Entries by RI Center for Freedom

Center Calls on Lawmakers to Keep and Honor the 6.5% Sales Tax Promise, and Stop its Repeal

June 19, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , /by

House Budget Seeks to Repeal Sales Tax Cut StatuteCenter Calls on Lawmakers to Keep Promise to Taxpayers Providence, RI — Rather than honor existing state law that specifies a reduction in the state’s sales tax rate, and deal with continued criticism for inaction, faint-hearted House leaders are instead seeking to change the law by attempting to sneak its repeal through the […]

Former Justice Flanders Joins Center’s Board

June 10, 2019 /0 Comments/in , /by

Will Explore Development of an Internal Strategic Litigation Capacity Providence, RI – The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is pleased to announce that former R.I. Supreme Court Justice Robert G. Flanders, Jr. has joined its Board of Directors, now totaling 14 members. An Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1996 thru 2004, Flanders is also well known for […]

Center Joins Liberal Groups in Supporting Two Justice Reinvestment Bills that would Benefit Minority and Other Communities

June 6, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , /by

Bi-Partisan Coalition Supports Right-to-Earn-a-Living for Nonviolent Criminals and Protecting Civil/Property Rights Providence, RI – The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity urges legislative leaders to reconsider two bills that would provide Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) and occupational licensing reforms, two areas consistently supported by the Center in recent years.  Each bill has similarly been implemented in over dozens of other […]

NEW: Center Publishes Municipal Summary of its “Public Union Excesses” Report

June 5, 2019 /0 Comments/in , /by

Municipalities Across RI are Burdened with $590 million in Excess Costs… Not counting liabilities for paying people not to work! Providence, RI— The #1 reason why local property taxes are up to 25% higher than they need be, is because of the $590 million in “excessive” costs, shared by municipalities across Rhode Island, for collectively-bargained government […]

PAID FOR NOT WORKING;TAXPAYER RIPOFF #1: Ghost Workers and the Triple-Whammy of Union Release Time

May 28, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , , /by

One of the most objectionable schemes of government union collective bargaining process, which excessively drives up the cost of government for taxpayers, in ways or at levels that do not exist in the private sector, is being paid for not working. This issue, along with many others defined in the Center’s report, Public Union Excesses, […]

Testimony: Opioid tax bill would harm families and businesses across Rhode Island

May 20, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , /by

To: RI Senate Committee on FinanceFrom: Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity, Mike Stenhouse Subject: Written Testimony re. Opioid Stewardship Act (S0798) Chairperson Conley, Jr. and Committee Members: As CEO for the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity, a non- partisan research and advocacy organization, I would like to provide some background re. S0798, which is […]

Perpetual Contracts Will Keep Rhode Island in Perpetual Decline

May 14, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , /by

Providence, RI— Statement from Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity on the “perpetual (evergreen) contracts” legislation that was signed into law today by the governor: “The number one driver of the Ocean State’s declining population and jobs numbers –  are high property taxes. Our Public Union Excesses report clearly connects high property taxes with […]

CENTER Refutes NEA-RI Claims about its Cost of Collective Bargaining Report

May 6, 2019 /0 Comments/in , , , /by

Unions Respond with Mindless Attacks and Unsubstantiated Claims Teachers Union Response Addresses the Wrong Points Correction Providence, RI— The Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity refutes the unsubstantiated and off-target claims made last week by two government union officials in publicly responding to the Center’s Public Union Excesses report. The eye-popping report details how Ocean State taxpayers are dishing out […]