McKee Proposes $14.2B Rhode Island State Budget for 2025-26

An ongoing gap between expenditures and revenue spells more red ink

Office of Management and Budget Director Brian Daniels talks about the budget as state Administration Director Jonathan Womer listens.
Office of Management and Budget Director Brian Daniels talks about the budget as state Administration Director Jonathan Womer listens.
Ian Donnis / The Public’s Radio
Share
Office of Management and Budget Director Brian Daniels talks about the budget as state Administration Director Jonathan Womer listens.
Office of Management and Budget Director Brian Daniels talks about the budget as state Administration Director Jonathan Womer listens.
Ian Donnis / The Public’s Radio
McKee Proposes $14.2B Rhode Island State Budget for 2025-26
Copy

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee’s latest $14.2 billion budget proposal adds about a quarter-billion dollars from the current spending plan, reflecting the challenge of fueling the government in a state where expenditures continue to outpace revenue.

McKee said his budget, which he unveiled Thursday, would close an approximately $250 million deficit without any broad-based tax increases.“It will not just protect Rhode Island’s progress, it will protect the taxpayers of our state,” McKee said.

The proposal banks on $10 million in revenue from the eventual restart of the RhodeWorks truck-tolling program, following a recent court decision, and predicts that amount will grow to $40 million in fiscal 2026-27.

The spending plan includes investments meant to spark economic growth, increases in education aid, and a proposed ban on new sales of semiautomatic rifles sometimes called assault weapons.

This story was reported by The Public’s Radio. You can read the entire story here.

The Providence-based nonprofit and three other arts organizations won a lawsuit, with the help of the local ACLU, against the Trump administration’s campaign targeting ‘gender ideology’
Executive Director Beth Lamarre shares how NAMI RI educates communities, reduces stigma, and prepares for the October 11 NAMIWalks event at Roger Williams Park
Other states created new oversight systems. In Rhode Island, officers still dominate misconduct hearings — and promised transparency measures remain unfunded
The libraries offer a slew of free programming every week for kids and adults at their nine locations around the city. We highlight a few of these events in this monthly segment – from a haunted house to a book club highlighting African American authors
Search for new cinema chain comes as mall is about to hit the sale market
The longtime North Kingstown lawmaker and House Judiciary chair enters a Democratic primary already featuring state Rep. Jason Knight and former AG policy director Keith Hoffmann, with others eyeing a run to succeed term-limited Peter Neronha