The governor of Rhode Island is defending a proposed luxury tax for pricey second homes that has been dubbed the “Taylor Swift tax.”
Gov. Gina Raimondo wants to raise nearly $12 million by implementing a statewide property tax on second homes worth more than $1 million.
It has been dubbed the “Taylor Swift tax” because the singer has a beachfront mansion in Westerly, Rhode Island.
Raimondo says the tax policies she proposed in her budget will create jobs. She is seeking to eliminate a $190 million deficit while implementing no new broad-based tax changes.
The Rhode Island Association of Realtors says the tax could discourage future buyers from purchasing vacation homes in Rhode Island.