Providence Special Commission on Veterans Affairs-Tuesday, January 7, 2025 4:30PM
Call to Order and Roll Call
Chair Pichardo called the Special Commission on Veterans Affairs meeting to order. A roll call was taken by the clerk and a quorum was established with three members present.
Item 1: Election of the Vice Chair
The commission addressed the election of the vice chair position. A motion was made and approved to continue the item to a future meeting when all members are present.
Item 2: Discussion and Review of Draft Legislation for Veterans Tax Exemption
The commission reviewed draft legislation intended for the General Assembly enabling the City of Providence to set local veteran tax exemption amounts. Members discussed clarifying language regarding disability ratings and benefits alignment.
Item 3: Objectives and Future Topics of the Commission
The commission discussed future initiatives, including congressional delegation outreach and planning for a 2026 veterans parade aligned with the semi-quincentennial. They also reviewed plans to coordinate and support an annual flag retirement ceremony.
Adjournment
A motion to adjourn the meeting was made, seconded, and approved unanimously. The meeting was officially adjourned.
Unknown
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I'd like to call the special commission on Veterans Affairs for, today, Tuesday, January 7. It's about 04:35. Good afternoon, everyone, and may you all have a healthy, happy New Year twenty twenty five. So welcome. Thank you for being here.
Unknown
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Madam clerk, can we have the, roll call, please?
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Chair Pichardo.
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Present.
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Anthony Alves.
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Present.
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Officer Iannucci is absent. Director Yarn?
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Here.
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We have three present and one absent. We have a quorum.
Unknown
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Thank you very much. You is the agenda for today, We have items number one, election of the vice chair. I'd like to continue that item, and I would like to have the full... I'm gonna tell the members here. So the motion to continue, item number one.
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Can I have a motion can I have a motion to continue? It's just a matter waiting. Wait. The motion has been moved by
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Second.
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Commissioner Al, second by commissioner Yarn. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. The ayes have it.
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Item number two, discussion and review of draft legislation to be presented right now with the goal of being presented to the general assembly, giving us the ability to modify or change and present new ordinance based on our needs for our veterans here in the city of Providence. At this time before you, you have a copy of the draft that was compiled by our staff with the feedback that we have obtained from you as discussions that we've had in the past couple of months. So I'd like to have Tricia just
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Make a motion to enter?
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I'll entertain a motion to enter this item, item number two, to the record. Motion to move forward. A motion has been made by commissioner Alves, seconded by commissioner Yarn. The ace have it. The item is submitted as item number one.
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Tricia?
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Yeah. So, the, administration, the mayor's office had sent us over a draft ordinance, that they had provided us, and we were also doing our own draft ordinance because the one the administration had originally sent to us, which we had emailed you guys only, like, a couple hours ago with both of them, this one and the one that the mayor's office had provided. The mayor's office version basically only struck out one portion of this draft, which was just the very first part that says that for veterans or the married or unmarried widow or widower of veterans, there's a $3,000 exemption. The only thing that they had done was struck through that, and they had said that province could set the exemption amount for that. But all the other types of veteran statuses in this ordinance, like blind veterans, countryside disabled, those exemptions would stay the same.
Unknown
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So we basically did a draft that... Which is what you're looking at, which were to cross out the whole thing. And, basically, you just put all of those same veteran statuses that are in the law on the next page here. And it just says that the city of Providence is hereby authorized by ordinance of resolution, exempt from taxation, a specified dollar amount, and then for all of these types of veterans. And it's all the ones that are currently in the law.
Unknown
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It just says that the city of Providence now can set the exemption for all of these. So that's pretty much what this draft says. Correct.
Unknown
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Yeah. And we've also... Just for your information, this is just for discussion. This is not just a vote, today. It's it's not necessary.
Unknown
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It's just for us, to continue to provide, one, review of of our goals and also our desire to help veterans in the city of Providence, but also I wanna make sure that the language is aligned with, our goals and mission of this commission. This proposed language is still in draft form. We will continue to draft this if there are any changes that need to be made. Lastly, we've had communication from the administration that they're also in favor of this, more detailed language, on this, on this draft. So, any questions, any observations on the review?
Unknown
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Yes. Chairman Vermaat, line item number four, it talks about all the way down to the, starting with such as in compliance with that examples or what payments can we see. In the veteran space, it... I would also do a a disability pension from our veteran affairs as well. So you list employees of railroad federal civil service.
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I would also... I recommend it be added federal affairs. So this is what it's called. This is... That's where...
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This is... That disability rating will drive all the other checks. So that that disability rate comes from our federal government affairs. Yes. Alright.
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So that needs to be codified in this... In in line item number four as well.
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Right. Thank you very much for that observation. And I I asked before in terms of this is... This would be for the state law. At the local level, we can also proportion the tax benefits for the veterans based on their percentage of of disability?
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Do you know, commissioner Yarn, if other cities proportion those tax benefits for veterans who are, let's say, 50% disabled? I think so. No. No? No?
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No. They have to be a 100%.
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It's either It's either... It's come as you are. Yeah. You are or you're not?
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Yeah. It's either you're you're a veteran and you're seeking veteran status or you're a 100% disabled, and that bumps you up into that next tier. I've... Between... You know, I've...
Unknown
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I haven't seen anything that differentiates. I mean, it's not like, certain veteran benefits where if you're, you know, 30 or 50%, then you get these other benefits. Mhmm. It's either you are or you're an owner.
Unknown
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Yeah. Is that, perhaps, Tricia, if we could just clarify that question, you know, just to make sure for law perspective and also that could be brought up at the state level now that more veterans are receiving, proportionally, benefits. Like you said, we understand the... You you are or you're not, but maybe it's not clear at state law. Yeah.
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And if there's any municipality that have been to those... In those conversation, if not, it's probably... They haven't brought it up anyways. But I just wanted to to bring it up. Any other points on this matter?
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So what we'll do is we'll move forward with with this draft and make some other minor changes. But the intent of of our pursuing, this, veteran tax exemption and and part of the work of this commission, it has moved us more closer to ensure that the benefits are representative and up to date in essence, within, city of Providence and also the state of Rhode Island. By pursuing this, piece of legislation, it just gives us the ability to set our own laws or ordinance, to provide this benefit to, veterans. Alright? So with that said, that's, item number two.
Unknown
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On item number three, discussion relative to the objectives and future topics of the commission. You know, we discussed last time in December 2024 just the dates of our meetings and also the potential of looking at how we could continue to provide outreach to our congressional delegation, one for additional funding for the city of Providence, and that's something that we'd love to have your, as commissioners, your input on that, but also I'll be pursuing those type of outreach to them. So at a certain point, I will be setting up some meetings. And if you'll like to join us, I'll let... I can let you know when those meetings are, and you can join us.
Unknown
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I've already had mentioned it to brief meetings with senator White House, congressman Gabe Amo, and senator Jack Weed. I haven't had the opportunity to really talk to congressman Seth Magazena, but he's always been available to to help us out as veterans. So if you're open to that, I can certainly keep you informed in when those meetings will take place. Sounds good? Sounds good.
Unknown
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Alright. And for the last topic that I wanted to bring was that I know one of the goals and and and objective for establishing this was also to have, eventual, parade in the city of Providence. There's no, there's no, as they say, we have... We've come to to the the news that, the city of Providence, including the state of Rhode Island, is is is facing rate deficits in the next, year or or two. And so I want us to be mindful of that, but, we're still going to pursue pursue that.
Unknown
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I know that, this year coming, 2026, '25, 2626, f y... FYI... Fiscal FYI is gonna be challenging at at at both level. So I want us to, think out of the box how, one, how can we project and start planning at least for with that objective, in, 2026. And and also looking at what sort of structure, providing a parade, for those of you who have had, experiences, what budgets will look like, and, what things need to be in place.
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And, we can discuss further in terms of putting, some structure behind that to meet our objective getting to 2026. Commissioner Ellis? 2026 will be the country's two hundred and fiftieth. Awesome.
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So it'd probably be good if we could do something to try to aim for that.
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Yeah. That would be great. Wasn't aware of that. Thank you very much. And commissioner Yarn, any thoughts on him?
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What's the approach that... This is an open book test. We do a great job at the prior parade. Right? Yep.
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So why would just copy paste that in that same process? No. The... And and DVD test. Right.
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Exactly. So let's take that same program.
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I think I can reach out to the, ACT, director Wilson. Mhmm. Great guy. He's... He, works out a lot of the details for all the events and whatnot going on through Providence.
Unknown
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Mhmm. So he would probably be a a a great person to, start off with. That's awesome. Yep.
Unknown
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And you're right. We do a tremendous job putting those two popular, festival over the past, decade, and so, that that will be a great start. So So if we can just make sure that we... Through you and through us
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Is there an opportunity to invite the organizer of those events to this meeting to give us an update on what date? The success story? It's a lesson learning. Could. That day
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here. Yes. In addition, if I may, you know, we can also reach out to other, municipalities or, how they're organized there, if you make any recommendations.