A majority of City Councilors today called for a Special Meeting of the Providence City Council to be held on Monday, May 22nd at 5:00 PM in the City Council Chamber. The purpose of the meeting is to change the City Council Rules to allow for the removal of the Council President. If adopted, the new rule will read as follows:
“At any time during the term of the duly elected Providence City Council, the Providence City Council by two-thirds of all the members of the City Council may vote to permanently remove the individual who is currently serving as President of the City Council.”
Additionally, the meeting will declare a vacancy of the Ward 3 Council seat so that a date can be set for a Ward 3 special election.
Councilman Luis Aponte (Ward 10) today resigned as President of the Providence City Council and issued the following statement:
“After much deliberation, I have determined that it is in the best interest of my constituents, colleagues, and city to formally submit my resignation as Providence City Council President.
Serving the people of Providence is one of the greatest honors of my lifetime, and I remain committed to representing my constituents in my capacity as Councilman. While it has been a privilege to serve my colleagues as Council President, I believe this is the appropriate time to step down from my leadership position and focus on the best opportunities to serve the needs of my community.
I understand that some of my Council colleagues wish to amend the Council Rules to allow for the removal of a Council President at any time. I urge my colleagues to take a more measured approach, and refrain from rushing into a reactive rules change that undermines our democratic principles.
In recent weeks, I have been fortunate to receive an outpouring of support from my constituents. At this time, I’d like to offer my deepest gratitude for all their well-wishes and support throughout this process.”
The Providence City Council will tonight consider first passage of an ordinance that establishes a permanent Equal Pay Task Force to promote equal pay for equal work in the City of Providence. The seven-member panel would study best practices from other municipalities, collect and analyze data from City departments and contractors, and advise the City Council and Mayor on policy and legislation recommendations that address wage disparities.
“As elected officials, we must ensure that the City of Providence and its vendors are treating employees equally and compensating them fairly,” said Councilman David Salvatore (Ward 14), who introduced and sponsored the ordinance. “The wage gap in America is unacceptable, and government at every level must be proactive and intentional in promoting equal pay for equal work.”
According to the Economic Policy Institute’s State of Working America Data Library, women who worked full-time and year-round in 2016 earned 20% less than their male counterparts. Salvatore is hopeful that Providence will become a leader in closing that gap: “The City of Providence should model the highest standards of wage equality. The Equal Pay Task Force will study what’s working in other cities across the country and guide us toward best practices.”
The ordinance requires a seven-member task force comprised of the Chair and Vice Chair of the Providence Human Relations Commission, an attorney from the City Solicitor’s office, two members appointed by the City Council, and two members appointed by the Mayor. The panel would be required to annually submit a report of its activities, findings, and recommendations to the Providence Human Relations Commission, City Council, and Mayor. The first report would be due by December 31, 2017.
The ordinance has been vetted by the Council’s Ordinance Committee and will appear before the full City Council at tonight’s meeting. All city ordinances require two passages from the City Council prior to becoming law.
12 City Councilors tonight approved a vote of no confidence in the Providence City Council President Luis Aponte and requested his resignation as City Council President. Tonight’s special meeting was called by Councilors Matos, Principe, Correia, Ryan, Hassett, Harris, and Igliozzi. They were joined by Councilors Narducci, Jennings, Yurdin, Zurier and Salvatore in voting to approve the measure. Council President Aponte and Councilwoman Castillo were also present; they voted against and abstained, respectively.
The Providence City Council Committee on Finance tonight approved a tax stabilization agreement with Vision Development Inc. that brings a $56 million new construction project to downtown Providence. The Canal Street Project marks the city’s first concrete and steel commercial development in years and is expected to generate at least 100 construction jobs and 30 permanent jobs. The site is located at 169 Canal Street, which is currently a surface parking lot that generates minimal tax revenue.
Once completed, the Canal Street property will include 180-190 units, with a mix of residential and commercial spaces. The project is expected to be shovel-ready with cranes in the sky this summer.
According to a representative for the developer, the developer intends to use a tower crane for construction, noting that “Providence deserves to see a tower crane project” in the sky. He described the project as a “true urban living experience” that will attract millennials and professionals to Providence’s downtown core.
“This is an exciting time to be working and living in Providence,” said Finance Committee Chairman John Igliozzi. “The Canal Street Project is another positive sign that the City of Providence is moving in the right direction, and this is exactly the kind of project the City is craving. We’ve attracted an out-of-state developer to invest in our city, which tells us that the business and banking industries have faith and trust in the City of Providence.”
As part of the tax stabilization agreement, the developer will be required to pursue contracts with women and minority-owned businesses and hire apprentices for construction, and purchase construction materials from Providence vendors.
