Saturday, May 18, 2013
Full House expected to vote on measure May 22.
The House Municipal Government Committee has approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Lisa Baldelli Hunt to change the tax classification of apartment buildings with four to ten units from residential to commercial, according to a release from the Legislative Press and Public Information Bureau. The legislation will allow tax relief for Woonsocket’s small businesses as well as residential taxpayers, Baldelli Hunt said. “At a time when our city is being squeezed from every direction to raise revenue, this is a way to ease some of the burden on most taxpayers, from the single-family and triple-decker owners to those who own and operate small businesses throughout our city,” she said. The legislation (2013-H 6102) would move four- to 10-unit …
Friday, May 17, 2013
Local reps' bill to add $2.5 million to tax base scheduled for May 22 hearing.
The House Municipal Government Committee sent local representatives' Supplemental Tax Bill to the full house yesterday, recommending passage, putting Woonsocket at least seven days behind its billing deadline. Budget Commission member and Council President John Ward said ideally, the measure would've needed to pass by May 15 to give the city plenty of time to send out bills. Should the bill, sponsored by Rep. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, (D-Dist. 49) and co-sponsored by Reps. Stephen Casey (D-Dist. 50) and Bob Phillips (D-Dist. 51), pass Wednesday, additional time will be needed to reconcile it with the Senate version, S-0820, introduced by Senators Marc Cote (D-Dist 24) and Roger Picard's (D-Dist. 20). Ward said the crucial thing the Senate …
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Council President John Ward says time is running out to pass tax and send out bills.
With local senators' supplemental tax bill passed May 9, the next step in the fate of the $2.5 million the Budget Commission intends to add to the tax base rests in the House tonight, a day past the deadline to send bills out in time. The House Municipal Government Committee will hear the bill tonight at 5 p.m., but Budget Commissioner and Council President John Ward said the goal was to get the bill approved, then send out tax bills ahead of June 30. "Which means that the goal was to have it by yesterday. So We're already running late," Ward said. The process, albeit with a smaller supplemental tax, is following a course similar to last year. This time, however, the companion bill, House 6103, is sponsored directly by Rep. Lisa …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
All six members present voted to approve the bill, which is on the full Senate calendar for Thursday.
All five RI Senate Finance Committee members present voted to approve Senators Marc Cote D-Dist 24 and Roger Picard's (D-Dist. 20) supplemental tax bill, S820, Tuesday afternoon. The bill, which would allow the City of Woonsocket to raise taxes beyond the four percent cap, adding $2.5 million to the base as part of the Woonsocket Budget Commission's 5-year-plan, is now on the Senate calendar for Thursday, May 9. "The supplemental tax will be raised by increasing the levy on motor vehicles and trailers by up to twelve and seven tenths percent (12.7%) and by increasing the levy on residential real estate, including residential properties with eleven units or more by up to four and six tenths percent (4.6%) for the city’s fiscal year 2012…
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Woonsocket's Casey, Phillips co-sponsored bills.
The Rhode Island House of Representatives today passed two bills sponsored by Rep. Marvin L. Abney (D-Dist 73, Newport, Middletown) that together would eliminate the requirement that voters provide an explanation when applying for an emergency mail ballot. “During the last days before an election, any number of circumstances could come up that might force someone to apply for an emergency mail ballot, and right now the requirements for an excuse are too restrictive,” said RepresentativeAbney. “Expanding the emergency mail ballot system will help ensure that every registered voter gets the chance to cast a ballot.” The first bill, (2013 H 5567), would change Rhode Island’s emergency mail ballot law so that a voter’s reason for applying …
Thursday, March 21, 2013
The caucus made up of current or former public safety figures will focus on education and issues critical to first responders.
STATE HOUSE – Rep. Stephen Casey (D-Dist. 50, Woonsocket) is part of the new Police and Firefighters Caucus formed in the House of Representatives for members who are current or former police officers and firefighters. Casey, elected District 50's representative in November, is a current member of the Woonsocket Fire Department. The Police and Firefighters Caucus includes eight members and will be led by co-chairmen Joseph S. Almeida and Scott J. Guthrie. The caucus, which has met once on Feb. 5, formed to concentrate on issues of safety, training and education for first responders, as well as any other issues that may arise that affect them. “Police and firefighters have a lot to offer the General Assembly, because we all have first-…
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Two meetings with General Assembly reps lead to tax hike distributed across all residential classes.
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the payments required for the supplemental tax. The supplemental bill will be due one month after its mailing. Break out your calculators again, and keep them handy - Woonsocket's General Assembly members have a new supplemental tax proposal that spreads the $2.5 million burden across all residential classes. Forget the Homestead Exemption reduction - car tax combo the Budget Commission approved Feb. 26. Instead, all residential property and commercial-residential properties with 11 units or more will each get a 4.4 percent supplemental tax bill due one month after taxpayers receive their bills. Vehicle owners will get a 12.5 percent supplemental tax bill: Residential: $1.42 per $…
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Have a look at what the General Assembly has cooking for the state:
Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly this week, courtesy the Legislative Press and Public Information Bureau Legislation introduced to prohibit sale of ‘e-cigarettes’ to minors Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) has introduced legislation (2013-S 0622) to prohibit the sale of “e-cigarettes” to minors. Electronic cigarettes, which look like the real thing, are battery-powered nicotine delivery systems, heating a nicotine liquid and delivering it to a user in vapor form. The bill would expand the statutory definition of “tobacco products” to include “vapor products.” Click here to see news release. Serpa Medicaid fraud bill takes aim at waste…
Friday, March 8, 2013
School Committee member admitted to RIH Wednesday with non life-threatening injuries.
The Woonsocket Call reports Anita McGuire-Forcier was struck by a motorist outside the State House Wednesday night after testifying before the General Assembly. Her injuries were not life threatening, according to report from WPRI.com. McGuire-Forcier had just finished speaking at the State House against charging students pay to play fees for after-school activities and sports, saying many children in the city couldn't afford to pay such fees.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly this week.
For more information on any of these items visit the State House News Service. Senate passes bipartisan resolution urging Congress to avoid sequestration The Senate passed a bipartisan resolution sponsored by President of the Senate M. Teresa Paiva Weed (D-Dist.13, Newport, Jamestown) urging Congress to work together to avoid the effects of the federal sequester could have on the state. The resolution (2013-S 0435), cosponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) and Senate Minority Leader Dennis L. Algiere (R-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown), also asks Congress to halt the immediate cuts facing Rhode Islanders and develop a balanced and responsible plan to manage the nation’s long-…
russell archambault
7:39 pm on Saturday, May 18, 2013
HOPE; it opens up the door for future ???? rates. Even if out of town landlords, its about people trying to live in woonsocket. russ more ›