 2008 8:15 AM
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