Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council

06/05/2026

Our June Newsletter is here. Our latest brief on the risks of raising taxes on high earners, the high costs and low returns of Rhode Island’s housing strategy, weakening economic indicators, and more. ⬇️

https://ripec.org/newsletter/june-2026-newsletter/

05/29/2026

Given the scale of Rhode Island’s housing investments and continued housing shortage, RIPEC recommends improving production efficiency and expanding middle-income and market-rate housing to increase supply and affordability statewide.

Our analysis here: https://ripec.org/rhode-islands-housing-strategy/

05/28/2026

Rhode Island has significantly increased its investments in housing, but our new analysis finds that policies that drive up development costs and subsidy levels are contributing to high per-unit costs and low levels of housing production.

The state is now using a high-cost, high-subsidy model, which has served relatively few Rhode Islanders and has made no meaningful impact on the state’s overall housing challenges.

Among RIPEC's recommendations to improve how these critical dollars are spent: the General Assembly should dedicate at least half of the proposed 2026 housing bond to middle-income housing.

Find the full report here: https://ripec.org/rhode-islands-housing-strategy/

05/21/2026

Between tax years 2020 and 2026, 21 states reduced their top income tax rate, while only four increased it.

As a result, Rhode Island’s top income tax rate moved from the 20th to the 15th highest nationally despite no change in the rate. If the proposed millionaire’s tax were enacted, Rhode Island would rank among the top 10.

We examined income tax and migration trends across the states, highlighting the risks of the proposed millionaire’s tax: https://ripec.org/rhode-islands-millionaires-tax-proposal/

05/19/2026

Woonsocket schools are seeing attendance improvements, but a new RIPEC report says chronic absenteeism rates remain among the highest in Rhode Island. Read more below.

05/19/2026

Rhode Island’s key economic indicators point to increasing labor market challenges beneath steady consumer activity in the first quarter of 2026.

According to RIPEC’s newest KPI Quarterly Briefing with Edi Tebaldi and Bryant University:

📉 Employment among Rhode Islanders has fallen for three consecutive quarters

📈 The unemployment rate reached its highest level since 2021

📊 Labor force participation continued to fall

Read the briefing here: https://ripec.org/q1-2026-kpi/

05/18/2026

Just released: Rhode Island Labor Market Continues to Soften Despite Strong Consumer Demand

Check out our KPI Quarterly Briefing for the first quarter of 2026, released in partnership with Bryant University: ripec.org/q1-2026-kpi/

05/14/2026

Our newest policy brief finds that raising Rhode Island’s top income tax rate may accelerate outmigration and weaken the state’s economic competitiveness amid shifting migration and tax trends nationwide. https://ripec.org/rhode-islands-millionaires-tax-proposal/

05/13/2026

“Given that states compete for residents and businesses, and Rhode Island’s economy is already lagging, this proposal carries real risk for the state’s economic future,” said Michael DiBiase, RIPEC President and CEO.

RIPEC’s latest policy brief highlights the outsized risk of the proposed Millionaire’s Tax, and why Rhode Island cannot afford policies that weaken its economic competitiveness: https://ripec.org/rhode-islands-millionaires-tax-proposal/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhw0J3DSmHE

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05/12/2026

RIPEC’s new analysis finds Rhode Island has gained more than 1,500 taxpayers and $175 million in associated income annually from Massachusetts outmigration since 2020.

The report warns that following Massachusetts’ lead by adopting one of the nation’s highest top income tax rates could undermine this emerging competitive advantage for Rhode Island.

Read the full RIPEC brief: https://bit.ly/4tvIdBI