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Town hears statehouse update on several bills and adopts resolution supporting CRMC reform
Summary
State representative Jeff Taylor updated the council on multiple bills affecting New Shoreham, including tax classification, school bonds, water resources and landing fees; the council then adopted a resolution endorsing bills to reform the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC).
Jeff Taylor, the town's representative at the statehouse, briefed the New Shoreham Town Council Wednesday on several pieces of legislation the town is tracking and advocating for, and the council later approved a resolution formally supporting CRMC reform bills.
"I'm gonna start with the 2 bills... authorizing the town of New Shoreham to adopt a tax classification plan for occupied and owner-occupied properties," Taylor told the council, summarizing hearings and committee responses. He also reported progress on a bond authorization for school improvements (about $10.4 million), a water-resources management bill that the town is asking to be amended to remove Jamestown language, and a proposed increase in the town's landing fee.
Taylor said the school-improvement bond measure had advanced out of the House finance committee and the corresponding senate bill had passed the full Senate. He described the water-resources bill as having been combined with a Jamestown proposal in drafting and said New Shoreham has requested language that would remove Jamestown to avoid getting tied to litigation or political controversies in that town.
On landing fees, Taylor said both chambers reacted positively to New Shoreham's request for an increase and that the town had had good reception from committee chairs. He warned, however, that Narragansett introduced a companion increase the previous week, which could affect overall navigation fees if both towns' increases pass.
After the statehouse briefing, the council voted to adopt a resolution supporting HB5706 and SB0775, bills the town described as pursuing a reform of the Coastal Resources Management Council. The resolution, drafted for the council packet and posted with the meeting materials, was approved by voice vote; no roll-call tally appears in the transcript. Council members discussed ensuring the town's legislators and key sponsors receive the resolution.
Taylor also gave a general state budget update: revenue projections had improved since November, reducing an earlier $250 million projected deficit to about $170 million, though he noted uncertainty around proposed digital ad taxes and cigarette tax adjustments and any federal Medicaid changes that could affect the state.
Provenance: Jeff Taylor's report begins in the mid-meeting statehouse update and the town's resolution supporting CRMC reform appears later on the agenda where the council voted to adopt it.
