When we moved to Rhode Island our property taxes were were around $2,300. When we finally sold our house our property taxes were just south of $9,000.
Add to that equation the income tax's which went up during the 21-years we lived there. When we moved in, 1996 income tax was 4.99% - Now 6.99%. Sales tax went up to 7% on consumer goods and 8% for meals during this twenty-one years too.
There are a whole host of other small town taxes that I do not have in PA, e.g. car tax, trash tax, fire department tax, etc., etc., etc., the list of taxes goes on and on.
Rhode Island was a very friendly 2A state when we moved in. Well over the years with folks retiring to the state from NJ, NY, and CT every year, we had to fight the slow slide of the anti-gun left every year.
The last straw was the crime rate. Starting around 2007 the crime rate started to rise year over year. Mostly petty crime however violent crime rose too. I was the Chairman of the towns Coastal Commission so I had access to arrest statistics. Most of the criminals caught ended up being illegal aliens. Go figure
So MrsMac and I left the state a truly beautiful state we loved living in.
I know Chris you are looking to leave RI as are many other folks, pillars of the community. Guess what will be left?