Rhode Island General Laws Title 24. Highways § 24-5-3. Annual town appropriation

Each town, at some regularly called meeting of the electors thereof who are entitled to vote upon any proposition to impose a tax, shall annually appropriate such sum of money as the electors shall deem necessary for the maintenance and repair of its highways and bridges, and the sum so appropriated shall be included in the sum to be raised by the annual tax levied and assessed by the town for town purposes. In case any town shall fail to make an appropriation, the town council thereof shall make such expenditure upon the highways and bridges of the town as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of § 24-5-1.