Ward 15
All Members
Councilman Oscar Vargas
Councilman Oscar O. Vargas was elected to City Council in the summer of 2021. He represents Ward 15, which includes the parts of Silver Lake, Olneyville, Manton, and Valley neighborhoods. Councilman Vargas is the Chairman of the Committee on Public Works and a member of the Committee on Ordinances. He is also a member of the Water Supply Board.
As a resident of Providence for more than 20 years, Councilman Vargas has had the opportunity to experience firsthand the issues Ward 15 faces.
Born in Zacapa, Guatemala, Councilman Vargas immigrated to Providence, Rhode Island, in 1989. He attended Central High School, and after graduation, he worked at the Citizens Bank Corporation Office. Councilman Vargas has also worked as a jeweler; a year later, he opened his jewelry shop. In 2016 he received an auto mechanic certificate from MTTI.
Ward 15: Olneyville, Silver Lake, Valley
Recent News
FY 2020 Budget Passes
Providence City Council Passes 2020 Budget Which Brings Back the Homestead Exemption Providing Relief for Providence Homeowners Tonight, the Providence City Council passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Budget at their regularly scheduled meeting. The budget...
City Council Approves Affordable Housing Trust
Tonight, the City Council approved an ordinance that would authorize the appropriation of funds to the Providence Housing Trust. “This is an important and meaningful milestone for this Council,” stated Council President Sabina Matos. “As I assembled my leadership...
2020 Budget Has First Passage
Providence City Council Votes to Pass the Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Which Includes a Homestead Exemption to Protect Homeowners Tonight, the Providence City Council convened for a special meeting for first passage of the 2020 FY budget which will benefit all residents....
Committee on Finance Sends Budget to Council for Vote
Providence City Council Committee on Finance Sends Fiscal Year 2020 Budget to the Council for Vote The Providence City Council Committee on Finance today voted to send a reduced FY2020 city budget of $770M for vote and passage to the full Council. The budget...
City Council to Move Forward with Single Tax Rate and Single Homestead Exemption
The City Council leadership team would like to thank our sponsors in both the House and Senate for their support of the Council’s progressive tax plan. Tonight, the Rhode Island Senate voted in favor of the Council’s proposed tax plan, while the House of...
Statement from Council President Matos on RIDE Report
The report released today by the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) on the months-long deep dive completed by a research team from Johns Hopkins University is heartbreaking - not just for our students, but for our staff, faculty, and City. I am committed to...
