As the international trade war heats up, one Rhode Island lawmaker is proposing the state invoke its royal charter in order to stave off rising import costs.
Rep. Joseph McNamara, a Warwick Democrat, sent a letter to Gov. Dan McKee Wednesday urging him to establish “free trade zones” under the powers granted to the governor by King Charles II in 1663. The document that established the colony of Rhode Island allowed free trade with colonies throughout the world.
“Our state has a long history of resisting unfair authoritative trade mandates and taxes,” McNamara wrote. “One only has to reflect back on our 252-year history to be reminded of the action that our early colonists took in 1772 when faced with an unlawful British vessel.”
He was referring to the HMS Gaspee, the British revenue schooner assigned to patrol Narragansett Bay that ran aground in Warwick and was plundered and burned by a group of colonists led by merchant John Brown.
McNamara suggests that the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation explore establishing trade agreements with international car manufacturers and creating a free trade zone within the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown, one of the top 10 automobile importers in the U.S.
Quonset imported 304,593 cars last year, up 27% from 239,761 in 2023, according to figures from the Quonset Development Corporation.
He pointed to the new air cargo terminal under construction at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport as an ideal location for duty-free imports and proposed that the Port of Providence be renamed the “Free Trade Port on the East Coast.”
McKee spokesperson Andrea Palagi acknowledged a request for comment, saying that a formal response would be sent from the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation.
The Commerce Corporation did not immediately respond to an inquiry.
This story was originally published by the Rhode Island Current.
