by Billy Kepner | Jun 5, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
Today, I am calling on the City of Providence to help our businesses that suffered private property damage under Rhode Island General Law 45-15-13.
Per the state statute, affected businesses are entitled to receive three-fourths of the value of damage resulting from unlawful acts that occurred with six or more people in the municipality where the event took place.
I ask that the City of Providence and the City Council’s Committee on Claims and Pending Suits to expedite and streamline the process while following the guidelines set forth by Rhode Island General Law.
Businesses wishing to take advantage of this state law are required to comply by attesting to the amount of damages they incurred from the incident under oath.
If this is the route that any of our businesses that were affected by Monday’s rioting wish to take, the City needs to ensure that they can expedite the process to help our business community get back on their feet.
David A. Salvatore
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 14
by Billy Kepner | Jun 3, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
Last night we bore witness to violent attacks against our beloved Providence and every member of our community. The grief that so many are feeling over the loss of George Floyd is palpable, and many of us around the country find ourselves grasping to make sense of the systemic racism in our culture, and what we as white allies can do to end it.
As Providence, like so many other cities around the world, continues to fight the global COVID-19 pandemic many of our small businesses were just starting to reopen their doors. Some of these businesses employ some of our lowest-wage earners. This night of violence and destruction has caused further harm to those individuals that are most vulnerable amongst us in Providence and Rhode Island.
I believe in raising our voices and calling out injustice. The pain that so many are feeling over yet another black man who senselessly died at the hands of a white man has shaken many to their core. That rage needs to be focused on fighting for change. Violence and destruction only serves to create more pain and sorrow. Sixty-five people were arrested last night. Some may be charged with serious crimes. That just adds further pain and suffering.
This is a time for us to come together and unite because divided we will fall. Our nation cannot afford to fall any further into this cycle of disparity and inequity. Each of us has a vital part to play in the healing of our nation, which is centuries overdue.
I want our community of color to know that I see you, I hear you, and I stand with you. I will advocate with my colleagues to help end the systemic racism that is a plague on our soil. We must do this together. Your voices need to be heard.
by Billy Kepner | Jun 2, 2020 | Council News, Ward-5
Like you, my thoughts have been heavy as we watched the tragedy of George Floyd’s death.
This past weekend we saw members of our community peacefully gather to share their collective grief and outrage which was moving and inspiring. Last night, June 1st, was not. What happened in our City last night was not a protest; it was an orchestrated and planned act of violence. The individuals who took to our City streets last night to wreak havoc and destruction were not honoring the memory of George Floyd or any of the others who have died. I want to thank the amazing men and women of our police department and the other agencies that helped in ending last night’s violence.
Nonetheless, the events in Minneapolis last week was a wakeup call that we all have a role to play in ensuring that the killing of black men in police custody must stop and stop now. I believe that Mayor Frey of Minneapolis explained the community’s reaction best, “… It is the result of so much built up anger and sadness – anger and sadness that has been ingrained in our Black community, not just because of five minutes of horror, but 400 years.”
This quote struck a chord with me — It stands as a reminder that this kind of systemic racism and violence needs to stop, and we all have a part to play in seeing that it ends now. Let’s not confuse the peaceful protest over the weekend addressing the issue at hand with the looting of last night. During these troubling times, I call on each of us to come together in unity to make our City and State better for everyone and for future generations to come.
by Billy Kepner | Jun 2, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-6
I want to thank our brave men and women of the Providence Police Department, the Rhode Island State Police, the Massachusetts State Police, and the police departments of neighboring cities and towns that helped assist in last night’s violence that unfolded in our City.
During these difficult times, the grief and sadness that our men and women of color are feeling is justifiable, but what unfolded last night was not a representation of that grief. The violence that occurred was calculated and planned and was not part of any kind of peaceful protest.
The events of last night showed that our Police Department handled themselves with dignity and professionalism while they were facing extreme danger. I will be working with our Finance team to ensure that our public safety officers have the necessary equipment to protect themselves in future events that might occur.
I ask that everyone join together and admonish the violence that occurred, and focus our energies on creating a place for peaceful dialogue and creating meaningful change in our City.
by Billy Kepner | Jun 2, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-4
The pain that many in our community are feeling at the senseless death of George Floyd is not only understandable but is yet another reflection of how our Country has failed our neighbors of color.
This past weekend, 100’s gathered to peacefully protest and collectively grieve the loss of Mr. Floyd without incident. What happened last night was nothing more than an orchestrated chaos that put our men and women of the Providence Police Department, and those of neighboring cities and states, in harm’s way.
I believe that we must work together to make change in our Country, but the violence that we witnessed unfold on social media in Providence last night is not the way. Those individuals are not part of the movement for equality, they were agitators meant to do harm for no reason. Destroying our City is not the way to bring about the change that we need.
Together, we can create change in a peaceful manner. I call on all of us to do better and be better. It’s the only path forward.
My thoughts today are with our small business owners who were already suffering, the family of George Floyd whose memory is being tarnished by violence, and for my neighbors who are justifiably scared of what might happen next.
Be strong, be resilient, and let’s work together.
