Salons Organizing to Fight Chafee Tax Plan

A grassroots campaign by salon owners is forming to oppose a proposed sales tax on salons and personal grooming establishment in Gov. Lincoln Chafee's budget plan unveiled last week.

About 25 people showed up at Kenneth Cote's Salon in East Greenwich for the first meeting of a new group opposed to a proposed sales tax on salons — the Rhode Island Salons United Against Taxing Services. They expect more than 200 people when it meets next at the  in Cranston on March 28.

Richard Bump, of Kenneth Cote and a member of the group’s board of directors,  gives credit for the start of the movement to Lyn Jennings, of  in Cranston. She was so upset by the tax proposal she set up a page on Facebook and quickly attracted several hundred friends, he said.

By Tuesday morning the group had printed a one-page handout outlining its objections to the tax, and set up a system to gather petition signatures online and in salons. By the next meeting, they intend to have plans in place for a statehouse rally in April and presentations at upcoming legislative hearings.

Bump said state Rep. Doreen Costa of North Kingstown, a member of the House Small Business Committee, attended the organizational meeting and is providing the group with information on the legislative process and dates of key hearings.

Jennings and Bump made their first foray into the public arena Tuesday with a call to the John DePetro talk show onWPRO. When a caller critical of the salon business sidetracked the discussion, Bump told DePetro, “We have to keep this focused on the Chafee budget proposal. He is not going to balance this on the backs of consumers and small businesses.” 

Local salon owner have been dealing with the bad economy as people cut back on discretionary spending and stretch their visits. They feel an added sales tax isn’t going to help. There are more than 100 salon businesses in Cranston that would be affected by the proposed tax.