by Council Staff | Jul 23, 2025 | Add Council Logo, Ward-13
The decision to vote no on the mayor’s proposed lease follows careful consideration of the extensive community feedback
Today, Providence City Council President Rachel Miller released the following statement regarding the proposed lease of 99 Kenyon St., which will be voted on at tomorrow’s full council meeting:
“Mayor Smiley’s lease proposal attempted to solve two challenges at once – ensuring Providence students with already assigned charter seats have a suitable place to learn and finding a path forward for a vacant historic building. After careful consideration, I’ve determined that such an arrangement would not be in the best interest of the neighborhood or city. The city council will not hand the keys of a shuttered public school building to a charter school.
After defeating the original $1/year charter lease last year, the city council kept all options on the table, including commissioning studies on the architectural and financial feasibility of converting the building to housing. We then considered the mayor’s most recent proposal to lease the building to Excel Academy, and worked with Excel Academy and the administration to propose major changes from the original lease.
The lease would not have created a new school or expanded charter seats, but would have housed a school already granted expansion by the Rhode Island Department of Education. Since the state has sole discretion over the total number of charter school seats in Rhode Island, only the state can prevent their further expansion.
I viewed it as my role to make this lease as strong as possible for our community, including by negotiating revenue for the city and historic labor neutrality, and then hear the community’s response. I have listened closely to my neighbors and will be voting no on the proposed lease. We need to ensure that our public spaces are utilized in ways that reflect the needs of surrounding communities. I will work closely with my neighborhood and our partners to find a solution for this building that is beneficial to Federal Hill.
Every Providence student deserves equal access to quality education, and this council remains committed to ensuring our city’s public schools are capable of delivering that education. We will continue to work with the mayor, the school board, and the Department of Education to build a public school system that is worthy of our students and families.”
by Council Staff | Jul 17, 2025 | Add Council Logo, Uncategorized
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After careful vetting, including a public hearing and feasibility studies, the amended lease will advance to the full city council with substantial changes
Providence, RI – Tonight, the Providence City Council Committee on Ordinances voted to advance a resolution authorizing the city to enter into an amended version of a proposed lease with Excel Academy charter school for the Carl G. Lauro school building. Under the current proposal, Excel Academy would use half of the building, with the other half used as swing space for the Providence Public School District until June 30, 2030.The amended lease will be considered at next Thursday’s city council meeting and will require only one passage.
Council President Rachel Miller negotiated a number of substantial changes to the lease proposed by the mayor earlier this year to ensure a much more favorable arrangement for the city, the surrounding neighborhood, and the educators who will be using this space. Among others, the following changes were made to the proposed lease:
· The original lease would have locked the city in for a 65-year period, giving Excel Academy the option to renew unilaterally after the initial 35 years. Under the negotiated lease, after the initial 35-years, further renewal will require Excel to come in front of the city council and mayor for approval.
· The amendments added clear labor protections through an entirely new Employee Relations section that requires Excel Academy to remain neutral in any union organizing efforts, barring intimidation or retaliation and prohibiting the use of public funds to influence workers’ decisions. The historic neutrality clause reads in part: “The Lessee acknowledges and respects the rights of employees to organize, form, join, or assist labor organizations as well as the right to refrain from any or all such activities. As a responsible employer, the Lessee shall not threaten, intimidate, discriminate against, retaliate against, or take any adverse action against any employees based on their decision to support or oppose union representation. The Lessee agrees not to pay public funds to outside consultants or legal advisors for the purpose of encouraging or discouraging union organizing activity.”
· A new section was added that ensures that funds for property improvements are funneled into apprentice programs by requiring that any such improvements with over $3M in labor costs must allocate at least 10% of the work to registered apprentices.
· Language was added ensuring the lease remains competitive and profitable for the city by introducing a gradual escalation of rent every five years over the term of the lease, beginning in 2030, along with a provision requiring regular rent increases if the lease is extended beyond the 35-year initial term.
· A new provision ensures the building remains a community-serving hub by limiting Excel Academy’s ability to sublet, permitting such arrangements only with registered non-profit and educational organizations.
· A new requirement was introduced that directs Excel Academy to produce an annual written report on student demographics (race, ethnicity, geographics), so that academic performance of students from across the city—including English language learners and students with disabilities—can be compared with those in traditional public schools.
· A similar requirement requires Excel Academy to prepare a written report annually that details construction and building improvements, ensuring that necessary updates and repairs are made in a timely and responsible manner.
· In a major win securing substantial ongoing community investment, Excel Academy is directed to allocate $50,000 annually throughout the term of the lease into a neighborhood improvement fund that will be overseen by the Ward 13 councilor.
Tonight’s changes follow more than a year of evaluation, discussion, and information-gathering regarding the future of this historic school building.
Last year, the mayor proposed a lease for the Lauro building that would have allowed Excel Academy and Achievement First charter schools to use the space for one dollar per year over a term of more than 30 years. Councilors rejected that proposal by more than a 2-to-1 margin, urging that all options be considered for the city-owned space – such as the development of affordable housing — and that any proposed lease should generate meaningful revenue for the city.
The current proposal, submitted by the mayor for council approval earlier this year included a much more reasonable rate of $7.50 per square foot, but still fell short of what many councilors felt would best serve the community and the beloved historic building that has become a landmark in Providence’s Federal Hill neighborhood. To ensure the city found the best path forward for the building, councilors ordered a housing feasibility study to assess the viability of converting the space to affordable housing.
With authorization from a city council resolution, the council entered into a contract with CoEverything to complete this assessment. Following the completion of the contracted study, the council office worked with Armory Revival Company and One Neighborhood Builders to perform basic financial analyses of the study. The council engaged these two organizations to ensure both for-profit and non-profit perspectives and analysis of a potential housing conversion were taken into consideration. These studies concluded that a conversion of the Lauro building to housing was perhaps technically possible, but is not reasonably feasible, with an exceptionally high price tag and a very lengthy timeline
While these studies were being completed, the Committee on Ordinances also hosted a public hearing on May 12 to hear from students and educators from Providence schools, both public and charter schools, as well as parents and community members about their hopes and concerns regarding the building’s future. This feedback was weighed carefully along with the data and conclusions from the completed studies
The final amended lease represents a carefully-vetted and extensively researched solution for this landmark city building that ensures a seat at the table for the surrounding community for decades to come, all while guaranteeing increased neighborhood investment and responsible stewardship of public money and property. The major changes made by the council are a significant improvement over the original $1/year proposed lease. With tonight’s passage out of committee, the resolution authorizing the amended lease will be heard by the full city council at next week’s regular meeting, the last scheduled full council meeting before the August recess.
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by Council Staff | Jul 14, 2025 | Add Council Logo
Budget features fair tax rates, modest tax levy increase, preserved Sustainability Department role, and funds to cover bulky item disposal and recreational programming.
At tonight’s Special City Council meeting, councilors passed—for the second and final time—the City’s $624 million budget for the 2026 fiscal year. Under the leadership of Chairwoman Helen Anthony, the Finance Committee hosted two public hearings and met over a dozen times to review the budget first introduced by Mayor Brett Smiley. The result is a budget that features fair tax rates, a modest tax levy increase of 5.85%, and a handful of critical wins for Providence taxpayers.
In the mayor’s original proposal, owner-occupied single-family homes would have seen a 4% average increase in tax bills over last year’s bills. Meanwhile, owner-occupied two- and three-family homes would have been burdened with tax bills an average of 16% higher. This uneven distribution of the city’s property tax collection would have harmed tens of thousands of working families by overburdening mom-and-pop landlords and their tenants.
In the agreement negotiated by Council President Rachel Miller and Chairwoman Helen Anthony, both owner-occupied single-family homes and owner-occupied 2–5 unit homes will see equal, modest average increases of just 6%. The change from a 16% impact over last year’s tax bill to just a 6% increase will save these small landlords—and their tenants—over $400 on average compared to the original proposal.
“This is a tough budget. Home valuations are through the roof, rents are too high, and the city is making up for decades of underfunding our public schools in just one year,” said Council President Miller. “In the face of rising costs for residents and for the city, we had difficult decisions to make to meet our obligations and protect core city services. This levy distributes taxes more evenly across properties, protecting homeowners and renters alike, while the budget preserves core services that matter to residents, including no-charge bulk trash pickup. It is a fair and balanced solution to the city’s financial issues. Thank you to Chairwoman Anthony, members of the Finance Committee, all Councilors, and city staff – who worked together long into the night over the last several months to thread this very difficult needle.”
The final negotiated tax rates, organized by class, are listed below.
| Property Class |
Mayor’s Proposed Rate |
Average Impact Over FY25 Tax Bill |
Rate in Council Agreement |
Average Impact Over FY25 Tax Bill |
| Owner Occupied: Single |
8.25 |
4% |
8.40 |
6% |
| Owner Occupied: 2-5 Units |
8.25 |
16% |
7.55 |
6% |
| Non-owner Occupied: Single |
14.40 |
5% |
14.60 |
6% |
| Non-owner Occupied: 2-5 Units |
14.40 |
16% |
14.00 |
13% |
| 6 – 10 Units |
24.50 |
-5% |
26.00 |
1% |
| 11+ Units |
27.75 |
1% |
28.50 |
4% |
| Commercial |
28.80 |
-2% |
29.20 |
0% |
The final budget raised the city’s tax levy by only 5.85%, a modest increase over the 4% cap and far below the 8% cap authorized by state legislators.
Beyond the more equitable tax rates, councilors secured other important wins for Providence residents. Councilors preserved the sustainability policy associate position with the city’s Sustainability Department, a team that is charged with the pivotal responsibility of addressing and mitigating the impacts of climate change in Providence. Additionally, the final budget allocates city funds to cover bulky trash pick-up fees and preserved funding for seasonal programming through the city’s Recreation Department.
This budget reflects the months-long advocacy of councilors on behalf of Providence residents and a continued commitment to their well-being by minimizing the financial burden on homeowners and renters, while preserving essential services and programs. Having received its two required votes from City Council, the budget now goes to the mayor for his signature.
El Concejo Municipal De Providence Aprueba el Presupuesto Municipal para el Año Fiscal 2026 con Tasas Impositivas más Justas para las Familias Trabajadoras
El presupuesto incluye tasas impositivas justas, un modesto aumento de la recaudación fiscal, la preservación de un puesto con el Departamento de Sostenibilidad, y fondos para cubrir la eliminación de basura grande y la programación recreativa.
En la reunión especial del Concejo Municipal de esta noche, los concejales aprobaron—por la segunda y ultima vez–el presupuesto municipal de 624 millones de dólares para el año—fiscal 2026. Bajo el liderazgo de la concejala Helen Anthony, el Comité de Finanzas organizo dos audiencias publicas y se reunió más de una docena de veces para revisar el presupuesto presentado inicialmente por el alcalde Brett Smiley. El resultado es un presupuesto que incluye tasas impositivas justas, un modesto aumento del 5,85% en la recaudación impositiva y varios logros cruciales para los contribuyentes de Providence.
En la propuesta original del alcalde, las viviendas unifamiliares ocupadas por sus propietarios habrían experimentado un aumento promedio del 4% en sus facturas de impuestos con respecto al año pasado. Mientras tanto, las viviendas de dos y tres familias ocupadas por sus propietarios habrían tenido que afrontar facturas de impuestos un 16% más altas en promedio. Esta distribución desigual de la recaudación de impuestos propietarios municipal habría perjudicado a decenas de miles de familias trabajadoras al sobrecargar a los arrendadores menores y a sus inquilinos.
En el acuerdo negociado por la presidenta del Concejo Rachel Miller y la concejala Helen Anthony, tanto las viviendas unifamiliares como las viviendas de 2 a 5 unidades, ambas ocupadas por sus propietarios, verán aumentos promedio iguales y modestos de tan solo el 6%. El cambio de un impacto del 16% sobre la factura de impuestos del año pasado a solo un aumento del 6% ahorrará a estos arrendadores menores—y a sus inquilinos—más de $400 en promedio en comparación con la propuesta original.
“Este es un presupuesto difícil. Las valoraciones de las viviendas están altísimas, los alquileres son demasiado caros y la ciudad está compensando décadas de financiación insuficiente para nuestras escuelas públicas en solo un año,” dijo la presidenta del Concejo Miller. “Ante el aumento de los costos para los residentes y para la ciudad, tuvimos que tomar decisiones difíciles para cumplir con nuestras obligaciones y proteger los servicios municipales esenciales. Esta recaudación fiscal distribuye los impuestos de forma más equitativa entre las propiedades, protegiendo tanto a propietarios como a inquilinos, mientras que el presupuesto preserva los servicios esenciales que importan a los residentes, como la recogida gratuita de basura voluminosa. Es una solución justa y equilibrada para los problemas financieros de la ciudad. Gracias a la presidenta Anthony, a los miembros del Comité de Finanzas, a todos los concejales y al personal municipal, quienes trabajaron juntos hasta altas horas de la noche durante los últimos meses para resolver este problema tan difícil.”
Las tasas impositivas finales negociadas, organizadas por clase, se muestran a continuación.
|
Clase de Propiedad
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Tasa Propuesta por el Alcalde
|
|
Impacto Promedio Sobre la Factura del Año Fiscal 2025
|
|
Tasa en el Acuerdo del Concejo
|
|
Impacto Promedio Sobre la Factura del Año Fiscal 2025
|
| Vivienda Unifamiliar Ocupada por el Propietario |
|
8.25 |
|
4% |
|
8.40 |
|
6% |
| Vivienda de 2-5 Unidades Ocupada por el Propietario |
|
8.25 |
|
16% |
|
7.55 |
|
6% |
| Vivienda Unifamiliar No Ocupada por el Propietario |
|
14.40 |
|
5% |
|
14.60 |
|
6% |
| Vivienda de 2-5 Unidades No Ocupada por el Propietario |
|
14.40 |
|
16% |
|
14.00 |
|
13% |
| Vivienda de 6 – 10 Unidades |
|
24.50 |
|
-5% |
|
26.00 |
|
1% |
| Vivienda de 11+ Unidades |
|
27.75 |
|
1% |
|
28.50 |
|
4% |
| Propiedad Comercial |
|
28.80 |
|
-2% |
|
29.20 |
|
0% |
| |
|
|
|
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|
El presupuesto final aumentó la recaudación impositiva de la ciudad tan solo un 5,85%, un aumento modesto respecto al límite del 4% y muy por debajo del límite del 8% autorizado por los legisladores estatales.
Además de las tasas impositivas más equitativas, los concejales lograron otras victorias importantes para los residentes de Providence. Los concejales conservaron el puesto de asociado de políticas de sostenibilidad en el Departamento de Sostenibilidad de la ciudad, un equipo que tiene la responsabilidad esencial de abordar y mitigar los impactos del cambio climático en Providence. Además, el presupuesto final asigna fondos municipales para cubrir las tarifas de recogida de basura voluminosa y conserva los fondos para la programación estacional a través del Departamento de Recreación de la ciudad.
Este presupuesto refleja la abogacía los concejales han realizado durante meses en nombre de los residentes de Providence y un compromiso continuo con su bienestar al minimizar la carga financiera de los propietarios e inquilinos, a la vez que se preservan los servicios y programas esenciales. Tras recibir los dos votos necesarios del Concejo Municipal, el presupuesto pasa ahora al alcalde para su firma.
by Council Staff | Jul 7, 2025 | Add Council Logo
Final Passage of Amended Budget, Including Fairer Tax Rates Negotiated by City Council, Expected Next Week
Tonight, Providence City Council passed the Fiscal Year 2026 City Budget for the first time. The budget will require second passage at a special council meeting next week, Monday, July 14th, before going to the mayor’s desk for his signature.
Last month, Providence City Council President Rachel Miller and Finance Chairwoman Helen Anthony announced that they had reached an agreement with Mayor Brett Smiley on a revised budget that corrected major inequities in the mayor’s proposed tax structure, ensuring a fairer distribution of the city’s property tax collection. The revised budget raises the tax levy by 5.85%, well below the 8% increase authorized by the General Assembly. On Monday, June 30, the Committee on Finance voted unanimously to advance the amended budget to the full city council.
“This is a tough budget. Home valuations are through the roof, rents are too high, and the city is making up for decades of underfunding our public schools in just one year,” said Council President Miller. “In the face of rising costs for residents and for the city, we had difficult decisions to make to meet our obligations and protect core city services. This levy distributes taxes more evenly across properties, protecting homeowners and renters alike, while the budget preserves core services that matter to residents, including no-charge bulk trash pickup. It is a fair and balanced solution to the city’s financial issues. Thank you to Chairwoman Anthony, members of the Finance Committee, all Councilors, and city staff – who worked together long into the night over the last several months to thread this very difficult needle.”
Tonight’s first passage represents one of the final milestones in a budget process which began with the mayor’s proposal on April 16th and included two public hearings and more than a dozen meetings of the Committee on Finance, as well as community meetings all throughout the city. This year’s process was delayed past the typical fiscal year-end deadline of June 30th while city officials waited for the General Assembly to pass legislation granting the city a one-time exemption from the state-mandated 4% levy increase cap. With this first passage, the administration can now begin preparing tax bills.
Throughout the budget process, councilors listened and responded to constituent concerns about the mayor’s original budget proposal, which would have unnecessarily burdened working families by overtaxing mom-and-pop landlords and their tenants while providing tax cuts for larger buildings and commercial properties. Through negotiations with the administration, councilors demanded and won fairer tax rates that will more equitably distribute necessary tax increases without punishing or favoring any one group.
In the mayor’s original proposal, owner-occupied duplexes and triple-deckers, home to tens of thousands of residents would have seen a 16% average increase in annual tax bills citywide, while single-family properties would have seen a much smaller 4% average increase. An average 16% increase would have given many owners no choice but to pass on the cost to their renters or to sell their properties. In all likelihood, considering the state of the housing market, the purchasers would be large for-profit, corporate entities, which would contribute further to pricing working families out of their neighborhoods.
City Council stepped in and stopped this. Under the negotiated agreement, both owner-occupied single-family homes and owner-occupied 2–5 unit homes will see equal, modest average increases of just 6%. The change from a 16% impact for over last year’s tax bill to just a 6% increase will save these small landlords—and their tenants—over $400 on average compared to the original proposal.
Below are the final negotiated tax rates by class with estimated citywide average increases:
| Property Class |
Mayor’s Proposed Rate |
Average Impact Over FY25 Tax Bill |
Rate in Council Agreement |
Average Impact Over FY25 Tax Bill |
| Owner Occupied: Single |
8.25 |
4% |
8.40 |
6% |
| Owner Occupied: 2-5 Units |
8.25 |
16% |
7.55 |
6% |
| Non-owner Occupied: Single |
14.40 |
5% |
14.60 |
6% |
| Non-owner Occupied: 2-5 Units |
14.40 |
16% |
14.00 |
13% |
| 6 – 10 Units |
24.50 |
-5% |
26.00 |
1% |
| 11+ Units |
27.75 |
1% |
28.50 |
4% |
| Commercial |
28.80 |
-2% |
29.20 |
0% |
In addition to the fairer tax rates, councilors secured a number of other important wins on behalf of residents in negotiations with the mayor, including preservation of a Sustainability Policy Associate position originally slated for elimination and city funding to cover resident fees for bulky item disposal.
After it is passed for a second and final time, the amended budget will return to the mayor’s desk for his signature before taking effect.
El Concejo Municipal De Providence Aprueba El Presupuesto Municipal Para el Año Fiscal 2026
La aprobación final del presupuesto modificado, que incluye tasas impositivas más justas negociadas por el Concejo Municipal, se espera para la próxima semana.
Esta noche, el Concejo Municipal de Providence aprobó por primera vez el Presupuesto Municipal para el Año Fiscal 2026. El presupuesto requerirá una segunda aprobación en una reunión especial del concejo la próxima semana, el lunes 14 de julio, antes de pasar al escritorio del alcalde para su firma.
El mes pasado, la presidenta del Concejo Municipal de Providence, Rachel Miller, y la presidenta de Finanzas, Helen Anthony, anunciaron que habían llegado a un acuerdo con el alcalde Brett Smiley sobre un presupuesto revisado que corrigió importantes desigualdades en la estructura de impuestos propuesta por el alcalde, garantizando una distribución más justa de la recaudación de impuestos a la propiedad de la ciudad. El presupuesto revisado aumenta la recaudación impositiva en un 5,85%, muy por debajo del aumento del 8% autorizado por la Asamblea General. El lunes 30 de junio, el Comité de Finanzas votó por unanimidad a favor de presentar el presupuesto enmendado al pleno del concejo municipal.
“Este es un presupuesto difícil. Las valoraciones de las viviendas están altísimas, los alquileres son demasiado caros y la ciudad está compensando décadas de financiación insuficiente para nuestras escuelas públicas en solo un año,” dijo la presidenta del Concejo Miller. “Ante el aumento de los costos para los residentes y para la ciudad, tuvimos que tomar decisiones difíciles para cumplir con nuestras obligaciones y proteger los servicios municipales esenciales. Esta recaudación fiscal distribuye los impuestos de forma más equitativa entre las propiedades, protegiendo tanto a propietarios como a inquilinos, mientras que el presupuesto preserva los servicios esenciales que importan a los residentes, como la recogida gratuita de basura voluminosa. Es una solución justa y equilibrada para los problemas financieros de la ciudad. Gracias a la presidenta Anthony, a los miembros del Comité de Finanzas, a todos los concejales y al personal municipal, quienes trabajaron juntos hasta altas horas de la noche durante los últimos meses para resolver este problema tan difícil.”
La primera aprobación de esta noche representa uno de los hitos finales en un proceso presupuestario que comenzó con la propuesta del alcalde el 16 de abril e incluyó dos audiencias públicas y más de una docena de reuniones del Comité de Finanzas, así como reuniones comunitarias en toda la ciudad. El proceso de este año se retrasó más allá de la fecha límite habitual de fin de año fiscal, el 30 de junio, mientras los funcionarios municipales esperaban a que la Asamblea General aprobara la legislación que otorga a la ciudad una exención única del límite estatal del 4% para el aumento de impuestos. Con esta primera aprobación, la administración puede comenzar a preparar las facturas de impuestos.
A lo largo del proceso presupuestario, los concejales escucharon y respondieron a las inquietudes de los constituyentes sobre la propuesta presupuestaria original del alcalde, que habría sobrecargado innecesariamente a las familias trabajadoras al gravar excesivamente a los propietarios de pequeñas viviendas y a sus inquilinos, a la vez que habría proporcionado recortes de impuestos para edificios más grandes y propiedades comerciales. Mediante negociaciones con la administración, los concejales exigieron y lograron tasas impositivas más justas que distribuirán de forma más equitativa los aumentos de impuestos necesarios sin penalizar ni favorecer a ningún grupo.
En la propuesta original del alcalde, los dúplex y los edificios de tres pisos ocupados por sus propietarios, hogar de decenas de miles de residentes, habrían experimentado un aumento promedio del 16% en las facturas de impuestos anuales en toda la ciudad, mientras que las viviendas unifamiliares habrían experimentado un aumento promedio mucho menor, del 4%. Un aumento promedio del 16% habría obligado a muchos propietarios a trasladar el costo a sus inquilinos o vender sus propiedades. Con toda probabilidad, considerando el estado del mercado inmobiliario, los compradores serian grandes corporaciones con fines de lucro, lo que contribuiría aún más a que las familias trabajadoras se vean obligadas a abandonar sus vecindarios debido a los altos precios.
El Concejo Municipal intervino y detuvo esto. Según el acuerdo negociado, tanto las viviendas unifamiliares como las viviendas de 2 a 5 unidades, ocupadas por sus propietarios, experimentarán aumentos promedio iguales y modestos de tan solo el 6%. El cambio de un impacto del 16% en la factura fiscal del año pasado a un aumento de tan solo el 6% les ahorrará a estos pequeños propietarios—y a sus inquilinos—más de $400 en promedio, en comparación con la propuesta original.
A continuación, se muestran las tasas impositivas finales negociadas por clase, con aumentos promedio estimados en toda la ciudad:
|
Clase de Propiedad
|
|
Tasa Propuesta por el Alcalde
|
|
Impacto Promedio Sobre la Factura del Año Fiscal 2025
|
|
Tasa en el Acuerdo del Concejo
|
|
Impacto Promedio Sobre la Factura del Año Fiscal 2025
|
| Vivienda Unifamiliar Ocupada por el Propietario |
|
8.25 |
|
4% |
|
8.40 |
|
6% |
| Vivienda de 2-5 Unidades Ocupada por el Propietario |
|
8.25 |
|
16% |
|
7.55 |
|
6% |
| Vivienda Unifamiliar No Ocupada por el Propietario |
|
14.40 |
|
5% |
|
14.60 |
|
6% |
| Vivienda de 2-5 Unidades No Ocupada por el Propietario |
|
14.40 |
|
16% |
|
14.00 |
|
13% |
| Vivienda de 6 – 10 Unidades |
|
24.50 |
|
-5% |
|
26.00 |
|
1% |
| Vivienda de 11+ Unidades |
|
27.75 |
|
1% |
|
28.50 |
|
4% |
| Propiedad Comercial |
|
28.80 |
|
-2% |
|
29.20 |
|
0% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Además de las tasas impositivas más justas, los concejales lograron una serie de otras victorias importantes en nombre de los residentes en las negociaciones con el alcalde, incluyendo la preservación del puesto de Asociado de Política de Sostenibilidad, originalmente pensada para eliminación, y la financiación municipal para cubrir las tarifas a los residentes por la recogida de basura voluminosa.
Tras su segunda y última aprobación, el presupuesto enmendado volverá al escritorio del alcalde para su firma antes de entrar en vigor.
by Council Staff | Jun 26, 2025 | Add Council Logo
New tax and budget agreement evens out impact across property types, limiting impact on renters, and lowers levy increase to 5.85%
Today, Providence City Council President Rachel Miller and Finance Chairwoman Helen Anthony announced that they have reached an agreement with Mayor Brett Smiley on a revised Fiscal Year 2026 budget that corrects major inequities in the proposed tax structure, ensuring a fairer distribution of the city’s property tax collection.
The original proposal, introduced in April, would have had an uneven impact, raising some homeowners’ tax bills much more than others compared to last year—with 2–5 unit homes facing the steepest increases. Owner-occupied duplexes and triple-deckers, home to tens of thousands of residents would have seen a 16% average increase in annual tax bills citywide while single-family properties would have seen a much smaller 4% average increase, and some large buildings and commercial properties were slated to receive tax cuts.
This uneven distribution would have overburdened working families by balancing the budget on the backs of “mom and pop” landlords and their tenants at a time when Providence is consistently ranked among the least-affordable cities in the country for renters.
Councilors pushed back—and secured a more balanced approach.
Under the negotiated agreement, councilors were able to dramatically reduce this burden. Now, both owner-occupied single-family homes and owner-occupied 2–5 unit homes will see equal, modest average increases of just 6%. The change from a 16% impact over last year’s tax bill to just a 6% increase will save these small landlords—and their tenants—over $400 on average compared to the original proposal.
By aligning the average tax bill increases for owner-occupied single-family and owner-occupied 2-5 unit properties, this budget will ensure that the collective responsibility of funding city schools, parks, essential services, and the city workforce is more evenly shared. In this amended budget, no one group is punished, nor favored over any other.
“This is a hard budget year. Revaluations are sky high, and Providence is making up for decades of underfunding schools in just one year,” said Council President Rachel Miller. “But that doesn’t mean working families should carry the burden. These revisions make the system fairer, protecting homeowners, renters, and small local landlords. By evening out the impact, we are preventing displacement and working to keep Providence affordable—for all of us.”
The final rates and negotiated budget keep the total property tax levy increase to just 5.85%, well below the 8% cap authorized by the state legislature. The budget reflects a shared commitment by the Council and Mayor to fund core services and public education while mitigating harm to those least able to absorb sharp increases.
Below are the final negotiated tax rates by class:
| Property Class |
Mayor’s Proposed Rate |
Average Impact Over FY25 Tax Bill |
Rate in Council Agreement |
Average Impact Over FY25 Tax Bill |
| Owner Occupied: Single |
8.25 |
4% |
8.40 |
6% |
| Owner Occupied: 2-5 Units |
8.25 |
16% |
7.55 |
6% |
| Non-owner Occupied: Single |
14.40 |
5% |
14.60 |
6% |
| Non-owner Occupied: 2-5 Units |
14.40 |
16% |
14.00 |
13% |
| 6 – 10 Units |
24.50 |
-5% |
26.00 |
1% |
| 11+ Units |
27.75 |
1% |
28.50 |
4% |
| Commercial |
28.80 |
-2% |
29.20 |
0% |
This year’s budget was especially challenging: a court-mandated increase in school funding, a state-mandated revaluation that dramatically raised property assessments, and rising costs across city operations. But councilors entered this difficult budget process determined to negotiate a budget that protects essential services and distributes tax impacts fairly. This goal was accomplished in the agreement secured today by councilors in negotiations with the mayor.
In addition to correcting the tax rate inequities, the Council also successfully preserved the Sustainability Policy Associate position, which had been eliminated in the mayor’s proposed budget. Councilors heard from dozens of residents and environmental advocates who voiced concerns about the cut and the potential impact of downsizing the Sustainability Department on Providence’s efforts to address climate change. After hearing from constituents, councilors ensured the position was restored in the final agreement.
Finally, the Council heard significant concern about new fees on bulky trash pickup in the Waste Management contract. Responding to concerns that the $20-35 per-item collection fee on furniture and large appliances would lead to more illegal dumping and create public health and environmental hazards in already overburdened neighborhoods, councilors amended the budget to cover the fees. Because of this change, residents will not have to pay out of pocket when disposing of large items.
“We heard residents loud and clear: protect city services and limit the impact of increased taxes, especially on those who can least afford it,” said Finance Chairwoman Helen Anthony. “Our negotiated agreement with Mayor Smiley does just that.”
On Monday, June 30 at 5:30 PM in the City Council Chambers, the Committee on Finance will hold a public hearing on the amended budget. Spanish translation and, for the first time, free childcare will be provided for those who need it. Residents can also submit written testimony by emailing cityclerk@providenceri.gov. The budget will then be advanced out of committee, after which it will require two passages by the full City Council. The first passage is tentatively scheduled for July 7, with a second vote on July 14.
