Caprio Says RI Could Be Shopping Capital of Northeast

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Stephen Beale, GoLocalProv Politics Editor

Rhode Island could become the shopping capital of the Northeast if only it could better publicize the fact that it has a sales tax exemption on clothing, according to Democratic candidate for governor Frank Caprio.

Caprio called on the state Economic Development Corporation to do a better job of spreading the word.

“For too long the EDC has not capitalized on one of our state's biggest competitive advantages,” Caprio said. “Massachusetts has no problem coming into Rhode Island and running ads to make a big deal out of their sales tax holiday and it is only two days long. Why does the EDC keep one of the only tax advantages our state has a secret?”

His campaign said that while the EDC has “remained long silent” and not invested in the state’s retail economy, he had developed a “Shop in Rhode Island” campaign in December 2008, through the General Treasurer’s office. As part of the campaign, Caprio put up a large billboard on the Massachusetts border reminding commuters that Rhode Island does not have a sales tax on clothing. He also created a now-defunct Web site for the effort, NoClothesTax.com.

“We should brand our state as the shopping capital of the Northeast. There is no sales tax on clothing here, period. It isn’t just a day or a weekend - there is no sales tax on clothing in Rhode Island 365 days a year,” Caprio said.

As governor, Caprio would serve as the chairman of the EDC. In that position, he said he would make sure Rhode Island did a better job of marketing itself as a “tax haven” for clothes shoppers.

“We have a built in competitive advantage and we need to take advantage of it,” Caprio said. “If the EDC is looking to grow our economy and create jobs it should start by investing in our retail economy.”

A spokeswoman for the EDC could not be reached for comment yesterday.

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Comments:

ed curtis

7:36am on Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Get a clue Caprio et al running for governor.

Rhode Island shoppers were traveling to MA to save on sales tax (5% vs 7%) until the morons in MA raised it to 6-1/4% (Atta boy Obamabot Deval)

So why not do the *common sense* thing and LOWER the RI sales tax to say, 2% and bring those MA, CT and other NE consumers into RI businesses?

Nah - that would make too much sense for any RI politician to comprehend.

.

Pam Thomas

4:15pm on Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Apparently guys, even those running for governor, don't understand shopping. Shopping for clothes is not the the same as stopping in NH during a long weekend to pick up tax-free booze or driving to Seekonk to snap up a big-panel TV that you've already researched in RI. Women are not going to drive to RI from elsewhere to shop for the perfect but elusive pair tax-free black pants; clothes shopping is not a sure bet. We don't have a destination where people would drop a lot of cash on clothes: no outlets (those are in Wrentham, where the discounts make up for the taxes). We don't even have the top-shelf Nordstrom's at PPM. Lack of a clothing tax is too narrow to attract people here. A better bet: totally legalizaing marijuana and taxing it! We need some bold strokes here.

Bosco Schwartz

4:01pm on Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Say it ain't so, Caprio? RI a shopping capital? Great jobs you are dreaming of creating here. Now Manny the Leafblower and Chaika the Waitress can move UP to retail! That should put another $3 bill in the State of RI revenue basket. Brilliant!