Publications

It is time to turn up volume on silent spending
April 23, 2013 - To ensure Rhode Island uses its available resources in the most effective way possible, it’s time to subject tax breaks, that cost the State over $1.7 billion a year, to the same scrutiny given to money spent through the state budget.

Enhancing the Economic Security of Low-Income Working Rhode Islanders by Increasing the State’s Earned Income Tax Credit Refund
April 11, 2013 - Rhode Island should enhance the effectiveness of its state EITC by increasing the refund available to low-wage workers.  This would put money in the pockets of low-income working households that could help provide for basic needs, pay for extra expenses such as a security deposit or car repair, and build assets for the future.

Testimony in support of eliminating the federal "domestic production deduccton"
April 05, 2013 - The Institute supports a bill that would disallow the federal domestic production deduction which is a costly tax giveaway that was never voted on by lawmakers in our state but rather carried down through the federal tax code.

Testimony supporting legislation to improve tax expenditure accountability
April 02, 2013 - The two bills  would go a long way towards ensuring that tax breaks are receiving an appropriate and adequate level of scrutiny similar to that applied to direct spending.

Corporate tax cuts should be offset with cuts in corporate tax expenditures
March 05, 2013 - A look at the Governor's proposal to cut the state's corporate tax rate.  The Institute suggests that the current proposal is too costly and needs to be made revenue neutral by reforming or eliminating tax expenditures. 

Testimony regarding the historic tax credit
February 08, 2013 - The Institute provided testimony about the state's historic tax credit program, highlighting several issues related to transparency and accountability.

Testimony opposing special capital gains tax breaks for certain investors
January 30, 2013 - The Institute opposes a bill to allow special tax breaks on capital gains for certain investors.

Response to Governor Chafee's Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2014
January 26, 2013 - Learn what is and is not included in the Governor's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2014 with respect to workforce development, tax policy, health care, and programs for low and modest-income Rhode Islanders.

Rhode Island's "47%"
October 17, 2012 - Check out our infographic that describes who doesn't pay federal income tax in Rhode Island.

Response to the State's Tax Credit and Incentive Report
August 16, 2012 - The state gave up more than $34 million in revenue through five tax credit programs in Fiscal  Year 2012, according to the most recent  Tax Credit and Incentive report issued by the Division of Taxation. Critical information about jobs, wages, and benefits provided to employees has still not been reported, though, leaving policymakers unable to evaluate whether these tax credits are cost effective tools for economic development.

Testimony in support of raising the income tax on high income households
May 09, 2012 - The Economic Progress Institute supports revising the personal income tax to add a new bracket, with a higher tax rate, for upper-income households. This would improve the equity and adequacy of the personal income tax, generating new revenue to invest in programs and infrastructure to move our economy forward.

Testimony in support of improving accountability in tax expenditures
May 09, 2012 - House bills H7723 and H7724 would provide basic, fundamental tools for policymakers and taxpayers to be able to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the 227 tax credits, deductions, and exemptions contained in the state’s Tax Expenditures Report, as well as any newly created tax expenditures. 

Investing in the Building Blocks of Economic Growth
April 23, 2012 - Raising the income tax rate paid by higher-income taxpayers is a fair way to help raise the revenue necessary to build a strong economy in Rhode Island.

Testimony urging elimination of the motion picture tax credit
March 14, 2012 - Rhode Island cannot afford to compete in a race to the bottom with more than forty other states offering tax-based incentives for film production.   In FY 2010, 43 states together committed $1.5 billion in subsidies to motion picture and television productions.  Rhode Island's own economists have said that for every dollar the state spends on these credits, we get back 28 cents, which is hardly a good return on our investments.

A More Modern Day Sales Tax
March 07, 2012 - This issue brief explains why it is important to continue to expand Rhode Island’s narrow sales tax base to services.

Raising Revenue from High-Income Households in Rhode Island
March 07, 2012 - In recent years following the Great Recession, states have responded to the collapse in tax revenue by turning to tax increases on high-income households. The substantial revenue collected as a result can help sustain vital public services, including education, public safety, and infrastructure.

An Unbalanced Approach to Balancing the State Budget: A Recap of the FY2012 Budget
September 11, 2011 - Rhode Island policymakers were among those in 42 states charged with closing budget gaps for the 2012 Fiscal Year. Read about how lawmakers chose cuts over revenue increases to balance the state budget.

Resuscitating Revenues
June 06, 2011 - Rhode Island needs a balanced approach to addressing the state’s budget shortfall by including proposals that would raise revenue and not just cut spending.  Three of the largest sources of state revenue – personal income, sales, and business taxes – could be modified to improve the sustainability and adequacy of our state’s tax structure.

Governor Chafee's Corporate Tax Reform
April 11, 2011 - Governor Chafee’s proposal to shut down corporate loopholes and eliminate unnecessary tax credit programs for only a handful of companies is a step in the right direction towards leveling the playing field between large and small businesses and improving the state’s long-term fiscal health.

Jobs - Not Taxes - Stimulates Migration (a PERI publication)
April 01, 2011 - Rhode Island shouldn’t worry that higher taxes will drive people away, but how it spends its tax revenue appears to affect the likelihood that people will move here. Employment opportunities, a low incidence of crime, and affordable housing go hand in hand with greater inward migration, according to a study by the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) of Amherst, Mass.