“By 2020, seven out of 10 jobs in Rhode Island will require at least a credential or a degree beyond high school, but only four out of 10 Rhode Islanders actually have one.”
So said Gov. Gina M. Raimondo in an Op-Ed for PBN on April 7 in which she argued for her Rhode Island Promise college-tuition program.
On May 30, House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello introduced his car-tax-repeal legislation. By fiscal 2024, the state will have to come up with $221 million to replace the revenue that municipalities would no longer receive.
There is no question that the car tax is regressive and a burden for many of the state’s less-wealthy citizens. But the loss of revenue to towns and cities must be made up, and despite promises of growth and waste elimination, it is likely to lead to programmatic cuts to state programs, many of which help the people this legislation is designed to help.
The question the General Assembly should ask then is this: Which of these two programs will do more to build a stronger future economy in Rhode Island? The answer is obvious. The governor’s plan deserves their support.