Elorza announces budget for Providence

April 29, 2015 7:36 pm

By News Staff

Mayor Jorge Elorza announced a $696 million fiscal budget for Providence today.

The budget includes funding for new police and fire academy classes, improvements to public works and city services, expansion of Advanced Placement programs in schools, school building repairs, and updates to the city’s street light system.

“This budget maintains faith with the Providence’s taxpayers by not raising taxes,” Mayor Elorza said. “It honors our obligations by making 100 percent of our pension payment. It invests in innovation, so that we have a more efficient and responsive government. And it confronts our fiscal challenges by refusing to rely on one-time budget fixes.”

The details of the Mayor’s proposed budget can be viewed through Open Budget Providence by visiting: openbudget.providenceri.gov

NO NEW TAXES

No change to residential and business tax rates
Commercial tax rate remains frozen for fourth-straight year
Projects 2 percent expansion of the city’s tax base with an improving economy

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Nearly $500,000 in new tax revenue from Providence’s Working Waterfront
New Business Concierge to shepherd developers and business owners through permitting
Puts minority and women owned businesses to work revitalizing boarded, abandoned homes investment to help us turn the Providence International Arts Festival into an annual economic driver like the New Orleans Jazz Festival or Austin’s South by Southwest Music Festival

INNOVATION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Customer Service Initiative for City employees in partnership with Amica Insurance
City Departments to accept credit cards
New, simple and customer friendly online permitting

CITY SERVICES

13 percent increase in Snow Budget
10 percent increase in Street Sweeping Budget
New equipment for the Department of Public Works
Aggressive tree pruning program

PUBLIC EDUCATION

Providence Schools budget up $7.2 million with increased state aid
Professional development for school principals
New teachers at West Broadway Middle School and two Carnegie High Schools
Expands Advanced Placement programs
Expands Career and Technical Education programs
$10 million bond for school building upgrades
Begins five-year program to repaint every school

PUBLIC SAFETY

New Police Academy
New Fire Academy
Restores police foot patrols and community policing lost to previous cuts
Grant funding to restore midnight leagues that keep youth actively engaged
Reduces call-back hours in Fire Department, saving $5 million in overtime

HEALTHY LIVING AND SUSTAINABILITY

Improved access and new programming in the City’s nine recreation centers
Purchase of streetlights from National Grid, saving $650,000 and reducing energy consumption
Citywide recycling and energy challenges