BREAKING: R.I. House, Senate leaders agree to end budget stalemate

By: News Staff

Email: news@abc6.com

Twitter: @ABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — After weeks of a stalemate between House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and Senate President Dominick Ruggierio, the state budget can finally move forward.

After a series of "productive" discussions last week, a press release announced an agreement.

"Both leaders plan to present stand-alone legislation to their respective chambers that will address concerns related to the sustainability of the car tax phase-out," the statement read. "The legislation will mandate that the director of revenue file annual reports with both the Senate and the House and provide recommendations regarding motor vehicle phase-out. The first report is due January, 1 2021."

The Senate will reconvene Thursday to pass the budget that was passed by the House on June 30.

The House and Senate will meet again Sept. 19 to take up other pieces of legislation that were not addressed before the end of the fiscal year 2017.

"The concerns of the budget impasse expressed by city and town leaders have not been lost on me, but I needed to balance those concerns with the feasibility of the car tax phase-out, particularly in the out years," Ruggiero said. "I’m pleased the Speaker recognized the concerns of the feasibility of the car tax phase-out that I share with my colleagues in the out years. This compromise allows the budget process to move forward, and I appreciate the Speaker’s willingness to work through our differences."

"The car tax phase-out remains in the budget and the relief Rhode Islanders desire from this punitive tax will be implemented as I promised. We also recognize the Senate’s concerns related to the car tax phase-out from a long-term perspective, and I think it makes sense for the Director of Revenue to commission an annual study on how this program and other programs are working in conjunction with projected revenue," Mattiello said.

Details regarding which bills will be addressed in September are still being worked out between the House and the Senate.

A spokesperson for Governor Raimondo issued the following statement on the matter:

"Governor Raimondo is pleased the legislature is on course to resolve the budget impasse and will sign the budget as soon as it reaches her desk."

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