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March 30, 2010
RISC's Open Eye Catches More Economy-Killing Taxes
The Rhode Island Statewide Coalition has been making a concerted effort to peruse all of the legislation making its way through the General Assembly and recently unearthed this gem from Senator Charles Levesque (D., Bristol, Portsmouth), creating a Highway Maintenance and Public Transit Trust Fund, financed as follows:
... There is imposed a surcharge of forty dollars ($40.00) per passenger car and light truck to be paid by each car and light truck owner in order to register that owner’s vehicle and receive license plates. ...... There is imposed on each company that is engaged in the refining or distribution, or both, of petroleum products and that distributes such products in this state a tax at the rate of three percent (3%) of its gross receipts derived from the first sale of petroleum products within this state ...
... There is an imposed on each company that imports or causes to be imported, other than by a company subject to and having paid the tax on those imported petroleum products that have generated gross receipts taxable under subdivision (b)(2) of this section, petroleum products for use or consumption by it within the state a tax at the rate of three percent (3%) of the consideration given or contracted to be given for such petroleum products if the consideration given or contracted to be given for such deliveries made during a quarterly period exceeds three thousand dollars ($3,000)
There really is no surprise in the fact that Rhode Island is wallowing at the bottom of the nation's economy. As I've said many times, public infrastructure is a legitimate function of government, and it ought to be the first thing funded by taxes that we already pay.
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Just what we need, another pork-laden, crony-staffed govmint agency. So, who will be the executive director, assistant director, director of policy, director of media relations, etc.....? Guess who, Levesque's buddies, that's who!
Posted by: Publius Varrus at March 30, 2010 8:28 PMHelllooooo! Not only are we already taxed to the max in this state, we are simply not going to tax or surcharge our way out of our fiscal woes. We need to come to grips with certain structural problems in the budget including, I'm sorry to say, pension and post retirement benefits.
Also, RIILE has calculated that illegal immigration costs Rhode Island state and local governments $400 million + annually. Where do we stand with e-verify? Does the Senate leadership continue to believe that 1.) jobs should not necessarily go to legal immigrants and citizens and that 2.) it's perfectly fine to continue to encourage illegal immigration into the state by not mandating a reasonable, minimal employee screening? Also, what is done to verify immigration status when an application for public services is made? Are they still, for example, entering a by-pass number when a social security number is required?
--- Miss Grumpy
Posted by: Monique at March 30, 2010 8:38 PMI'd estimate that about 5% of what government does is actually necessary and legitimate. Of course as soon as I say that I am for cutting government, people point to exactly that 5% as some sort of justification for not cutting it at all.
Posted by: Dan at March 30, 2010 10:16 PMHey Rhode Islanders you voted this guy in. I wrote him an e mail during the last election and he told me if I did not like what is going on I should move out, besides he did not need my vote or the tea party members. His union supporters got him in. They should not complain about the high taxes I am tired of hearing people complaining about the taxes and complanies moving out of the state. I remember when Davol moved out the unions said good riddance.
Posted by: grey fox at March 31, 2010 10:19 AMIf I'm not mistaken, Levesques almost lost his seat in the last election. I believe there was a recount and he won with under 100 votes.
Things will change this year.
I also received a mean email when I pointed out some immigration stuff to him and other Senators.
Posted by: Roland at March 31, 2010 4:12 PME-Verify was held for further study in the Labor Committee this year. That is normally the death sentence. The last three years it passed and then went to the floor for a vote and it passed. What was the difference between last year and this year? More ultra liberals are in the legislature as well as Doc Corvese's replacement of the Chair of the committee to Anastasia Williams. Also Rep Brien got on the wrong side of Gordon Fox. It didn't have a chance. My hope is for new conservative blood next year. If we don't get that God help us all with everything not just illegal immigration.
Posted by: SPECIAL K at March 31, 2010 4:37 PM