2020 -- H 7847

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LC003897

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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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, Morin, and McLaughlin

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2020

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

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

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

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

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

rates; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lt. Governor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

of setting property values for the local city or town.

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

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

a chairperson.

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

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

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

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

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

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

suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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

General Assembly no later than January 7, 2021, and said commission shall expire on March 7,

2021.

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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

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

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

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

January 7, 2021, and whose life would expire on March 7, 2021.

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LC003897

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