The electors of any city or town qualified to vote on any proposition to impose a tax or for the expenditure of money, when legally assembled, may levy a tax for the purposes authorized by law, on the ratable property of the city or town, either in a sum certain, or in a sum not less than a certain sum and not more than a certain sum. The tax shall be apportioned upon the assessed valuations pursuant to § 44-5-12 as determined by the assessors of the city or town as of December 31 in each year at 12:00 A.M. midnight, the date being known as the date of assessment of city or town valuations.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-5-1