A 3.0% Sales Tax: A Superior Economic Stimulus Than Car Tax Repeal or Free College Tuition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 20, 2017

Plans by Speaker and Governor Could Cost Jobs and Municipal Revenue Losses
Sales Tax Cuts Would Increase Jobs and Could Pay for Car Tax Reforms

Providence, RI – The nonpartisan Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity today published detailed economic modeling projections and analysis, demonstrating that a cut in the state sales tax to 3.0% would produce far more statewide and municipal economic benefit than would repeal of the car tax, as proposed by the Speaker of the House, or would free college tuition, as proposed by the Governor.

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Among the takeaways of the analysis, which projected the impact of both the car tax and sales tax reform ideas, shows that a 3.0% sales tax would:

• Keep significantly more money in the pockets of Rhode Island families and businesses ($585 million vs $215 million)
• Produce thousands of new jobs, as opposed to potential job losses with car tax or tuition spending
• Require lower budget cuts and/or corresponding tax increases than would car tax reform
• Create a major revenue windfall for municipalities that could go a long way toward funding local “self” phase-out of the car tax, where car tax repeal (depending on how it is paid for) could result in lower municipal revenues
• Would allow every Rhode Island family to save for any college education

“We appreciate that the Speaker and Governor both want see more Rhode Island families keep more of their hard-earned money. However, if we want to maximize the positive economic benefit for the people, we must conduct the proper due diligence and research to determine which course of action is most beneficial,” advised Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “Today, the Center offers well-researched projections from a credible economic modeling tool to add a third concept into this important debate. Any objective analysis of this data shows that sales tax cuts are the superior approach.”

The complete analysis, which can be found on the Center’s website, includes discussion of:

• Why bold tax reform is needed
• Budget reconciliation options
• State spending chart
• General findings
• Two tables with multiple and detailed projections of private employment impact and of various “state” and “municipal” revenues

In 2012 and 2013, the Center proposed two major options for sales tax reform, as the most effective and highest value method for creating jobs and boosting the state’s stagnant economy: full repeal of the sales tax; or cutting the sales tax to 3.0%. Links to this expansive past research can be found at RIFreedom.org/SalesTax.

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