by Billy Kepner | Jun 15, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15, Ward-7
The Providence City Council tonight voted to override Mayor Elorza’s veto of an ordinance that aims to protect the public from secondhand smoke in a dense area of public spaces that comprise Providence’s downtown core. The ordinance was approved by the Council on May 24th and vetoed by Mayor Elorza on June 2nd. Tonight’s vote effectively sets the ordinance into law.
The area in which smoking will be prohibited is home to high-density foot traffic and is used by thousands of people— including residents, visitors, and children— on a daily basis year-round. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), second-hand smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, 70 of which cause cancer. The CDC states the only way to fully protect non-smokers is the elimination of smoking from all homes, worksites and public places. The World Health Organization reports that almost half of children regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco in public places.
“Everyone deserves access to healthy public spaces,” said Acting Council President Sabina Matos. “There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke. This is a commonsense measure that mitigates second-hand smoke exposure in our most congested public spaces.”
Smoking is already prohibited in parks, playgrounds, and areas around schools. With similar restrictions already in place throughout the City of Providence, Matos sees this ordinance as an extension of existing policy.
“We all know that second-hand smoke is detrimental to health,” said Finance Committee Chairman John Igliozzi. “Legislation that promotes public health is always good public policy.”
Many municipalities around the country have enacted similar or more extensive laws regarding smoking in public areas.
Calabasas, CA enacted a smoking ban in 2006 that makes it a misdemeanor to smoke where a non-smoker could congregate. This includes public sidewalks as well as apartment complexes. This is punishable by a fine of at least $250.
Boise, ID enacted a ban in 2012 that bans smoking from all public places accessible to children and all spaces owned by the public.
In 2012, Alameda, CA enacted a smoking ban that prohibits smoking in outdoor public places, including commercial-area sidewalks, defined as public sidewalks in downtown shopping and business areas.
by Billy Kepner | Jun 12, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-7
Tonight, the Providence City Council Finance Committee approved the 737 million dollar city budget for the 2018 fiscal year. This budget is the result of the Elorza Administration and the Council’s mutual goal to produce a fiscally responsible city budget that includes no tax increases, invests in schools and neighborhoods, includes strategies to stimulate the economy and asks city departments to streamline operations and maximize efficiencies. The budget focuses on developing a rainy day fund that will help increase the city’s bond rating, thereby allowing the city to be more efficient in future borrowing practices, increasing economic development, building the city’s tax base, providing an excellent quality of life for city residents.
Council led initiatives in the budget include:
Tax Reform:
• The current penalty system for late tax payments assesses interest and penalties based on the total annual tax obligation, regardless of what quarter the payment is late in or if all other payments have been made on time. This new budget reforms the appropriation ordinance to end this aggressive practice, replacing it with a fair policy that will charge interest and penalties based only on the amount of the quarterly tax obligation for which the late payment is assigned.
Traffic Calming and Nuisance Control:
• Allocation of $300,000 to build on a revenue-neutral neighborhood traffic calming program to be led by the Providence Police Department. Successfully piloted last year in Ward 5, this program funds placement of police detail in neighborhood traffic hot spots where speeding, lack of compliance with stop signs and other infractions pose public safety issues. This program increases police visibility in neighborhoods across the city, and also allows additional officers to be more nimble in the enforcement of noise ordinance violations. This successful program is revenue neutral, as the revenue raised by fines levied pays for the cost of the detail.
Public Safety:
• This budget allocates money to run a second cohort of police and fire academies.
Neighborhood Infrastructure Program
• Allocation of $1.5 million dollars to the Council’s successful Neighborhood Infrastructure Program. Initiated last year, this popular program paid for parks and bricks and mortar improvements to neighborhoods across the city, including significant upgrades and renovations to city pools, school buildings, recreation centers, parks and sidewalks.
Blight Removal Pilot Program:
• Allocation $200,000 to pilot a city-wide blight removal program. While the Mayor’s Every Home program focuses on rehabbing abandoned properties around the city, some structures are too costly to rehab and are a persistent source of neighborhood blight and infringe on the quality of life for surrounding homes. This program will target demolition of these properties, and turn the remaining lot into public green space or expansion of yards for neighboring properties. This program will be administered by the Department of Inspection and Standards and will provide much-needed relief for communities hobbled by the detrimental effects of long-standing blighted properties.
Investments in PVD Fest:
• Every year, PVD Fest becomes more popular and is a landmark event for the city. This budget allocates dollars to sustain and grow this important and successful festival.
by Billy Kepner | Jun 10, 2017 | Council News, Press Release
The Providence City Council today issued the following statement regarding Evelyn Fargnoli’s Passing:
“The members of the Providence City Council are saddened to learn of former Council President Evelyn Fargnoli’s passing and wish her family their condolences. Councilwoman Fargnoli was a true pioneer in Providence politics and leaves behind a remarkable legacy of public service.”
by Billy Kepner | Jun 5, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-4
The Providence City Council on Thursday approved an ordinance that regulates dog breeding in Providence and requires dogs that are not registered for breeding to be spayed or neutered. The ordinance was introduced by Councilman Nicholas Narducci (Ward 4).
“We’ve taken an important step to ensure that dogs are bred responsibly in our city,” said Councilman Narducci. “This ordinance is the first of its kind in the state and will serve as a model for other municipalities to promote the well-being of animals.”
The ordinance establishes a new dog breeding permit, which will be administered by the City’s Animal Control Department. Potential breeding sites will be inspected prior to approval; sites must be found in compliance with applicable laws and meet the department’s standards for the proper care and breeding of dogs.
The ordinance also sets a maximum limit of 3 adult dogs per household and mandates that a dog owner without a breeding permit is required to have their dog/s spayed or neutered by 6 months of age.
The ordinance is endorsed by the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA). “The Rhode Island SPCA firmly supports the passage of this ordinance and commends the Providence City Council for setting a precedent for the rest of the state to follow,” said RISPCA Animal Cruelty Officer Joe Warzycha.
by Billy Kepner | Jun 1, 2017 | Council News, Press Release
Landmark Legislation Aims to End Racial Profiling, Bolster Police Accountability and Oversight
The Providence City Council tonight approved final passage of the Providence Community-Police Relations Act (PCPRA), a comprehensive, community-driven ordinance that aims to end racial profiling and codify into law best practices in police conduct from around the country. The PCPRA is considered one of the most progressive policing bills in the United States and includes a broad range of measures that strengthen protections for youth, transgender individuals, people of color, and immigrants. The comprehensive scope of the ordinance makes it the first of its kind in the country.
The landmark legislation was approved with recommended amendments from a panel comprised of community members, police administration and union representatives, and City Solicitor, administration, and City Council representatives. The amendments include greater clarification of definitions used in the ordinance, improved language that eliminates confusion about intent, and language changes that ensure consistency between the ordinance and State law. The final version of the ordinance also reflects the panel’s recommendation to change the ordinance’s name from the Community Safety Act to the Providence Community-Police Relations Act to better demonstrate its intent.
In its final form, the PCPRA is the product of nearly three years of stakeholder engagement. Among its many provisions, the ordinance effectively prohibits racial and other forms of discriminatory profiling, mandates policies for the use of body cameras, brings much-needed reforms to the Providence Police Department’s “gang database,” and codifies policies regarding non-criminal immigration concerns.
First introduced in 2014, the ordinance reflects years of research and collaboration between community members, elected officials, and public safety leaders. The comprehensive legislation brings together and expands upon best practices adopted from numerous cities, including New York City, Seattle, and Austin. The City Council solicited input from a wide range of stakeholders—including the Fraternal Order of Police, members of the STEP-UP Coalition, the Chief of Police, Commissioner of Public Safety, the Mayor’s Office, and the City’s law department—to deliver an ordinance that builds upon the Providence Police Department’s positive track record of community-police relations and public trust.
PCPRA HIGHLIGHTS
- Prohibits racial and other forms of discriminatory profiling
Prevents police officers from racially profiling or otherwise discriminating against individuals based on their race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and other factors
- Establishes how police officers will document and collect data from traffic and pedestrian stops
Allows individuals stopped by the police to request and receive a report on their stop
Mandates policies for the use of body-worn cameras
Protects individuals’ rights to photograph and film the police
- Mandates greater transparency and accountability in police-community interactions
Requires officers to inform drivers of why their vehicle was stopped, sets standards for requiring information from passengers, and codifies policy on individuals driving without a license Requires that officers inform individuals of their constitutional right to refuse before asking for consent to a search Requires officers in uniform to show their federal ID numbers Requires the Chief of Police to submit quarterly reports to Providence External Review Authority (PERA) on the data collected
- Establishes new protections for juveniles, immigrants, and transgender individuals
Establishes right of transgender individuals to be searched by an officer of their gender identity and requires the Police Department to develop policies for handling those searches
Prohibits officers from inquiring about an individual’s immigration status, and requires officers to accept valid identification from foreign governments
Sets standards for dealing with individuals lacking proof of identification
Prohibits officers from photographing juveniles under most circumstances
- Improves and codifies policies for use of Gang Database
Requires the Police Department to establish policies for determining if an individual should be added to the gang database
Prohibits certain factors, such as race, from being included in the criteria for adding someone to the gang database
Requires parental notification when anyone under 18 is added to the gang database
Allows anyone over 18 to ask if they are on the gang database
Creates both an administrative removal process and a formal appeal process for people who feel they were added to the database in error.
Requires an annual audit of the gang database to identify any errors and make recommendations for improving its use
- Improves language access for Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals
Requires the Police Department maintain its language access hotline to connect officers with qualified translators
Requires the use of qualified translators if the officer isn’t fluent in the language spoken (except in emergencies)
Mandates policies on officer fluency and defining emergencies
Requires custodial interrogations of LEP individuals be recorded
Requires vital materials be available in the five most commonly spoken languages in Providence
by Billy Kepner | Jun 1, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15, Ward-5, Ward-7
Highly Detailed Public Infrastructure Plan Reaches Every City Neighborhood
Finance Committee Chairman John Igliozzi (Ward 7) tonight introduced a resolution that seeks to authorize the issuance of a $45M bond from the Providence Public Buildings Authority (PPBA) to fund a comprehensive 5-year strategic infrastructure plan for the City of Providence. The resolution was referred to the Finance Committee for further vetting.
The proposed Capital Improvement Plan—a highly detailed public infrastructure program that reaches every City neighborhood— is the result of a strong, collaborative effort by City Council leadership to deliver a transparent, equitable, and thoroughly vetted spending plan to taxpayers prior to bond issuance.
An earlier proposal introduced by the administration last summer failed to earn Council support due to the lack of a clear spending plan, a rushed timeline, and the city’s financial outlook. The initial proposal, which was less than a half page in length, sought to allocate tens of millions of dollars into a few “spending buckets.” The proposal was introduced to the Council after the budget for the current fiscal year had been adopted, and just weeks ahead of the state deadline to put a bond referendum on the November ballot. At the time, the city also had a negative rainy day fund balance and low bond rating.
In recent months, the city’s financial outlook has improved; the city’s bond rating has been upgraded and a large portion of the city’s debt will be repaid in the upcoming fiscal year. The Council is also expected to pass a balanced budget and add $3.5M to the city’s rainy day fund. In light of this progress, the Council will soon deliberate the proposed Capital Improvement Plan. The proposal will be available to the public and deliberated in open Finance Committee meetings.
“This proposal has come together through collaboration between the City Council and administration,” said Acting Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15). “Councilors feel more comfortable now that adequate time has been taken to develop a plan that includes greater input from all stakeholders.”
“The vetting process of the Capital Improvement Plan will ensure that a clear spending plan is presented to the public, and that the needs of every neighborhood are addressed. No corner of the city will be overlooked as we seek to secure resources for these critical infrastructure improvements,” said Finance Committee Chairman John Igliozzi.
“The Council has worked to secure an infrastructure proposal from the administration that specifies spending plans and reaches every neighborhood,” said Majority Whip Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5). “I look forward to vetting this comprehensive proposal with my colleagues.”
