My name is Laurie White. I am president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. On behalf of the Chamber, I would like to go on record in opposition to legislation to tax college students in Rhode Island.

 

The proposed legislation represents a major departure from the longstanding recognition of the nonprofit tax status of our nation’s educational, health care and religious institutions… institutions devoted to educating people, taking care of the sick , worshipping God and ministering to the poor.

 

This is a very slippery slope.  What we are talking about today --- the practice of taxing college students --- is not in place anywhere in the country.  Rhode Island would be the only state to do so.

 

Obviously … a very bad idea.

 

This proposal runs counter to the federal directive of keeping higher education affordable for everyone.

 

In addition, a tax on higher education works against efforts to create a common vision around a knowledge-based economy --- one that leverages the for-profit and non-profit communities in creating jobs and economic opportunity.

We would urge you to vote “no” on this unprecedented and shortsighted proposal