"Did you know that businesses across our state are required to pay a so-called litter tax? Here’s the kicker – the fees collected from this tax don’t even go towards cleaning up litter, and paying this tax is a big nuisance for small businesses. We need to improve our small business climate by doing away with fees like this. Let’s not only eliminate this tax, but let's also fund an initiative to tackle the litter on our streets, beaches and recreational areas.
In place of the litter tax, we’re going to create a dedicated line item in the budget to Keep Rhody Litter Free – this is a priority for our First Lady Susan McKee, and I encourage Rhode Islanders to join our effort to get rid of litter by visiting: LitterFree.RI.gov and take the pledge."
Governor Daniel J. McKee. 2023 State of the State Address (January 17, 2023)