by Abigail Appel | Sep 29, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15
On Friday, September 25, 2020, three Providence businesses were awarded with a Providence Commercial Corridor Micro-Business Loan. This program was created by the Providence Revolving Fund in collaboration with the Providence City Council.
The Family Bakery located at 243 Manton Avenue, El Primo Fruits & Vegetables located at 212 Manton Avenue and Iluminada Hair Salon & Barber at 161 Manton Avenue all received financing to help address necessary safety measures due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Council President Sabina Matos and Providence Revolving Fund Director Carrie Zaslow visited the three businesses to congratulate the owners, and learn more about how they will use their funding to meet the current conditions required by the State’s response for reopening of businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.
Congratulations and best of luck to Juan Lantigua, owner of The Family Bakery; Ramon Hernandez, owner of El Primo Fruits and Vegetables; and Virgen Borges, owner of Iluminada Hair Salon and Barber Shop.
These are difficult times for many local businesses throughout the City of Providence and this loan program has been created in an effort to mitigate the financial stresses caused by this global pandemic and the changing health and safety regulations for business owners.
If you are interested in applying for the Providence Commercial Corridor Micro-Business Loan, please visit the City Council website here: https://bit.ly/3je4DEd to see if you qualify and to learn how to apply.
A local bakery, grocer or hair salon are all key threads in the fabric of a neighborhood, and are important parts of creating community. Not only do they provide goods and services to their neighborhoods, but these small businesses also provide a livelihood for those who work hard to keep them up and running. For this reason, the Providence City Council is committed to assisting local business through these trying times. We take pride in our neighborhoods and the men and women who run the small businesses that are the economic engines of our city of neighborhoods.
Council President Matos, President of Providence Revolving Fund Carrie Zaslow and Ramon Hernandez, owner of El Primo Fruits and Vegetables located at 212 Manton Ave
Council President Matos, President of Providence Revolving Fund Carrie Zaslow and Juan Lantigua, owner of The Family Bakery located at 243 Manton Ave
Virgen Borges holds her check outside of her business, Illuminada Hair Salon and Barber Shop at 161 Manton Ave
by Billy Kepner | Sep 25, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-8
As a member of the City Council’s Committee on Finance, I am uniquely aware of the complexities and the precarious state of Providence’s finances. I am disappointed that the administration has contracted with a firm that is not local or not using current staff to do the audit.
I hope that the intention is to look at the full scope of our public safety division, and not just our police department. Further, I have several questions regarding the public safety division’s budget.
First, we have not had a Fire Chief in nearly six years, the entire term of this Mayor. That position is listed in the City’s budget at $175,000 per year, yet, that money is never leftover – year over year. So, where is that money going? Second, when so many individuals are out of work and the City has put our staff on a furlough program, why is there a request for a $40,000 increase in the Commissioner’s salary? Finally, the Commissioner is the City’s acting Fire Chief and has no experience as a firefighter. The administration is in violation of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Providence as we are improperly paying individuals without the requisite expertise and paying out of classification for more than 90 days!
Under Mayor Cicilline we did not have a Public Safety Commissioner. The police and fire chief reported directly to the Mayor. By reverting to this model, we would save significant dollars that could be reinvested in the social service programs that the City is already contracted with, and have stated repeatedly that they could do more if funding allowed.
I hope that any resources cut from the budget are not these very important social service collaborators. The Committee on Finance has met and learned about the great work these organizations are doing in our City and in conjunction with public safety every day.
James E. Taylor
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 8
by Billy Kepner | Sep 24, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-4
I am disappointed that Mayor Elorza has only elected to review the budget of one department out of nearly fifty under the City’s purview. Why and what will this accomplish? We know that the Providence Police Department is not funded at capacity and that even if it were; we don’t have enough officers to be in each of our neighborhoods to deal with the quality of life issues that so many people call their Councilor’s about; like ATVs and motorbikes, fireworks, and other nuisance issues.
The incidents of police brutality that have occurred around the United States have rarely happened here, and when it has, our Chief of Police has acted swiftly and beyond reproach. This administration seems to be singling out one department when we are facing a fiscal cliff like we have not seen since the Great Recession of 2008. The City should have hired an outside firm to look at all of the city departments to see how we can best navigate these difficult times.
Instead, we are sending a message to the very people that we ask to protect us – that they are devalued. Every day our men and women of the Providence Police Department go to work to serve and protect us, the residents of Providence. If it were not for police officers like Officer Jose Deschamps, the Figueroa family would have lost their 8-month old baby boy, Dylan. This is one example of the hundreds of acts of bravery and courage that our officers have shown daily. Even when they are being called names, having bottles thrown at them, spit on, and all the while, they stand by to ensure the safety of those same people.
I see this as nothing more than political grandstanding and a waste of money that we could have used to invest in social service programs to build a better and more resilient community.
I’m not going to say that there have not been bad cops or cops that would do harm based on a bias. There most certainly has, and unfortunately, there will be again, but those individuals must be rooted out, and our Chief of Police is committed to doing just that. We need to provide more supports to our officers who are working longer hours, with fewer officers in the division, and doing more with less.
If we are to review one department, let’s review them all. Certainly, we can find abundant cost savings in other departments to keep our City fiscally afloat and address the social service needs that are lacking and taking our officers away from crime prevention and reduction.
Nicholas J. Narducci, Jr., Senior Deputy Majority Leader
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 4
by Billy Kepner | Sep 19, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5
We want to thank the Providence College administration for their swift action in the wake of the 120+ positive cases of COVID-19 amongst their student body.
As a community, we must remain vigilant in our fight against the virus. We know that by wearing face coverings, hand washing, staying home when we feel sick, limiting the number of interactions we have with others, and using hand sanitizer we can do our part to protect ourselves and others. The world’s leading epidemiologists have all shared concerns that as the fall approaches that we would see a resurgence of the virus, and that remains true.
We all have a role to play in keeping our community safe, including the student population that live in close quarters. That’s why it is so important for our student population to adhere to social distancing mandates and the number of people that can gather at any one time. To not only keep themselves safe, but the residents that live around and work on the campus.
Providence College has been in constant contact with the Rhode Island Department of Health and the City of Providence from the beginning of this current incident. In addition, to implement and enforce the stay-at-home order, the college has contracted with the Providence Police Department at their expense and are deploying their own security team.
As elected officials, we are concerned for the safety of our community. We ask that you please wear a mask, practice social distancing, limit your interactions with as few people as possible, get your flu shot, and remember that the State is offering free asymptomatic testing.
Please visit pvdcovid19.com for the latest City information and call your physician or visit health.ri.gov if you feel like you need to be tested.
by Abigail Appel | Sep 18, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
I want to thank the Providence College (PC) administration for their diligence and quick action regarding the newly reported cases of COVID-19 amongst their student body.
Last spring, I convened the colleges and universities in Providence to discuss their mitigation plans around bringing students back to campus. I am pleased to know that PC has followed their plan accordingly and has been committed to keeping the communities adjacent to campus informed of emerging COVID-19 cases and managing the pandemic.
As cases continue to rise on college campuses across the country, and as the World Health Organization just stated that the virus is projected to hit Europe in another wave in the coming weeks, it is now more important than ever that we stay vigilant and all do our part. This includes the students who attend PC and the other colleges and universities in our city who reside on-campus and off.
This morning, I was driving down Eaton Street and saw the road littered with red and blue solo cups and beer cans. Visually this tells me that students were gathering last night for parties and congregating, even as 80 of their classmates are fighting the virus. This behavior is unacceptable and needs to stop immediately.
Many college students need to remember that they are guests in the City of Providence during the years they are in school here. Students just like anyone else that chooses to flaunt the rules promulgated by Governor Raimondo and Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, Dr. Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, need to be held accountable for their behavior.
This morning I have reached out to the PC administration, the Providence Police Department, and other agencies to ensure that we are increasing patrols in the areas around PC and enforcing the stay-at-home order issued by the College.
Further, I respectfully ask our neighbors to refrain from utilizing the PC campus unless they work there. Using the facilities and walking the grounds have become part of many of our daily routines; however, we have to do our part in slowing the spread of the virus. In light of these recent circumstances, it is imperative that residents cease using the campus for recreation.
If you are concerned that you may have come into contact with any person who may have COVID-19, the State of Rhode Island allows for asymptomatic testing at several of the sites across the state, including the drive-thru and walk-thru sites at the Convention Center in downtown Providence. To make an appointment for a test, please visit the RIDOH COVID-19 Site to schedule a test:
COVID-19 Testing.
David A. Salvatore
Providence City Council
Councilor – Ward 14
by Abigail Appel | Sep 17, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-1, Ward-11, Ward-12, Ward-13, Ward-14, Ward-15, Ward-2, Ward-3, Ward-4, Ward-5, Ward-6, Ward-8, Ward-9
The Providence Tax Stabilization Investment Act creates a streamlined and transparent process to incentivize development and further grow Providence’s tax base
PROVIDENCE, RI (September 17, 2020)…Providence City Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15), along with a majority of her Council Colleagues including President Pro Tem Michael Correia (Ward 6), Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5), Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. (Ward 4), Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris (Ward 12), and Councilors Carmen Castillo (Ward 9), Councilman David Salvatore (Ward 14), Nirva LaFortune (Ward 3), Helen Anthony (Ward 2), Katherine Kerwin (Ward 12), Rachel Miller (Ward 13), James E. Taylor (Ward 8), Councilman Pedro Espinal (Ward 10) and John Goncalves (Ward 1) tonight introduced an ordinance entitled the Providence Tax Stabilization Investment Act.
The Providence Tax Stabilization Investment Act (The Act) would standardize the processes for all future Tax Stabilization Agreements (TSAs) in the City of Providence by increasing transparency, simplifying and streamlining the application process, and clearly defining the requirements that all developers must abide by should they wish to obtain a stabilization agreement with the City. The proposed legislation will create a tax stabilization system that not only protects our City’s financial interests but also incentivizes new development.
Council President Sabina Matos stated, “Over the past several years, my colleagues and I have grown increasingly frustrated with the existing TSA process as it has resulted in confusion for developers and Providence residents alike. This legislation sets clear expectations to developers from the get go and codifies them all in one section under our Code of Ordinances. By providing clear expectations and terms from the onset of an application for a tax stabilization agreement, the Council can better monitor and enforce the terms of the agreement that are meant to empower the communities that work and live in Providence. Furthermore, by streamlining this process developers will find it easier to move here, create more good-paying jobs, and grow our tax base.”
The Act is intended to balance economic development with responsible employment practices in order to increase the city’s tax base while revitalizing our existing communities. In order to advance this mission, it is vital that the city provide developers, entrepreneurs, and investors with a predictable TSA process which clearly defines both the procedure to obtain a TSA as well as the requirements that will be imposed should a property be granted such an agreement.
“I am very proud of the work we have done to create a crystal clear and reliable process that incentivizes development and defines community benefits,” stated City Councilor Rachel Miller. “When Providence forgoes tax dollars to support development, we should be able to trace the positive impact of that investment in our communities and to city residents. At the same time, developers should be able to rely on a predictable process. The Act is a tremendous step in both directions. The ordinance is the result of an intensive collaborative process between the Council, Council staff, the Solicitor’s Office, and the City’s Planning Department, and I look forward to a rigorous discussion of its merits with my colleagues and with city residents.”
About the Providence Tax Stabilization Investment Act:
The Act will tie the length of TSAs to the amount of investment being made in the City of Providence, and it will standardize the process by which TSAs are reviewed and approved. This includes citywide departmental review before reaching the Council, as well as a clearly defined list of documentation that a developer must provide at the outset of the application.
In addition to procedural changes, the proposed legislation condenses a number of existing requirements on TSAs into one section of the Providence Code of Ordinances to eliminate confusion. These requirements include the criteria all developers will be held to if they want a TSA, such as hiring Minority and Women Business Enterprises, paying prevailing wage during construction, and defining specific reporting timelines to ensure compliance. There are also specific designations for the taxes generated from stabilized properties, which includes 1% of all taxes for First Source, 10% for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and 7% for the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. While these designations have been designated by ordinance in the past, the new legislation places them directly in the section of the Ordinances governing TSAs in order to eliminate any uncertainty regarding where TSA taxes must go.
Finally, the Act establishes a very specific notice and cure provision in order to increase the enforcement capabilities of the Council so that they can exercise greater control over compliance with all of the terms and conditions of each TSA.
