by Abigail Appel | Apr 6, 2021 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1
This weekend, the building that was the former home to Fox Point’s beloved Duck & Bunny was demolished. Unfortunately, the demolition date was not communicated to our community nor to me as the Councilperson, which is unfortunately not required by ordinance.
I have been in touch with the City departments that oversee these permits, and the permit for demolition was issued on March 15. Again, while notifying abutters is not legally required, not letting the neighbors know prior to the contractor’s work creates challenges for the neighborhood. We have expressed our disappointment regarding the lack of communication, particularly due to the adverse impact this has had on our constituents as well as the way this demolition impacts the historic vibrancy and fabric of our neighborhood.
The long-time owners indicated that they had hoped to rehab the property, but the building was in such poor shape it was preferable and more cost-effective to demolish and rebuild than to repair.
The owners went through a staff review process prior to permit approvals, and the new building will be of a similar scale and size. I will be reaching out to the owners to have a discussion about their plans. There are no current permits for the new building structure. Once I speak to the owners about future plans, I will share what I can at that time.
John Goncalves
Councilman, Ward 1
Providence City Council
by Abigail Appel | Apr 1, 2021 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5, Ward-7
Included in the FY ’21 Budget is Direct Funding for a Crisis Diversion Program
Tonight, the City Council’s Committee on Finance approved the City’s $510 Million Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget which will now go to the full Council for vote and passage. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the budget’s spending portion was delayed due to uncertainties around funding from the state and the federal government. The City Council already passed the tax levy in July without an increase in property taxes.
“After nine hours of public testimony, I want the residents of Providence to know that we heard them. We listened to their call for a dedicated crisis intervention team. We ensured that we allocated more funding to Family Services of Rhode Island to increase their ability to provide crisis intervention services when police response is not required. We also ensured that we provided relief to our residents by passing the tax levy with no increase. Yet, when we received the Mayor’s budget in the early part of 2020, we could have never predicted what we were facing as we saw how much our City was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to acknowledge that without the COVID Relief Package the City would have had a multi-million-dollar deficit. Yet, the City Council’s finance team and the Administration’s finance team worked tirelessly to make sure that the focus remained on the residents and our businesses and that we would be able to pass a responsible and fiscally prudent budget. There is still more work to do as we look to the FY 2022 budget, and I look forward to continuing advocating for the residents of Providence,” stated Chairman of the Committee on Finance and City Council Majority Whip John J. Igliozzi, Esq.
The FY 2021 budget will provide the actuarially required contribution to the City’s pension fund; it will include funding for quality of life services and ensure that the City meets all its financial obligations and maintains its bond ratings.
Vice-Chairwoman of the Committee on Finance and Council Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) stated, “The City Council Leadership team has worked very hard to mitigate the adverse effects of the lost revenues due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. These are challenging times for every municipality across the country, and we have been grappling with a year-long pandemic and civil unrest, and financial uncertainty. Yet, we must keep the City running and our essential services operational and be good stewards of our precious tax dollars. Further, I am proud that we could allocate additional funding for our Family Service “Go Teams,” which will take some of the police department’s burden when an armed response is not warranted. I want to thank the hardworking members of the Council’s Committee on Finance and the Council’s finance team for helping craft a fiscally responsible budget that ensures the City is meeting its financial obligations and provides for services that are important to a vibrant and culturally diverse city like Providence.”
Budget Initiatives Include:
- No Tax Increase.
- Homestead Exemption remained the same – 40% or $14.74/$1,000.00 of assessed value.
- Non-Homestead Tax Rate remained the same – $24.56/$1,000.00 of assessed value.
- Commercial Tax Rate remained the same.
- Funding for the Providence School Department is funded as proposed by Mayor Jorge O. Elorza at $130 Million.
- Funds Family Services of Rhode Island for the “Go Team” Diversionary Program.
- Creates a grant-funded department to support the American Recovery Act – COVID-19 Stimulus Package of $130 Million.
- Per the Mayor’s request the budget funds:
- The Providence Police Department contractual increases of $2.78 Million – including a 4.5% wage increase.
- Gives non-union and union employees a 2% wage increase.
- Providence Fire Department Received a 2.75% wage increase.
- Ensures that the City will make 100% of its obligated pension payment of $73,494,647.00.
- The City’s “Rainy Day” Fund is increased by $100,000.00 to $15 Million.
To view all budget documents, please visit: https://bit.ly/PVD2021-Budget.
by Abigail Appel | Mar 29, 2021 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-3
The Councilwoman Urges Residents to Respond and Share Survey through Social Media with Friends and Family
Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune (Ward 3) today has launched a survey requesting input from Providence residents on the use of $130 million in federal stimulus funds expected to be delivered to the City. The survey, created in both English and Spanish, can be found below.
“I have heard a lot of recommendations as to how Providence should spend these federal stimulus funds. This is an enormous amount of money and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the people of Providence. I believe residents of Providence should have clear and strong input as to how this money gets spent,” said Councilwoman LaFortune. “The key to getting answers from our city’s residents is simple: just take the time to ask them and listen to what they say. I hope residents from across the city will fill out this survey and make their voices heard.”
The survey contains eight questions and should take less than five minutes to fill out. It seeks responses in multiple areas and asks people what is most important and perhaps not so important to them. The survey also provides a place for residents to indicate their own ideas on spending the funds. The Councilwoman asked that residents fill out the survey by April 15, 2021.
“People across Providence have suffered in different ways for different reasons during this pandemic. The loss of a job, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a once-vibrant business, the inability to access food, or the challenge of dealing with mental health issues, evictions, or at-home schooling have all weighed heavily on the people in our city. Now, our city is presented with an opportunity to begin to recover. The important thing to prioritize is a recovery that benefits the people of Providence.
“I urge residents to complete the survey and to share it with friends and family. The more input we receive, the more representative our decisions will be,” Councilwoman LaFortune concluded.
Links to the survey are below:
English version: https://forms.gle/S43k3qMBuVgtbAR87
Spanish version: https://forms.gle/tRgC4z1RVTdFaCaK9
by Abigail Appel | Mar 18, 2021 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-10, Ward-13, Ward-2, Ward-3, Ward-4, Ward-6, Ward-7, Ward-8, Ward-9
At tonight’s City Council meeting, Councilman John Goncalves (Ward 1) proposed a resolution supporting Rhode Island House Bills 2021 H-5674, H-6074, H-5595, and Senate Bills 2021 S-0219, S-0468, and S-0540, known collectively as the Rescue Rhode Island Act. This resolution was co-sponsored by Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. (Ward 4), Councilwoman Helen Anthony (Ward 2), Councilman Pedro Espinal (Ward 10), Councilman Michael Correia (Ward 6), Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune (Ward 3), Councilor Rachel Miller (Ward 13), Councilman John J. Igliozzi Esq., Councilwoman Carmen Castillo (Ward 9), and Councilman James Taylor (Ward 8).
“We urge our elected representatives in the Rhode Island General Assembly and Senate to support and pass the Rescue Rhode Island Act. This initiative takes bold action to address a myriad of issues facing our State, from housing insecurity to sustainable food systems and climate justice. ” stated Councilman John Goncalves.
The Rescue, Rhode Island Act focuses on three main areas of concern. The first concern is the expansion of green and affordable housing construction. The Rescue, Rhode Island Act would allocate funding towards the construction of high quality, energy-efficient, affordable housing through the Housing Jobs Construction Program, which would also provide job training programs in energy-efficient construction and solar panel installation.
The second focus is the support of locally sourced food production. The legislation would assist in developing a reliable food production system in the State of Rhode Island.
“The Rescue Rhode Island Act takes progressive steps to move Rhode Island into a new era of green jobs, sustainable, affordable living, and a return to embracing local food systems. We have the technology, and we have the ability to make our State’s practices more environmentally friendly, so it is time for us to take the necessary steps in government to allow these exciting changes to happen,” added Councilman Goncalves.
Finally, the Rescue Rhode Island Act’s third focus is the creation of Green Justice Zones in Washington Park and the South Side of Providence. These Green Justice Zones would receive funding for projects such as the replacement of lead pipes. Within Green Justice Zones, polluting facilities would be more strictly regulated, and new polluting facilities would not be allowed to move into the area. Washington Park and the South Side of Providence are regions of the City that have been significantly impacted by air, water, and soil pollution. The outcomes of this pollution include disproportionate rates of childhood asthma and increased risks of environmental hazards.
“Changes must be made to protect the residents and the Washington Park and South Side neighborhoods’ ecosystem. The ongoing pollution only deepens the inequities in health and economic outcomes in the City of Providence. It is time that we put Rhode Islanders first and make meaningful change to improve the future of our State, but also to improve the everyday lives of those residing in areas that are prone to excessive, harmful pollution,” added Councilman Pedro Espinal.
The resolution has been sent to the Special Committee on State and Legislative Affairs.
by Abigail Appel | Mar 18, 2021 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-14, Ward-15, Ward-2, Ward-3, Ward-4, Ward-5, Ward-6, Ward-7, Ward-8, Ward-9
At tonight’s City Council Meeting, Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) proposed a resolution urging Mayor Jorge Elorza to decisively enforce the multiple laws that the Providence City Council has enacted to mitigate the dangers and nuisance of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in the City of Providence. This resolution was passed and co-sponsored by Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15), Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. (Ward 4), Councilman John Goncalves (Ward 1), Councilman Michael Correia (Ward 6), Councilwoman Helen Anthony (Ward 2), Councilman John J. Igliozzi Esq. (Ward 7), Councilor David Salvatore (Ward 14), Councilman James Taylor (Ward 8), Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune (Ward 3), and Councilwoman Carmen Castillo (Ward 9).
“As a freshman Councilor, I got to work drafting and enacting legislation that would keep dangerous ATVs off our City streets. In doing so, my Council colleagues and I created a clear, legal framework that prohibited the operation of illegal ATVs and gave the Providence Police Department the power to seize and destroy any ATVs operating illegally. We legislatively created an ATV task force and ATV phone line. Yet years later, our City is still facing the major threats to traffic and pedestrian safety that ATVs create. The City Council is calling on the Mayor to uphold City ATV ordinances, support our Police and to take action necessary to address the public nuisance that illegal ATVs are causing in our City” stated Deputy Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan.
Additionally, Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15) appointed Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr., Councilwoman Carmen Castillo (Ward 9), and Councilman John Goncalves to the Special Commission on ATVs and Recreational Vehicles. The committee will be tasked with investigating best practices regarding the enforcement of existing ATV laws in the City of Providence.
“I want to thank Councilwoman Carmen Castillo for advocating for a Special Commission to look at best practices and how we can encourage the Mayor to enforce the laws that this body has already passed. I have full confidence that this Commission will work diligently with residents, stakeholders, and the administration to find ways to mitigate this ongoing issue further,” shared Council President Sabina Matos.
The Council has passed multiple ordinances to stop the illegal use of ATVs in the City. On April 2, 2015 Councilman Michael Correia’s ordinance banning snowmobiles and ATVs from operating on City streets was passed. The City Council passed a second ordinance from Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan on May 4, 2017, which gave the Providence Police Department the power to confiscate and destroy ATVs that were caught being operated illegally. Both of these laws are still in place today.
“ATVs have been a major safety and quality of life issue in our City for years. The Council has continually worked with the Providence Police Department and community members to stop the massive gangs of ATVs speeding through our neighborhoods. We have done the work to end this problem, and we will continue working until it is not a problem anymore. But we need the same commitment from the Mayor,” added Councilwoman Carmen Castillo.
Despite the decisive legislative action taken by the Council, ATVs have continued to be a significant threat to traffic and pedestrian safety in all neighborhoods of the City. This is why Council President Sabina Matos has assembled this Special Commission on ATVs and Recreational Vehicles and why Councilors are calling on the Mayor to enforce the laws already in place, as we enter another spring and summer season.
“It seems like every time I look at the news, especially during the warmer months, there is another story about a pedestrian who was injured by an ATV, or a car that was damaged, or a big traffic jam due to a huge group of ATVs recklessly driving around our City. As elected officials, it is our job to put a stop to this. As a member of the Special Committee on ATVs and Recreational Vehicles, I am hopeful that myself and my colleagues can find new solutions to help our police department better enforce our City’s ATV laws and bring peace and safety to our streets,” stated Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr.
The Special Commission on ATVs and Recreational Vehicles will be tasked with studying the best practices regarding the enforcement of existing ordinances in a way that is fair, practical, and above all protects the safety of pedestrians, motorists, and families in neighborhoods across our City.
“The illegal use of ATVs has been a major issue in my neighborhood. I feel my neighbors’ frustration as these loud and intrusive vehicles speed through our streets, endangering children, cyclists, drivers, and really anyone nearby. I look forward to working with my Council colleagues to work towards the stricter enforcement of the laws we have put in place. I hope we can find an off-road place that they can ride. I am optimistic that Mayor Elorza will do his part in enforcing these laws so that our City does not have to continue facing the dangers created by ATVs daily,” added Councilman John Goncalves.
ATV Recreation Enforcement: Resolution.
Special Commission on ATVs and Recreational Vehicles: Appointments and Resolution.
