RIGOP Chairman Allyn Meyers: Governor McKee Signs Largest Budget in Rhode Island History, Ignores Taxpayers

WARWICK, RI- Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Allyn Meyers today criticized Governor Daniel McKee for signing the state’s $15.2B 2027 budget, calling it a missed opportunity for meaningful tax relief and fiscal restraint amid ongoing struggles for Rhode Island families.

“Governor McKee had a clear choice: stand with taxpayers or grow government,” said Chairman Meyers. “He chose the latter. Signing the largest spending plan in state history while Rhode Islanders face skyrocketing housing costs, utility bills, groceries, and taxes is not a victory, it’s a failure of leadership.”

Meyers praised Republican legislators for consistently fighting for practical, taxpayer-first solutions throughout the budget process. “I commend Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz, House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale, and our Republican lawmakers who pushed common-sense reforms, including income tax relief, the full elimination of state taxes on Social Security benefits, relief from gas tax hikes, stronger spending controls, and expanded educational choice for families,” Meyers stated.

Meyers also welcomed the creation of an independent Inspector General, a long-sought Republican reform, while noting its limitations: “The Inspector General represents an important step toward greater accountability in state government, something Republicans have advocated for years,” Meyers said. “However, Rhode Islanders deserve to know that this office will lack oversight authority over the General Assembly. Real accountability must apply equally to every branch of government.”

Meyers accused the Governor and Democratic legislative leaders of failing to address the root causes of Rhode Island’s affordability crisis. “State leaders had a chance to rein in runaway spending and deliver structural tax relief, but instead they chose to lock in permanent government expansion,” he said. “Simply spending more, even with surplus revenue, does not solve the fundamental problem: government is growing faster than our economy and faster than taxpayers can sustain.”

Meyers also highlighted Republican opposition to efforts limiting educational opportunities. “Republicans stood with parents against attempts to restrict charter school growth and expand educational options,” Meyers added. “It is disappointing that Senate President Valarie Lawson, who also serves as president of the state’s largest teachers union, has led the charge to limit these opportunities for Rhode Island families.”

“Rhode Islanders deserve a government that rewards hard work, promotes economic growth, controls spending, and puts taxpayers first,” Meyers concluded. “This $15.2B budget moves us in the opposite direction.”