NEW: RISC Opposes Woonsocket Tax Hike
Monday, April 02, 2012
The Rhode Island Statewide Coalition (RISC) has offered its support for Woonsocket taxpayers who are opposed to a 13.8 percent supplemental tax hike on property taxes which the City Council is expected to vote on this evening.
The supplemental tax is part of a proposal by Mayor Leo Fontaine and the by the Council and Mayor that will help close a $10 million school department deficit.
“We view this as a pivotal vote as it will show where Woonsocket’s elected officials draw their line in the sand for the worn down property taxpayers of the city,” RISC Executive Director Harriet Lloyd said. “By most major measurements, the city is broken and it’s hard to see where it can come out of this with just another round of cuts, taxes and union concessions.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTLloyd said the proposal will only hurt property owners in the cash-strapped city.
“We recognize the mayor has his back against the wall and that’s a difficult spot to be in, but it seems doubtful he can win concessions of 10 percent pay cuts from his municipal unions, so that means the biggest burden is still being placed on the property taxpayer, meanwhile the city’s entrenched debt just keeps growing larger and larger.”
