The Providence Police Department has announced that they have arrested a serial vandal who has defaced multiple pieces of public property in the Manton area of Providence. I would like to extend my thanks and congratulations to Captain Fernandes for a job well done, and for his outstanding work in making this arrest. Jesus Ruiz has been arrested on eight misdemeanor counts for graffiti (some of his graffiti can be seen below).
Vandalism will not be tolerated in Ward Six, or anywhere in Providence. I am a fan of “Street Art” when it has been commissioned or the artist has received permission to create art on a specific site. But, there is a difference between that work and vandalism, and we must remember that.
Michael Correia, President Pro Tempore
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 6
President Trump is at it again! He has called on cities across the nation to deal with homelessness, yet in his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2021 he is level funding homelessness grants. He is also proposing to slash the budget of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by 15 percent. If we are serious about solving our nation-wide housing crisis, providing for our veterans and seniors, and helping the homeless a top down approach is imperative. This proposed budget does not do any of those things, and that is shameful.
Federal tax dollars need to be allocated to help city’s like Providence address the pressing issues we face like homelessness, protecting our seniors, providing for our veterans, and creating safe infrastructure for our community. In short, these funds are not entitlements or handouts, but they are desperately needed to create a safer and more equitable country.
Since the creation of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program under the auspices of HUD in 1974, Providence has been able to assist some of our most vulnerable community members. We have been able to create safety infrastructure around our schools and support organizations, like Sojourner House, which supports and advocates for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.
Providence has allocated monies to AIDS Project Rhode Island that serves and advocates for those who are dealing with the myriad of issues that come with an HIV diagnosis – like access to treatment, fair housing, and prevention programs. CDBG Funds have been used to help provide families who have limited incomes make emergency repairs to their homes that they could otherwise not afford. These funds have helped organizations like the Smith Hill CDC take blighted properties and transform them into affordable housing units.
It is unconscionable that the President would propose these cuts without providing a road map of how the federal government is going to assist our most vulnerable residents. I urge Congress to take the lead where the President has failed us. Invest in the future of our country by investing in our most vulnerable residents.
David A. Salvatore
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 14
I share the Mayor’s sentiments that we are a City in transition, yet remain committed to cultivating a Providence that works for all residents both new and old. One cannot argue that Providence is changing. As the mayor proudly pointed out: development in downtown is rampant, city services are now more accessible for residents, and with support from the City Council, we have made a major financial commitment to invest in our communities and to tackle the challenges of climate change.
While the progress the city has made over the last two terms is noteworthy, we have yet to turn the page on our most stubbornly daunting issues. Our education system is the subject of national scrutiny, our unfunded pension liability looms like an incoming storm, and displacement is uprooting generations of families that know no other home but Providence.
As leaders, we have no other choice but to meet the demands of our great city and be optimistic. With hard work and open minds, we can further transform this city to meet the needs of its most marginalized residents. However, before we hastily declare a new era of prosperity, it is imperative that we not turn a blind eye to those who are most at-risk of being left behind.
Sabina Matos, President
Providence City Council
Councilwoman – Ward 15
Councilors Helen Anthony, Nirva LaFortune, Pedro Espinal, Kat Kerwin,and Rachel Miller Endorse ECRI’s Climate Crisis Plan
City Councilors Helen Anthony (Ward 2), Nirva LaFortune (Ward 3), Pedro Espinal (Ward 10), Kat Kerwin (Ward 12), Rachel Miller (Ward 13) introduced a resolution endorsing the Environmental Council of Rhode Island’s Climate Crisis Campaign at last night’s Council Meeting which was passed by the City Council.
“Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. We as a country, state and city need to take immediate action to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions; create a just and equitable transition to a sustainable economy and invest in adaptation and resilience to protect the people and places we love.”, stated Councilwoman Helen Anthony. “Continued increases in global termperatures will hit RI particularly hard as our temperatures have risen faster than in any other state, We can’t wait to take action.”
Rhode Island faces many challenges due to changing climate including increased storm intensity, flooding, heat waves, insect-born diseases, crop and fishery failures, accelerating coastal erosion, and a sea-level rise of up to 11.5 feet during this century. In January, there were several 65 degree days – in a month where you would expect to see snow and freezing temperatures.
Councilman Pedro Espinal stated, “The climate crisis is occurring here in Providence and much of that is due to pollution from industry. In South Providence, the neighborhood I represent, we have some of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the city, we have the highest rate in the city and state and have the ninth highest in the nation, which can be life-threatening and costly. The climate crisis is not just about warmer winters, longer summers, it’s about our well-being. I am proud to stand with my colleagues in support of this important mission.”
Rhode Island has experienced the fastest temperature rise of any state in the continental United States. The state and its municipalities must take immediate action to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by phasing out fossil fuels, create a just and equitable transition to a stable environmentally-focused economy, and invest in mechanisms to adapt and remain resilient to protect the people that call Rhode Island home.
“I have been working on and in support of the ‘Green-New Deal’ here in Providence,” stated Councilor Rachel M. Miller. “Not because it’s fashionable, but because it is the right thing to do. We are being left behind at the federal level by a President who does not believe in a changing climate, who pulled our Country out of the Paris Climate Accord, and who continually works to promote a culture that embraces coal and fracking. These policies are not only harmful to the environment, but they will in fact harm all of us.”
The Environmental Council of Rhode Island’s Climate Crisis Campaign is working to elevate climate issues and the need for policy solutions within the state and at the local level. ECRI is working on updating the Resilient Rhode Island Act and the Energy Facilities Siting Act, helping the State acheive its renewable energy goals and opposing attempts to allow dirty pyrolysis (gasification) electricity generation.
Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune shared, “It is all of our responsibility in creating a climate-resistant city that supports solutions that promote cleaner air, sustainable communities and access to unpolluted safe resources. Any action undertaken by our state has to be done with an eye on safety, health, and our economic well-being. We must also remember when we often talk about the climate crisis we forget those that are most vulnerable and we must create inclusive approaches that consider the voices of all our residents. We must ensure that we leave no one behind in this important work, because it requires all hands on deck.”
“I became a City Councilor and campaigned on fighting for the residents of my neighborhood, and I can’t think of a more worthy fight than this,” stated Councilwoman Kat Kerwin. “I use my role to lift the voices of my generation who are often not given a seat at the table when it comes to issues like this, yet it is my generation and the ones after that will be dealing with the ramifications of our climate crisis. If we don’t act now, then when?”
For more information on the Environmental Council of Rhode Island’s Climate Crisis Campaign, visit them on the web here: ECRI.
Councilman David A. Salvatore (Ward 14) introduced a resolution tonight’s City Council meeting that would allocate 50 percent of all retained real estate conveyance taxes to the Providence Affordable Housing Trust Fund and was passed by the Council.
“The City realizes nearly $2 Million in revenue from the state’s real estate conveyance tax every year and has not used any of those funds to help solve our housing crisis,” stated Councilman David A. Salvatore. “Providence is on the edge of falling deeper into a housing crisis which we may never be able recover from – unless we act now.
The 2019 Housing Fact Book, produced by HousingWorksRI, shares startling statistics on what it truly costs to live in the City of Providence. Salvatore noted that households making less than $100,000 a year cannot afford to buy a home in Providence’s East Side neighborhoods, limiting which communities families can reside in. The Fact Book also provides detailed information about housing affordability in other neighborhoods of Providence, revealing that households need more than $60,000 annually to afford a home in the capital city.
“These numbers are even more frightening when you realize that the median household income in Providence is around $40,000 a year. It’s time that we put our money where our mouth is,” said Councilman Salvatore.
For every $500 of value on real estate sold within the state of Rhode Island, a $2.30 conveyance tax is imposed upon the seller, of which $1.10 is retained by the municipality in which the property was sold. For example, if a home is valued at $100,000, the municipality collects $460 in conveyance tax, and would retain $220. Councilman Salvatore is proposing that Mayor Elorza allocate 50 percent of the City’s portion of the conveyance tax to the Providence Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
The Providence Affordable Housing Trust Fund provides funding for the construction, development or financing of affordable housing for families earning less than 120% of the area median income. At the request of Councilman Salvatore, the City’s Internal Auditor communicated to the City Council that during the fiscal years 2010-2019 Providence has retained over $16 Million through the state’s real estate conveyance tax.
Councilman Salvatore continued, “This is not rocket science – we have an affordable housing crisis in the City of Providence – but those of us in power just talk about it. We need to actually do something about it. My proposal is an actionable item that we can take as a City to help our neighbors and prospective residents. Affordable housing is a human right and it’s an integral part in ensuring safe, resilient, healthy, and dynamic neighborhoods.”
Salvatore will continue fighting for ways to invest in affordable housing and is preparing legislation that will codify this resolution into law, ensuring that there is another guaranteed dedicated funding source for the Providence Affordable Housing Trust.
To learn more about the HousingWorksRI Fact Book: READ MORE
