2019 -- H 5351

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LC001277

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO BE KNOWN AS THE "RHODE

ISLAND CITY AND TOWN REVALUATION STUDY COMMISSION"

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Marszalkowski, Ackerman, Barros, Johnston, and Morin

     Date Introduced: February 08, 2019

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

     (Lieutenant Governor)

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     WHEREAS, Having clean, safe, and affordable communities is paramount to providing

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the best quality of life to residents of the State of Rhode Island; and

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     WHEREAS, The fiscal health of our cities and towns must be ensured to provide

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essential services to residents without an undue tax burden and with responsible property tax

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rates; and

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     WHEREAS, The property revaluation process must effectively balance the fair and

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correct valuation of property with the cost of determining the property value; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission to be known as the "Rhode Island

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City and Town Revaluation Study Commission" be and the same is hereby created consisting of

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fifteen (15) members: five (5) of whom shall be members of the House of Representatives, not

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more than three (3) from the same political party, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House;

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five (5) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more than three (3) from the same political

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party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall be the Executive

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Director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, or designee; one of whom shall be the

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Executive Director of the Rhode Island Public Expenditures Council, or designee; one of whom

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shall be the Lt. Governor, or designee; one of whom shall be a municipal Mayor, to be appointed

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by the Lt. Governor; and one of whom shall be a municipal Tax Assessor to be appointed by the

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Lt. Governor.

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

 

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

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resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

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of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

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is entitled to the appointment consent to the member of the general public.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to study and provide recommendations on

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legislation for properly setting property values for local tax purposes reducing the associated cost

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of setting property values for the local city or town.

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

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the call of the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate and shall organize and select

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a chairperson.

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     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

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     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

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suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

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General Assembly no later than January 2, 2020, and said commission shall expire on March 2,

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2020.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO BE KNOWN AS THE "RHODE

ISLAND CITY AND TOWN REVALUATION STUDY COMMISSION"

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     This resolution would create a fifteen (15) member special legislative commission to be

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known as the "Rhode Island City and Town Revaluation Study Commission," whose purpose it

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would be to study and provide recommendations on legislation for properly setting property

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values for local tax purposes, and who would report back to the General Assembly no later than

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January 2, 2020, and whose life would expire on March 2, 2020.

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