"Providence Mayor David Cicilline is no longer going forward with a plan to tax students at the city's four private colleges." WPRI reports. "Instead, he is now proposing the schools themselves pay the fee. Cicilline, joined state Sen. Maryellen Goodwin and House Majority Leader Gordon Fox, introduced new legislation in his office Wednesday afternoon. He said the "Fair Share Assessment Fee" would enable Rhode Island cities and towns to assess to private colleges and universities a fee equivalent to $150 per student, per semester. The bill exempts Rhode Island residents from the fee. The bill, which replaces a proposal that would have charged the fee directly to students , is designed to offset the costs of providing police, fire, rescue, road maintence, parking enforcement, and other municipal services to students. "