RIPEC’s comprehensive report on police and fire protection spending, perspectives on the state’s economic trajectory, and ways to improve K-12 education
RIPEC on Public Policy
- RIPEC released a report finding that Rhode Island spends substantially more on police and fire protection than most of the nation, while the amount communities spend on these essential services varies considerably across the state. Police and fire protection account for about a quarter of all municipal spending and have been a substantial contributor to property tax increases. The report finds that these high costs do not reflect greater need and shows that drivers include how services are delivered and differences in personnel spending related to compensation, overtime, benefits, and pension costs.
- WPRI 12, “Rhode Island tops nation in fire spending, report finds”
- WJAR 10, “RIPEC report finds Rhode Island spending the most for police and fire protection”
- Providence Business News, “RIPEC: Rhode Island fire, police spending ranks among nation’s highest”
- Providence Journal, “Rhode Island leads nation in police, fire spending as crime stays low”
- Ocean State Media, “Rhode Island spends more on police and fire than most states, RIPEC finds”
- Go Local Prov, “Rhode Island’s Per Capita Spending on Fire Departments Is Highest in U.S.”
- What’s Up Newp, “Newport spends more per resident on police and fire than any other Rhode Island community”
- RI News Today, “RIPEC Report: Strong Public Safety Comes at a Price—RI Leads Nation in Fire Spending, Top 10 for Police”
- RIPEC’s 2026 Economic Prosperity Scorecard, which showed that from 2014 to 2024 Rhode Island’s economy lagged the rest of the country on key economic indicators, was cited in a Providence Journal story. RIPEC President & CEO Michael DiBiase commented that Rhode Island’s economy is “not contracting, but [is] not growing as fast” as most states. “We have a lot of smaller and medium-sized companies, but you need capital to get higher productivity,” he said.
- The Providence Journal highlighted a 2022 RIPEC report showing that Rhode Island charter school students overall outperform students in the traditional public schools where they live. The report also showed that the charter school population is disproportionately composed of low-income and minority students. RIPEC Policy & Research Director Justine Oliva told the Journal that RIPEC testified in opposition to the new charter school moratorium and reduced cap on charters because “charter public schools overall are providing better outcomes for students who do not have options.”
- In an article by The 74, Justine Oliva highlighted RIPEC’s report recommendation that the state establish a uniform standard for counting student attendance as part of its efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism. In July, the Rhode Island Department of Education announced the adoption of a standard definition of attendance.
Inside Insights
- The Rhode Island Department of Education released chronic absenteeism data for 2024-2025, showing that 19.7% of students were chronically absent, down from 22.1% the prior year and approaching the pre-pandemic rate of 19.1%. Central Falls and Providence saw notable declines, while Woonsocket continued to have the highest rate among districts at 41.0%.
- In its annual Best States to Live In report, WalletHub ranked Rhode Island 23rd overall but 45th in affordability, driven by elevated housing costs, high cost-of-living metrics, and high property taxes.
What to Look for in September
- RIPEC will release a report analyzing the State of Rhode Island’s expenditures on roads and bridges.