Rhode Island pays some of the highest effective total state and local tax rates in the country. The median household income family pays $8,697 annually which is 27% higher than the national average. I will work to cut fraud and unnecessary spending from the $9.6 billion budget and put that money back in the pockets of the Rhode Island Taxpayer.

Collectively small business owners are the largest employer in Rhode Island. I will work to reduce the red tape and onerous business regulations that prevent entrepreneurs from starting or growing businesses in our state. I will work to stop the corporate welfare given to special interests and out-of-state businesses and use that money to ease the tax burden of the small business in our state.

Millions of Rhode Island tax dollars are given to out-of-state businesses by the Commerce Corporation. While proponents claim these programs create jobs, they rarely generate a return that justifies the money given away – let alone the millions of dollars needed to run this department itself. I will work to cut the funding for these programs and use that money to lower that tax burden for the small businesses already operating in our state

Rhode Island’s state budget has grown by 22% since 2010, has your family’s budget or small business’ revenue grown by the same percentage? During this same period, our elected officials have not maintained our infrastructure, underfunded state pension, and healthcare liabilities, and generally wasted our taxpayer dollars. I will work to identify where taxpayers’ dollars are being spent and find opportunities for consolidation and greater efficiencies in state government.