Don't Mess With Taxes

Sorry for giving every student and their parents a heart attack. The tax I'm talking about is specific to kids enrolled at some Rhode Island schools.

Providence, R.I., Mayor David Cicilline wants the state to allow cities to assess private colleges $150 per student. Under the mayor's proposal, colleges would have to decide whether to pay the fee or pass it on to students.

This version is a revision of Cicilline's original suggestion. His first draft called for Rhode Island cities to directly levy a $150-per-semester tax on full-time students at private colleges.

The Providence Journal notes that the reason for Cicilline's targeting of college kids is that his city faces a $50 million deficit for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

In addition to the "student impact fee," Cicilline also wants to collect taxes from certain nonprofit institutions, such as hospitals.

The new taxes must be approved by state lawmakers. A state Representative and Senator have agreed to sponsor the measures.

In Providence alone, four private schools -- Brown University, Johnson & Wales University, Providence College and the Rhode Island School of Design -- and five private hospitals would be taxed if the proposals become law.