Rhode Island § 23-19-26 - Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation

§ 23-19-26. Tax exemption.

(a) The exercise of the powers granted by this chapter will be in all respects for the benefit of the people of the state, for their well-being and prosperity and for the improvement of their social and economic conditions, and the corporation shall not be required to pay any tax or assessment on any property owned by the corporation under the provisions of this chapter or upon the income from that property; nor shall the corporation be required to pay any recording fee or transfer tax of any kind on account of instruments recorded by it or on its behalf; nor shall the corporation be required to pay gasoline and diesel engine fuel taxes for the fuel consumed by its vehicles and equipment and used exclusively in the performance of its on-site duties pursuant to this chapter. The corporation shall pay each municipality in which the corporation sites a facility, as a payment in lieu of taxes, a minimum fee of: (1) Two dollars ($2.00) per ton for each ton of acceptable waste processed at that facility during each operating year of that facility, or (2) five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) per operating year, whichever sum is greater. Each of the minimum sums shall escalate in accordance with the same escalation formula by which the operation and maintenance fee set forth in the service agreement covering the facility escalates; provided further, however, the corporation may direct payments in lieu of taxes to be paid to a city or town in which other properties or facilities are located. Nothing in this section shall preclude the corporation and a municipality within which a facility has been sited, from negotiating and entering into a host community agreement that provides for benefits to the municipality, either monetary or non-monetary, in addition to the payments in lieu of taxes set forth in this section.

(b) Any bonds, notes, or other obligations issued by the corporation under the provisions of this chapter, the transfer, and the income from the obligations (including any profits made by their sale ), shall at all times be free from taxation by the state or any political subdivision or other instrumentality of the state, excepting inheritance, estate, and gift taxes.