PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) – Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo is seeking to double the state’s tax on bottles and cans.
The Providence Journal reports the plan is receiving pushback from beverage lobbyists, who said during a hearing Tuesday customers will head to Massachusetts for cheaper drinks.
Raimondo is proposing raising the container charge, also known as the “litter tax,” from 4 cents to 8 cents per case.
The tax took in $2.6 million last year, and the Raimondo administration estimates the increase will generate an additional $2.1 million each year.
Alcohol wholesaler representative Elizabeth Suever says the tax will be passed on to consumers and put them at a disadvantage with Massachusetts.
Senators say the tax increases will appear relatively small to consumers.
