FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2019
CONTACT INFO. :
Office of the Mayor
Patricia Resende
(401) 529-3207
presende@cityofeastprov.com
Mayor allows budget to become law without signature
EAST PROVIDENCE, RI – East Providence Mayor Bob DaSilva, after careful consideration, has decided to allow the first budget under the new Mayor-City Council form of government to become law without his signature.
The FY 2019/-2020 budget included two new lines of funding including $1.4 million in debt service payments for the new high school and $950,000 for school construction, maintenance and repairs. An additional $700,000 was allocated to the police and fire pensions to ensure the fiscal stability of the pension fund.
The budget is a 2.3 percent increase over the previous year and sets the city’s operating expenses, including the school department, to $188 million. A new tax rate will be set in the spring.
“While I have the utmost respect for the City Council and the budget process, I could not in good conscience approve this budget.” Mayor DaSilva said.
In spite of the care and effort during this budget process, some actions taken on the last day of the City Council’s hearings were made without a full understanding of the challenging impact those cuts will have on a well-functioning government.
Some of those actions include:
• Drastic cuts to the Human Resources budget, cutting essential funds for employee training, recruitment and retention, postage and even everyday office supplies
• Elimination of mayor’s proposal to increase the homestead exemption from 13 percent to 13.5 percent
“The most valuable resource that any employer has are its employees,” DaSilva said. “When we invest in our employees, we gain positive workforce morale and ultimately greater service to our community.”
Mayor DaSilva has pledged to continue to introduce an increase to the homestead exemption and pledges to do so every year that he is mayor.
Should you have any questions, please call the City of East Providence Mayor’s Office at
401-435-7500 EXT. 11013.
