The Special Legislative Commission to Study Housing Affordability, led by @junespeakman, will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 1 p.m.for presentations on cost-drivers of affordable housing and nonprofit affordable housing production.

The meeting will be televised by @RICapitolTV and will livestream at rilegislature.gov/CapTV/Pages/de…, where a recording will be available to view on demand.

The commission is scheduled for a presentation from @RIPEC_ Senior Policy Analyst Jeffrey S. Hamill on “Cost Drivers of Affordable Housing in Rhode Island,” and another from @NWBRV Executive Director Joe Garlick titled “Nonprofit Mission Driven Affordable Housing Production: Harmonizing Community Development, Cost & Rhode Islanders’ Housing Needs.”

More details: rilegislature.gov/pressrelease/_…

📬 RIPEC’s November newsletter is out! How Rhode Island’s taxing and spending compares, the latest on RI’s economic performance, and highlights from our 83rd Annual Meeting.

Read it here ⬇️
ripec.org/newsletter/nov…

Happening now: the Special Legislative Commission to Study and Provide Recommendations Relating to Shared Services between Rhode Island School Districts, led by @TerriCortvriend, is meeting.

The agenda is online: status.rilegislature.gov/documents/Shar…

The meeting is livestreaming at capitoltvri.cablecast.tv, where a recording will be available to view on demand.

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Monday, October 19, for RIPEC’s 83rd Annual Meeting.

📸 Photos from the evening: ripec.org/news/ripecs-20…

Rhode Island's labor force participation rate fell to 62.1% in Q3 2026, its ninth straight quarterly decline. Since Q2 2024, RI is down 2.6 points vs. 1.6 for New England and 1.0 for the US.

More in our KPI Briefing with @EdiTebaldi @BryantUniv : ripec.org/wp-content/upl…

RIPEC: R.I.’s jobless rate in the third quarter fell from 4.3% to 3.7% year over year, the lowest level since Q4 of 2023.

RIPEC: R.I.’s jobless rate lowest level since 2023 as labor force shrinks pbn.com/ripec-r-i-s-jo… via @ProvBusNews

RI consumer demand was strong in Q3: net sales tax receipts rose 3.3% over Q2 and 7.5% YoY. GDP returned to growth in Q2 (0.9% annualized), though it trailed New England (2.5%) and the US (2.2%).

More in our KPI Briefing with @EdiTebaldi @BryantUniv : ripec.org/wp-content/upl…

Our Q3 2026 KPI Briefing with @EdiTebaldi @BryantUniv is out. Key highlights: RI’s falling unemployment rate resulted from a shrinking labor force, even as in-state jobs held steady and consumer demand was strong.

Read it: ripec.org/wp-content/upl…

Speaker @CBlazejewski was a featured speaker at the @RIPEC_ annual dinner last week.

Multiple Representatives attended to see Jonathan Martin, Politics Bureau Chief and Senior Political Columnist at @politico, in conversation with Edward Fitzpatrick of @Globe_RI, share their al landscape heading into the upcoming midterm elections.

RIPEC is hiring! Learn more about how to apply ↓ ripec.org/news/ripec-hir…

It is still early--only 3 months into the fiscal year--but state revenues are running well above estimates--up 4.3% overall. Sales tax are up about 4% and business taxes are coming in much higher than estimated. Personal income taxes however are flat in relation to estimate.

How does RI's government spending compare to other states? Our new 50-state analysis finds that RI continues to stand out regionally and nationally in public safety (5th in the U.S., 1st in New England) and government administration (6th and 1st).

More: ripec.org/2026-how-ri-co…

Thank you for joining us, Speaker
@CBlazejewski.

Congratulations to James Erinakes II, Superintendent of Exeter-West Greenwich Regional Schools, for being awarded the Robert M. Goodrich Distinguished Public Service Award, which recognizes an exceptional local employee. youtu.be/u9LzSlzytJw

Thank you, @FitzProv for a terrific conversation at last night's annual meeting

Congratulations to @PaulDion5, Director of the Pandemic Recovery Office for the State of Rhode Island, for being recognized with the Gary S. Sasse Distinguished Public Service Award. youtu.be/TTFLcy_NXh0

RIPEC has long examined the taxes Rhode Islanders pay and how public dollars are spent. Too often, higher spending has not delivered better outcomes. There is value in knowing which investments work, which fall short and how RI compares to other states.youtube.com/watch?v=NTTXcp…

Rhode Island incomes aren't keeping pace. Per capita personal income grew 25% vs. 32% nationally in FY 2019–24, so taxes and spending take a bigger bite of incomes. RI's rank by income rose 2 spots in taxes (13th) and 6 in spending (18th).

More: ripec.org/2026-how-ri-co…

How do RI tax bills compare with other states? What a new report says providencejournal.com/story/news/pol…

How do RI tax bills compare with other states? What a new report says providencejournal.com/story/news/pol…