2013 -- H 6102

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LC02563

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO TAXATION - LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES

     Introduced By: Representatives Baldelli-Hunt, Phillips, and Casey

     Date Introduced: May 09, 2013

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 44-5-74.1 and 44-5-74.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 44-5

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entitled "Levy and Assessment of Local Taxes" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     44-5-74.1. Woonsocket -- List of ratable property. – (a) Upon adoption of a system of

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classification of taxable property by the city of Woonsocket, all ratable property in the city of

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Woonsocket shall be classified by the assessor as follows:

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      (1) Class One: all ratable tangible personal property and motor vehicles;

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      (2) Class Two: residential real estate with less than eleven (11) four (4) units;

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      (3) Class Three: all commercial and industrial real estate and residential real estate with

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eleven (11) four (4) units or more, except as provided for in subsection (b).

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     (b) As to any residential real estate with four (4) units and wherein one or more of such

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units are occupied by the owner of the real estate, such four (4) unit residential real estate shall be

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classified as Class Two residential real estate. Said real estate shall be classified as Class Three if

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it fails to have at least one unit that is occupied by the owner of the real estate. An owner of

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residential real estate with four (4) units who is entitled to the Class Two residential real estate

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classification pursuant to this section shall annually file a declaration of such owner-occupied

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status with the tax assessor. The assessor shall prepare an appropriate form for the making of such

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declaration.

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     44-5-74.2. Woonsocket -- Valuation of ratable property. -- (a) The assessor of the city

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of Woonsocket, on or before June 1 of each year, shall make a full and fair cash valuation of all

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the estate, real and personal, including motor vehicles and trailers, subject to taxation and

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determine the assessed valuation of each property class.

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      (b) The assessor has the authority to apply different rates of taxation against Class One,

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Class Two, and Class Three property to determine the tax due and payable on the property;

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provided, that the rate of taxation is uniform within each class. Additionally, the rate of taxation

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for Class Three property shall never be greater than thirty-four and two-tenths percent (34.2%) of

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the total tax levy produced by Class Two and Class Three combined. When real property is used

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for mixed purposes, the applicable rate shall be applied to the proportionate amount of the real

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property used for each purpose.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02563

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO TAXATION - LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES

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     This act would amend the classification of residential real estate in the City of

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Woonsocket by providing that most residential real estate with four (4) or more units would be

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classified as commercial property. The act would provide an exception that would allow an

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owner-occupied four (4) unit property to be classified as residential property upon the filing an

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appropriate declaration with the tax assessor.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02563

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