Paul Bachman, director of research at the Beacon Hill Institute, the research arm of the Department of Economics at Suffolk University in Boston, is scheduled to testify before the legislative commission studying the Rhode Island sales tax when it meets next week.

The Special Joint Legislative Commission to Study the Sales Tax Repeal will meet at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21, in Room 313 of the State House. The hearing is open to the public and public testimony will be heard. The hearing will be broadcast live by Capitol TV (Channel 15 for Cox Communications and Full Channel, Channel 35 for Verizon).

Paul Bachman was a member of a panel of experts who helped to develop the RI-STAMP modeling program for the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity. He will explain how the program demonstrates the negative consequences of a general sales tax increase on state and municipal economies compared to the positive results of a sales tax cut.

The 13-member commission was created by legislation approved during the most recent legislative session to “make a comprehensive study of all aspects of the current system pertaining to sales tax, including, but not limited to, the possibility of repealing the sales tax.”

The commission is expected to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by February 6, 2014. Rep. Jan P. Malik (D-Dist. 67, Barrington, Warren) is the commission chair.