Allows the town of Tiverton to apply different tax rates to all classes of property.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would give the town of Tiverton, Rhode Island, the legal authority to charge different property tax rates depending on what type of property is being taxed. Under current law, there are limits on how municipalities can apply varying tax rates across different categories of property. This bill would create a special exception specifically for Tiverton, allowing the town more flexibility in how it structures its property taxes.

In practice, this means Tiverton could potentially charge one tax rate for residential homes, a different rate for commercial businesses, another for industrial properties, and so on. Many Rhode Island cities and towns already have this kind of flexibility, and this bill would extend that same authority to Tiverton. Local officials would decide how to set the actual rates — the bill simply grants them the option to differentiate.

The people most directly affected would be Tiverton property owners and businesses. Depending on how the town ultimately chooses to use this authority, some property owners could see their tax bills go up or down relative to others. For example, residential homeowners might pay a lower rate than commercial property owners, or vice versa — but that would be determined by local decisions, not by this bill itself.

The bill was recently introduced in the Rhode Island House and referred to the House Municipal Government & Housing Committee, which has recommended holding it for further study. That means it has not yet moved forward and lawmakers are still evaluating it.