R.I. Public Expenditure Council - Providence Business News

READY FOR CHANGES: John Elkhay, co-owner of Chow Fun Inc., stands in the dining room of Ten Prime Seafood, a restaurant the company is preparing to open on Empire Street in Providence. Elkhay says he’s trying to provide clarity to his employees on new federal rules about tax on tips.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

New federal tax rules on tips spark confusion

Economy 11/07/2025

John Elkhay, co-owner of the restaurant company Chow Fun Inc., is no stranger to navigating regulatory curveballs. With his company managing more than 200 employees...

RIPEC: State may need to reprioritize spending

Economy 10/20/2025

PROVIDENCE – When it comes to where government resources are directed, Rhode Island has some bad habits, according to a report released Monday by...

State closes FY25 with $250M surplus; still short of projected deficit...

Economy 10/17/2025

PROVIDENCE – The state finished the last fiscal year with a surplus of $250 million, surpassing expectations by about $20 million, according to the...

REP. JULIE A. CASIMIRO, D-North Kingstown, says she's submitted legislation in the last two years aimed at increasing the number of inspectors assigned to day care facilities, and she'll do so again in the next legislative session after a state audit showed a high number of violations of safety regulations. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ARTISTIC IMAGES

Alarming rate of violations at day care providers is nothing new

Government 08/22/2025

An R.I. State Police raid that allegedly netted fentanyl and crack cocaine on Aug. 7 didn’t take place at a criminal hangout; it happened...

RIPEC: Troubled housing commission needs reform

Economy 05/19/2025

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council is calling on state officials to reform the R.I. Housing Resources Commission, saying it suffers from...

State agencies are hot to hire in FY26 budget requests

Economic Activity 01/14/2025

State budget officials made it clear: There’s no money for extras in the upcoming fiscal 2026 spending plan, so don’t ask. But that didn’t stop nearly...

RIPEC: State has ‘spending problem’

Economy 01/10/2025

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council on Friday released a report outlining the fiscal challenges now facing lawmakers ahead of the fiscal...

New R.I. budget projections offer $67M cushion for FY2026 budget deliberations

Economy 11/13/2024

A nearly $400 million deficit is expected to force dramatic government programming cuts in the fiscal 2026 state budget. But for now, a brief glimmer...

Providence simplifies application and review process for owner-occupied property tax

Government 11/04/2024

PROVIDENCE – Mayor Brett P. Smiley’s administration has unveiled a new and improved online application portal for homeowners to secure owner-occupied tax rates from...