ITEP Work in Action
ITEP Testimony: Miles Trinidad on Rhode Island’s High-Earner Income Tax Surcharge
May 6, 2025
This written testimony was submitted to the Rhode Island House Finance Committee on May 6, 2025. Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony in support of H-5473, a bill to create a 3 percent surcharge on those earning over $625,000 a year. My name is Miles Trinidad. I am an analyst at the Institute […]
Video: ITEP’s Carl Davis Discusses ‘Who Pays?’ at Rhode Island Revenue Roundtable
February 5, 2024
ITEP researcher Carl Davis joins the Economic Progress Institute (EPI) for Rhode Island's Revenue Roundtable.
The Economic Progress Institute: Rhode Island Standard of Need
November 18, 2022
With scenic beaches, culinary and arts communities, higher education institutions, and a vibrant celebration of culture, Rhode Island can be a wonderful place to live and to raise a family. Yet many Rhode Islanders work at jobs with wages that pay too little to meet even the most basic living costs. They experience multiple barriers […]
Revenue for Rhode Island: An Equitable Path Forward
August 18, 2020
We propose raising revenue for Rhode Island by adding one new tax bracket for the top 1% of earners – from 5.99% to 8.99% on adjusted gross income above $475,000. The average adjusted gross income for those impacted is $1 million dollars per year. This proposal will have no effect on Rhode Islanders outside of […]
Economic Progress Institute: Rhode Island Standard of Need
December 20, 2018
The RISN calculates a household budget for families with two young children, and for single adults. The no-frills budget includes the costs of housing, food, transportation, health care, child care and other necessities including clothing, toiletries and telephone service. The RISN also demonstrates how work supports like food assistance, tax credits, and child care and health care subsidies help close the gap between income and basic need expenses. By taking all of these factors into account, the RISN provides a more realistic measure of the economic security of Rhode Islanders than the federal poverty level.
Uprise RI: Low-income Taxpayers in Rhode Island Pay Over 50 Percent More in Taxes Than the Wealthiest
October 17, 2018
There’s a practical reason for Rhode Island and all states to be concerned about regressive tax structures, according to ITEP. If the nation fails to address growing income inequality, states will have difficulty raising the revenue they need over time. The more income that goes to the wealthy (and the lower a state’s overall tax rate on the wealthy), the slower a state’s revenue grows over time.
Economic Progress Institute: Changes in Federal Tax Law Will Cut Taxes for Many Rhode Islanders; Wealthiest Families and Corporations Benefit the Most
March 7, 2018
To help explain what the Act will mean for Rhode Island, the Economic Progress Institute released a paper entitled "Changes in federal tax law will cut taxes for many Rhode Islanders; wealthiest families and corporations benefit the most."
Economic Progress Institute: Budget Matters: Making Rhode Island’s Tax Structure More Equitable and Adequate
January 30, 2018
For Rhode Island to achieve its potential as a first-class place to live and do business we need to ensure that we have the public services and amenities that enhance the quality of life and work in our state. Rhode Islanders make a collective investment through taxes, fees, and other forms of revenue to fund the services that businesses and residents count on.
Economic Progress Institute: Trump Tax Plan Would Mostly Benefit Wealthiest Rhode Island Taxpayers
July 20, 2017
A new analysis from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy reveals a federal tax reform plan based on President Trump’s April outline would fail to deliver on its promise of largely helping middle-class taxpayers, showering 61.4 percent of the total tax cut on the richest 1 percent nationwide. In Rhode Island, the top 1 percent of the state’s residents would receive an average tax cut of $86,610 compared with an average tax cut of just $430 for the bottom 60 percent of taxpayers in the state.
The Economic Progress Institute: Understanding Rhode Island’s Motor Vehicle Tax
March 19, 2017
The Motor Vehicle Tax (commonly known as the “Car Tax”) is a property tax collected by each Rhode Island municipality based on the value of each motor vehicle owned. There are three components that determine how much each individual car is taxed: valuation, tax rate and exemption. Read more here
The Economic Progress Institute: Rhode Island Standard of Need
January 10, 2017
The Economic Progress Institute publishes the Rhode Island Standard of Need (RISN) to answer two fundamental questions: What is the cost of meeting basic needs for families and individuals in Rhode Island? How do state and federal work and income supports help households meet the cost of basic needs? The RISN calculates a no-frills […]
Economic Progress Institute: Few Winners and Many Losers in RI Tax Reform
April 29, 2015
The budget passed by the House Finance committee made three significant tax policy changes that will impact the income of tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders. The estate tax, earned income tax credit, and property tax relief program were all dramatically altered in the budget. Read the full report.
The Economic Progress Institute: Making Work Pay for Working Families: Increasing the State’s Earned Income Tax Credit
March 18, 2015
Workers who receive the EITC pay federal payroll taxes, sales and property taxes, and more. In fact, Rhode Island has the 5th highest taxes on low-income households in the nation. The lowest-income taxpayers pay nearly twice as much of their income towards taxes as the wealthiest Rhode Islanders.
Economic Progress Institute: Making Work Pay for Working Families
February 2, 2015
Rhode Islanders who work full-time should be able to support their families. Yet, far too many are struggling to pay for housing, heat, food, and health care. Increasing Rhode Island’s refundable Earned Income Tax Credit to 20 percent from 10 percent would put hundreds of dollars back in the pockets of working families, improving their […]
Economic Progress Institute: Making Work Pay for Working Families: Increasing the State’s Earned Income Tax Credit
January 16, 2015
Rhode Islanders who work full-time should be able to support their families. Yet, far too many are struggling to pay for housing, heat, food, and health care. Increasing Rhode Island’s refundable Earned Income Tax Credit to 20 percent from 10 percent would put hundreds of dollars back in the pockets of working families, improving their […]
Economic Progress Institute: 2014 Rhode Island Standard of Need
December 19, 2014
What it costs to live and raise a family in Rhode Island and how work supports help families meet basic needs Rhode Island is a beautiful state with sandy beaches, world class restaurants, and a vibrant arts and culture scene. Yet many workers in our state struggle just to pay for the basics, making it […]
Economic Progress Institute: Improve Rhode Island’s Earned Income Tax Credit to Help Hard-working Rhode Islanders
April 14, 2014
Rhode Island is among 25 states and the District of Columbia that offer a state EITC, but unlike most states, the credit is only partially refundable. Just over 83,000 Rhode Island taxpayers claimed the state’s EITC in Tax Year 2012 . The average credit was $119. Of those taxpayers receiving a credit, 73,119 received a […]
Economic Progress Institute: It is time to turn up volume on silent spending
May 16, 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. Read the Full Report
Economic Progress Institute: Enhancing the Economic Security of Low-Income Working Rhode Islanders by Increasing the State’s Earned Income Tax Credit Refund
May 16, 2013
The Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) is widely recognized as an effective, short-term tool for lifting low-income working families out of poverty by encouraging work and supplementing low wages. 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 […]
Rhode Island Poverty Institute: Improving Equity, Adequacy, and Efficiency in Rhode Island’s Tax Structure
January 14, 2013
This issue brief explains the importance of a sound tax system, with recommendations on improving the equity, adequacy and efficiency of Rhode Island tax structure.
Rhode Island Poverty Institute: Tax Incentive Disclosure and Accountability
January 14, 2013
“During the 2008 General Assembly session, legislation was enacted to require greater disclosure and accountability of tax credits received by corporations. The legislation required that information about six tax credits be released in three phases. Phase One, just released for the second year in a row by the Rhode Island Department of Revenue, lists the […]
The Poverty Institute: Rhode Island’s Hidden Spending: Tax Expenditures
January 14, 2013
Tax expenditures result in very large revenue losses to the state. Over the years, Rhode Island has given up billions of dollars in potential tax revenue through tax expenditures. Every other year, the Rhode Island Department of Revenue publishes a Tax Expenditures Report detailing the more than two hundred tax expenditures and their annual costs. […]
The Poverty Institute: A 21st Century Sales Tax Why Governor Chafee’s plan to modernize the sales tax is necessary
January 14, 2013
Rhode Island must modernize its antiquated sales tax in order to maintain investments in public services that improve our quality of life, protect our families and businesses, and help grow our economy. Today, we have one of the most narrow sales tax bases in the country, and our collections from this important source of revenue […]
Economic Progress Institute: A More Modern Day Sales Tax
December 17, 2012
“Rhode Island must continue to update its out of-date sales tax to be able to make investments in education, public safety, transportation and the other services that are necessary to build a strong economy. Rhode Island continues to have one of the most narrow sales tax bases in the country due in part to the […]
Economic Progress Institute: Raising Revenue from High-Income Households in Rhode Island
December 17, 2012
“Rhode Island residents and businesses make a collective investment in our state by contributing towards the cost of public services and amenities that help create jobs and enhance our quality of life. The state’s ability to protect our families and businesses, educate current and future workers, repair roads and keep buses running, and provide health […]
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