by Billy Kepner | Feb 11, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15
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
by Billy Kepner | Feb 7, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10, Ward-12, Ward-13, Ward-2, Ward-3
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.
by Billy Kepner | Feb 6, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
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
by Billy Kepner | Feb 6, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-6
Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia (Ward 6) introduced a resolution tonight calling on the city’s Department of Public Property to make immediate repairs to the city’s Public Safety Complex.
There are several issues that need to be addressed at the City’s Public Safety Complex, including the entryway and ramps in the parking lot which are in poor condition. There is also a need for replacement of padding in certain cells, and several leaks in the ceilings within the facility, amongst other issues.
“It was brought to my attention that there are important upgrades that need to be made to our Public Safety Complex,” stated City Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia and Chairman of the Committee on Public Works. “Providence has a history of putting band-aids on small problems, instead of addressing them from the beginning. I want to avoid this building, which is used daily by 1000’s of residents who come to pay fines or go to the Municipal Court and by our public employees, falling into disrepair. The building is 15-years old and it’s time to make fixes and upgrades before things go south.”
In addition to the repairs, the resolution calls for additional security cameras for the proper monitoring of the property, added security to entry and exit points where it is lacking, upgraded audio and visual equipment, and other general maintenance tasks throughout the building and the municipal parking garage.
After 60-days from passage, Correia is requesting that the Mayor and the Director of Public Property provide the City Council with an assessment of all repairs needed in the facility as well as a report outlining the steps being taken to complete the identified repairs and upgrades to the facility.
Council President Pro Tempore Correia continued, “Part of owning any property is maintenance, and after 15-years it’s time to give the building some TLC. Not just for the employees that spend much of their waking time there, but the 1000’s of others that visit the building and parking structure on a daily basis. I look forward to working with the Director of Public Property on ensuring that we are providing a safe and habitable workspace for our employees.”
by Billy Kepner | Feb 6, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10, Ward-11, Ward-12, Ward-13, Ward-14, Ward-15, Ward-2, Ward-3, Ward-4, Ward-5, Ward-6, Ward-7, Ward-8, Ward-9
Tonight the City Council will introduce a resolution to honor the life and legacy of Michael Van Leesten, a Providence native and a pioneer in the Civil Rights Struggle of the 1960s.
Mr. Michael Van Leesten was a graduate of Hope High School, Rhode Island College, and was a veteran on the United States Airforce. Upon his graduation from Rhode Island College, he became active in the Civil Rights Movement and participated in SCLC SCOPE Project in Choctaw County, Alabama. He along with six other college students, worked doing community organizing and voter registration in rural Alabama during the height of the Civil Rights Struggle. He spoke of his time in the Movement as a “defining moment in my life,” and he believed that this singular experience made him a better person, better husband, better father, and better community leader.
“Michael Van Leesten was my friend, and a ray of inspiration and hope to many. We would talk over the phone and laugh and before we hung up he would also say ‘Nirva, I am so proud of you,’” stated Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune (Ward 3). “He was more than a board member, the executive director of OIC or a father, he was a community citizen, someone who was aware of and understands the broader issues that our community- and his place in the community and his role in effecting change. He was all of these things because he was a community citizen first and took an active role in his community and the people of his community. He was a bridge builder, an architect of connections and that is why it would be appropriate to name the bride after him. Like the new Pedestrian bridge he bridged gaps and created a platform for all to pass through and that gave others permission to do the same.”
Mr. Van Leesten served as the Executive Director of Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) of Rhode Island, which he helped found, for more than 15years. He was also a consultant and the owner of Van Leesten Associates, and also served as the Director of Planning and Development in Providence. After which, he went on to be the Director of Public Affairs for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, and then in 2006 he resumed his role at the OIC until his passing. He was board member of numerous organizations including the Board of Regents, Peerless Precision, and Fleet Bank, and was awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Roger Williams College, Rhode Island College, and the University of Rhode Island.
Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11) stated, “Mike played a very important role in my life. Through his vision as the Executive Director of Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), he was essential to me becoming a welder. Giving me a profession and career that helped me raise my children and provide them with a quality education. His life’s work was ensuring that those living in poverty could find a way to rise up, learn a trade, and we are all better for having had him in our lives.”
Many community members have been working on several different ways to honor Mr. Van Leesten’s life and legacy, and the City Council and its members wish to make that process more cohesive. The resolution that will be introduced tonight and will be sent to the Council’s Committee on Urban Redevelopment, Renewal, and Planning, which is chaired by Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris. There the Committee will work to bring all the relevant parties together to discuss the most meaningful and fitting way to honor Mr. Van Leesten.
by Billy Kepner | Feb 6, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5
At tonight’s City Council meeting Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) will be introducing an amendment to the Code of Ordinances that puts in place a series of actions to fully engage affected residents in areas where significant infrastructure projects may take place.
This amendment to the Code of Ordinances would not impact any road repairs such as potholes or general maintenance including paving, and restriping of roadway lines. What it does do is call for community engagement around proposals and plans that have a significant impact to the design of any city roadway.
“I often hear from my constituents that they were not notified about significant work being done on their streets which causes them delays that they did not plan for and concerns about not being included in the decision making process,” stated Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan. “Putting in place a process of notification and engagement will go a long way to help our neighbors better understand what is happening in their community, and allows them to have a say in how their street is designed.”
The proposed amendment calls for the following actions to be taken by the Administration’s Department of Public Works any time a new project is to be considered:
- Notice of Public Meeting: Whenever the Director of Public Works receives a request or is considering a project that would require the alteration of a street, including but not limited to, removal or expansion of on-street parking, installation of bicycle lanes, installation of traffic calming measures, or any change to the existing traffic patterns they must hold a public meeting/hearing.
- Written notice would be required to be sent to all property owners or tenants of the adjacent properties where the proposed project would take place.
- Notice must be sent to the Fire Chief, Chief of Police, Commissioner of Public Safety, the City Councilor in who’s Ward the project is to take place and all public utility companies with interests along the project corridor.
- A detailed notice of the project and public meeting/hearing will be published in the newspaper at least ten days before the proposed public meeting/hearing.
- Required Documentation: Before any project can move forward, the Director of Public Works must receive the following documentation:
- A detailed analysis of infrastructure challenges and how the project would impact those challenges.
- A maintenance plan which includes snow and trash removal.
- Written approval from a majority of the property owners along the proposed project corridor.
- If the project is receiving city infrastructure funding, they must provide a fiscal note outlining expenditures related to the proposed project.
- A comprehensive feasibility and public safety impact report for the proposed project.
Failure to comply with any of these requirements will result in an automatic denial, and no permits will be issued by the City in connection with the application.
Majority Leader Ryan continued, “When the City wants to change the direction of a street from two-way to a one-way configuration, they must obtain approval from at least half of the residents on that street to move forward with that plan. If residents wish to opt-out of on-street overnight parking it too requires majority rule. It only makes sense that if you are going to make broad changes to any street that you should require the same. Doing so creates consistency and ensures engagement with the neighbors that are impacted. As a Councilor, it is my responsibility to do not what is only in the best interest of the City, but what is also in the best interest of our residents. Changing streets whole cloth can have serious impacts on property owners from lowering property values to quality of life. This ordinance will ensure that our residents have a say in how their streets and neighborhoods are designed. Having proper planning protocol will ensure transparency and ensure that we are good stewards of precious tax dollars.”
Majority Leader Ryan further stated, “When the city adds bike lanes in a commercial corridor, they take away valuable parking for the small businesses in the neighborhood. It not only hurts the businesses bottom line, but in some cases may cause businesses to close. Going further to harm the quality of life for residents and those who’s livelihoods were dependent on that now closed business.”
Exemptions to this ordinance include:
- Alterations to sidewalks or curb cuts required for development on private property.
- Installation or maintenance of any public utility.
- Any projects implemented by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.
The Ordinance will be sent to committee for vetting and public discourse.
