Proposed State Budget Slashes Beach Parking Fees

RHODE ISLAND—A trip to the beach could cost half as much this summer in Rhode Island.

As lawmakers huddled in State House rooms late Tuesday adding the last bit of seasoning to the proposed Fiscal 2017 state budget before an anticipated final vote, some details began to emerge about the $8.9 billion spending plan.

Among them is a dramatic cut in beach fees. The budget calls for slashing seasonal pass prices in half. Currently a pass is $60 for Rhode Islanders and $120 for nonresidents.

Day passes at state beaches will be reduced in price to from $10 to $6 on weekdays and $14 to $7 on weekends for residents and nonresidents respectively.

The proposed price cuts are intended to entice more tourism activity at state-owned beaches and give a break to Rhode Islanders, who saw prices jump dramatically in 2011 after the state signed a contract with the private vendor ProPark.

The reduced fees would go into effect July 1—the same day the next budget goes into effect.

There are eight state beaches in Rhode Island: Scarborough North and South, Roger W. Wheeler and Salty Brine State Beaches in Narragansett; Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly, Charlestown Breachway and East Beach in Charlestown and East Matunuck State Beach in South Kingstown.

Other details in the budget include a new fee for individual marijuana plants grown by medical marijuana caregivers, a $50 reduction in the minimum corporate tax to $400, tax cuts for pensions and 401k income and no increase for the state income tax.