To the editor:

After reading about the new rental property tax, Town Ordinance Chapter 27, Section 27-15, I have to wonder what was involved throughout the process. How do town officials think this will solve anything?

The town will get more tax revenue, but who will ultimately pay? The tenants, of course, because the landlord will just raise their rental fees.
The council has a wait and see approach, as they always do. Students renting could care less, because it’s still cheaper renting than paying $17,000 a year for room and board.

Roger Williams University always cries poverty and claims their dorms are not operating at full capacity. That’s a management issue. A simple solution would be to require students from their junior year down to live on campus, like many universities do.

If that happened they could also eliminate student vehicles on campus. There is no reason for a vehicle, because students already have a shuttle that takes them anywhere they need to go in town. They can use RIPTA for any other travel. Anyone still needing a vehicle could pay a fee to the town for a permit to park.

With this new tax system I wonder what happened to the tax relief seniors were supposed to get? It was supposed to be a part or package, as stated at the council meeting almost a year ago.

Steve Skuba
32 Ridge Road