The Providence City Council has approved a resolution setting the ball rolling on hundreds of dollars being added to local property tax bills.
“It’s important to be clear that giving the City of Providence this extra flexibility doesn’t necessarily mean any taxes will be raised up to that maximum. It just means we have that option as a last resort,” said Finance Committee Chair and Ward 2 Councilwoman Helen Anthony. “At the end of the day, it’s the administration’s job to propose a budget and Council’s job to vet that proposal and either approve or vote it down. We are all committed to ensuring that no one group of residents, no one area of city services is asked to carry this load alone.”
The measure calls on the state legislature to allow the city to exceed the 4 percent spending cap to no more than 8 percent; in order to pay for the 11 million dollars, it owes the state in an education settlement.
The City Council vote Thursday night was unanimous.
(Photo: Providence City Council)