RIPEC testifies on the risks of a high earner tax hike, an op-ed on the state’s role in K-12 reform, and the 2024 housing bond highlight this month’s agenda
RIPEC on Public Policy
- RIPEC President and CEO Michael DiBiase joined Greater Providence Chamber President Laurie White in a presentation to the Rhode Island House of Representatives warning of the risks of enacting a 50% tax hike on income over $1.0 million, as proposed in the governor’s FY 2027 budget. His presentation built on recent RIPEC analysis and legislative testimony on this issue.
- Michael DiBiase and RIPEC Policy & Research Director Justine Oliva published an op-ed in the Boston Globe calling for greater state authority over K-12 education to improve student outcomes. Drawing on RIPEC’s recent report on chronic absenteeism, they noted that while Attendance Matters RI helped Rhode Island achieve the nation’s fifth-largest post-pandemic reduction in chronic absenteeism, gains have not been evenly shared across districts—even after accounting for student demographics. The op-ed argues that the state’s experience demonstrates “that coordinated effort can move the needle,” but asks: “If Rhode Island cannot require best practices in all public schools for an issue identified … as the highest priority, how can it meaningfully effectuate the … change necessary to raise student outcomes?”
- RIPEC was featured in the Providence Business News regarding the governor’s proposed $120 million housing bond, highlighting the need for greater transparency and for the state to expand more cost-effective tools—including mixed-income development and site acquisition—to maximize unit production. The article highlights RIPEC’s projection that, under the state’s current reliance on high-subsidy, high-cost projects, the 2024 bond would produce only 586 new affordable and middle-income units—far short of the state’s 24,000-unit gap. “What are we building? How much does it cost? And how many units do we get?” asked RIPEC Senior Policy Analyst Jeffrey Hamill. “Those are straightforward questions taxpayers deserve clear answers to.”
- Providence Business News, “Voters deserve accountability on R.I. housing spending”
- Michael DiBiase spoke to the Rhode Island Current about the recission of the state’s discretionary spending and hiring freeze. While RIPEC’s analysis points to the unsustainable pace of state spending growth, DiBiase noted that making it harder for state departments to allocate already budgeted money is “more of an ad hoc way of squeezing the budget rather than a thoughtful, planned approach.”
- RIPEC provided testimony opposing a bill that would retroactively impose a moratorium on charter public school expansion, pointing in part to a RIPEC report finding that charter schools overall produce better student outcomes than traditional public schools.
Inside Insights
- The Pew Charitable Trusts reported that Rhode Island’s “rainy day” fund increased to 6.3 percent of expenditures in FY 2025, but remained low relative to otherstates. With just 23 days’ worth of spending in reserve, the state ranked fifth lowest nationwide at less than half of the 50-state median of 47.8 days.
- The Reason Foundation’s 29th Annual Highway Report ranked Rhode Island’s highway system 43rd in the nation in overall cost-effectiveness and condition, highlighting that the state continues to struggle with the pavement quality of its major roads (48th) and with structurally deficient bridges (47th).
- The Rhode Island Association of Realtors reported in March 2026 that single-family home sales fell to their lowest February level since 2011 as the median price rose to $475,000.
What to Look for in April
- RIPEC will release a benchmarking report that will evaluate Rhode Island’s economic prosperity relative to the country and the region later this month.
- RIPEC will release a policy brief analyzing state income tax trends, including the divergence in rates as most states have cut top rates while a smaller number of states have raised the
- The Rhode Island Businesses for Better Education, of which RIPEC is a founding member, and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Rhode Island will co-host a networking event with a focus on educating tomorrow’s workforce at the New England Institute of Technology on Tuesday April 28th from 5:00 to 6:00pm.