2015 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 44 - Taxation
Chapter 44-5 - Levy and Assessment of Local Taxes
Section 44-5-3 - Ratable property of a city or town – Definitions.

§ 44-5-3 Ratable property of a city or town – Definitions. – (a) The ratable property of the city or town consists of the ratable real estate and the ratable tangible personal property (which do not include manufacturer's manufacturing machinery and equipment of a manufacturer) and the ratable tangible personal property of manufacturers consisting of manufacturer's manufacturing machinery and equipment of a manufacturer.

(b)(1) For the purposes of this section and §§ 44-5-20, 44-5-22, 44-5-38, and § 9 of chapter 245, public laws of Rhode Island, 1966, "manufacturing" includes the handling and storage of manufacturer's inventories as defined in § 44-3-3(20)(ii).

(2) "Manufacturer's machinery and equipment" or "manufacturing machinery and equipment" is defined as:

(i) Machinery and equipment which is used exclusively in the actual manufacture or conversion of materials or goods in the process of manufacture by a manufacturer as defined in § 44-3-3(20) and machinery, fixtures, and equipment used exclusively by a manufacturer for research and development or for quality assurance of its manufactured products; and

(ii) Machinery and equipment which is partially used in the actual manufacture or conversion of raw materials or goods in the process of manufacture by a manufacturer as defined in § 44-3-3(20) and machinery, fixtures, and equipment used by a manufacturer for research and development or for quality assurance of its manufactured products, to the extent to which the machinery and equipment is used for the manufacturing processes, research, and development or quality assurance. In the instances where machinery and equipment is used in both manufacturing activities, the assessment on machinery and equipment is prorated by applying the percentage of usage of the equipment for manufacturing, research, and development and quality assurance activity to the value of the machinery and equipment for purposes of taxation, and the portion of the value used for manufacturing, research, and development and quality assurance is exempt from taxation. The burden of demonstrating this percentage usage of machinery and equipment for manufacturing and for research and development and/or quality assurance of its manufactured products rests with the manufacturer.

(3) This definition of "manufacturing" or "manufacturer's machinery and equipment" does not include:

(i) Motor vehicles required by law to be registered with the division of motor vehicles;

(ii) Store fixtures and other equipment situated in or upon a retail store or other similar selling place operated by a manufacturer, whether or not the retail establishment store or other similar selling place is located in the same building in which the manufacturer operates his or her manufacturing plant; and

(iii) Fixtures or other equipment situated in or upon premises used to conduct a business which is unrelated to the manufacture of finished products for trade and their sale by the manufacturer of the products, whether or not the premises where the unrelated business is conducted is in the same building in which the manufacturer has his or her manufacturing plant. The levy on tangible personal property of manufacturers consisting of manufacturer's manufacturing machinery and equipment of a manufacturer is at the rate provided in § 44-5-38.

History of Section.
(G.L. 1938, ch. 31, § 1; P.L. 1949, ch. 2330, § 2; G.L. 1956, § 44-6-3; P.L. 1960, ch. 52, § 28 (unconstit.); P.L. 1961, ch. 3, § 1; P.L. 1966, ch. 245, § 3; P.L. 1967, ch. 191, § 2; P.L. 1969, ch. 197, art. 7, § 12; P.L. 1982, ch. 199, § 2.)