Elorza’s Budget Raises Questions
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Elorza's Budget Cuts Landlord Tax Break, Adds $2 Million in Parking Meter Collections
Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza has unveiled a $696 million Fiscal Year 2016 budget proposal that contains funding for new police and fire classes and a 13% increase in the city's snow budget -- and does so by increasing parking meter collections by $2 million, asking the Governor for $5 million in PILOT payments, and purchasing streetlight from National Grid, among other measures.
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GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIn a budget address in the City Council chamber on Wednesday night, Elorza touted no change to the residential and business tax rates and keeping the commercial tax rate frozen -- but his proposal cuts the ordinance approved by the City Council last year to provide tax relief to the non-resident landlords, which would cost the city over $6 million.
City Council President Luis Aponte, who backed the measure last year, gave his reaction following Elorza's address.
"It's a lean, tight budget," said Aponte, who addressed the issue of the landlord tax break. "[The Mayor] wants it out/ Many of my colleagues believe a commitment was made, so we'll look closely. I think there's broad support -- maybe we can't find $6 million, but maybe we can find part of it."
Closer Look
"The budget maintains faith with the Providence taxpayers by not raising taxes," Mayor Elorza of the budget, which reflects a two percent growth over the current budget for FY15. "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."
Elorza touted finding $500,000 in new tax revenue from Providence's working waterfront, and PILOT payments negotiated by the Taveras administration with Lifespan and Care New England as new revenue streams. In addition, Elorza budgeted the city purchasing.
Growing costs include an increase of $2.5 million for health care costs and $3.5 million for pension costs.
The budget relies on an increase of $5 million more than what was contained in Governor Gina Raimondo's budget, who cut the city's payment-in-lieu-of-taxes funding by $2.5 million.
The city is asking to be made whole, and for an additional $2.5 million on top of that.
Related Slideshow: Ten Issues Elorza Can’t Hide From
Inauguration activities are now underway for the new Mayor of Providence, Jorge Elorza.
While the pomp, circumstance, and celebration taking place over the next several days, here are the issues the new Mayor will have no choice but to soon have to deal with.
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