Council amends state tax‑classification request to give Warwick more local flexibility, approves measure

The Warwick City Council voted to approve an amended resolution asking the Rhode Island General Assembly to modify the state tax‑classification statute so the city can exercise more local flexibility in setting class tax rates.

Neil Dupuy, director of assessing, told the council the measure is intended to prevent an unintended shift in tax burden after revaluation. “Nothing that we're proposing here tonight is trying to increase the taxes on any commercial property owner,” Dupuy said, explaining that revaluations can change the balance of revenue between the residential and commercial tax classes if the statutory ratio is too rigid.

The council considered and adopted an amendment that removes a prescriptive statutory ratio (a clause that would have required class 1 residential rates to be at least 57% of class 2 commercial rates) and struck proposed new, specific language that would have embedded detailed formulae in state law. The amendment leaves the council responsible for approving tax rates each year through the same process used for the city budget and allows the city to place more detailed guardrails in local ordinance instead of relying on state statute.

Dupuy said the city’s current commercial share of the net levy is about 32% and that the proposed change aims to preserve the relative revenue share between classes in the face of market shifts. Council members said the amendment was intended to let Warwick respond to local market conditions without repeatedly seeking piecemeal statutory changes from the General Assembly.

Members of the public asked for clarity about the scope and effect of the change. Anne Sheridan asked whether the proposal covered condominiums and whether changes would be triggered only at revaluation; Dupuy clarified that class definitions are state law and that the intent was to stabilize revenue by class, not to impose new individual tax bills by administrative fiat. Michelle Kumar and other residents urged clear guardrails and transparency so residents understand when and how rates might change.

Councilman Kevin Napa moved the amendment to delete the 57% prescriptive language and the additional proposed state text; the motion to approve the resolution as amended was seconded and passed on roll call. The clerk recorded an affirmative vote by the full council (8 yes), approving the amended request for state action.

The administration and assessing department will work on any accompanying local ordinance language and provide data during budget hearings so the council can consider the rates and revenue implications as part of its annual budget process.