Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Address | Mayor Brett P. Smiley
Call to Order and Roll Call
Council President Miller calls the special council meeting to order and the clerk conducts the roll call. A quorum is established with 14 members present and one absent.
Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
Councilwoman Althea Graves leads the invocation, offering a prayer for guidance and strength. Councilwoman Jill Davidson then leads the council and guests in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion to Waive Reading of Items 1 and 2
The majority leader moves to waive the reading of items one and two, which is seconded and approved. The items are officially noted as received by the council.
Escort of Mayor Smiley
The council stands at ease while a delegation of councilors escorts Mayor Smiley to the chamber. The council then reconvenes to hear the mayor's address.
Mayor Smiley's Proposed Budget Address
Mayor Smiley presents his proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, highlighting achievements in housing, public safety, and climate initiatives. He emphasizes that the budget does not raise taxes or increase fines despite rising inflation.
Attendance Update
Council President Miller notes the arrival of Councilman Vargas, which is recorded by the clerk. The council briefly pauses before proceeding to the next item of business.
Motion to Suspend Rule 16b
The majority leader moves to suspend Rule 16b of the city council rules to address a matter not on the printed docket. The motion is seconded and approved by the council.
Motion to Waive Reading and Table Items 4 through 10
The majority leader moves to waive the reading of items four through ten and lay them on the table. The motion is seconded and approved by the council.
Adjournment
With no further business on the calendar, the majority leader moves to adjourn the meeting. The motion is seconded and approved, and the meeting is adjourned.
Speaker 0
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Good evening, and welcome to this special council meeting on Wednesday, April 15, and a very special welcome to all of our guests tonight. Madam clerk, please call the roll.
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Council president Miller. Present. Deputy majority whip Anderbois. Present. Councilor Davidson.
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Present. Majority leader Espinal.
Speaker 2
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Present.
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Senior deputy majority leader Gonsalves.
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Present.
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Councilwoman Graves. Present. Deputy majority leader Harris. Present. Councilwoman Peterson.
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Present. Council president Pro Tempur Pichardo. Present. Councilor Royas. Present.
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Councilwoman Ryan. Present. Majority Whip Sanchez? Present. Councilman Taylor?
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Present. Councilwoman Anna Vargas is absent. Councilman Oscar Vargas? Present. You have 14 present and one absent.
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You have a quorum.
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Thank you, madam clerk. This evening, the invocation will be led by councilwoman Althea Graves. If everyone will please rise.
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Heavenly father, thank you for giving us a glorious day. Thank you for allowing us to get to our destination all in one piece. Thank you for coming and giving us your full grace. I hope that we receive it the way that you intended us to. I want you to know that we are here to do the best that we can because we know that that is what you want us to do.
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We know that you want us to be the light in the darkness and we know that we can be. We just need you to keep on pointing us in the right direction. We just need you to keep on showing us the way. And sometimes we may stray off the path, but we know that you are there to help us. So keep us in your grace.
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Keep blessing us so that we can continue to be the light that you want us to be. Keep blessing us so that we can continue to do what we need to do to make the city of Providence the best that it can be. We know that there's a lot to do, but we know that we have you and with you all things are possible. And with all this, I will continue to glorify your name. And we know that they're along with the Lord, they're Satan.
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And we only have one message for him. Satan, we're gonna tear your kingdom down. Satan would wanna tear your kingdoms down. You've been building your kingdoms over this land. But Satan, we're gonna tear your kingdoms down.
Speaker 0
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Amen. Thank you, counselor. And tonight, the pledge of allegiance will be led by councilwoman Jill Davidson. I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Madam clerk, item one, please.
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Madam president. Majority leader.
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Motion to weigh the reader of item one and two.
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Second, madam president. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye.
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Any opposed? Any abstentions? The motion passes. Please note one and two as received. So noted.
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I would now like to ask the council to stand at ease and invite, Pro Tempichardo and counselors Harris, Ryan, Davidson to, please go and escort mayor Smiley to the chamber. Thank you. Counselors, we are back in session.
Speaker 4
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Well, good evening everyone. Madam council president, honorable members of the city council, state senators and representatives, department directors, community partners, fellow neighbors of our great city of Providence. I'm happy to be here with you this evening to present my proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. As we enter my fourth year in office, I'm proud of all that we've accomplished as a community. Less than four years ago, I pledged to prioritize the everyday needs of our neighbors.
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From streamlining and modernizing city services, to building new housing, dramatically elevating public safety, to simply ensuring that the day to day services that you expect from city hall are done right, the first time. We have built a city hall that protects and listens to and works directly for our neighbors. In this last year alone, we have built new state of the art schools, made childcare more affordable, broke down barriers that have hindered local businesses, and advanced climate initiatives that lay the groundwork for a greener, more sustainable providence for generations to come. The budget proposal that I'm presenting tonight was carefully developed to propel this critical momentum and build on this past year's successes. But at the same time, as I stand here tonight with our community and thinking of those watching from home, I know that this last year was one of the most difficult heart wrenching periods that our community has ever been faced with.
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From the turmoil that the Trump administration has brought on us by threatening food security and bringing dangerous lawless actions into our neighborhoods that's put the safety and well-being at risk of all of our neighbors. To the unmanageable costs of groceries, gas, utilities and housing, our community has been forced to endure what has felt like insurmountable obstacles. And then, in December, Providence was the center of a tragedy that I had hoped would never befall our community. In a senseless act of violence that took two young lives, Providence grappled with the aftermath of a tragedy that has become far too common in our country. But in those harrowing moments, while our city was in the national spotlight, the people of Providence did what we are best at.
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We leaned on one another, supported one another, and showed the country what makes our city so special. To all those that responded in those first moments, to colonel Perez and the entire Providence Police Department, to chief Silva and the entire fire department, to director D'Cerbo and the emergency management agency, and director Radcliffe and the telecommunications department, and to all of the law enforcement agencies from across Rhode Island who showed up to help when we needed them, thank you. To the city staff, nonprofit and community leaders that have helped with the recovery in the months since, thank you. And I want to especially recognize the first responders who arrived on scene within minutes. Some of you are here with us today.
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Your bravery and selflessness saved lives and we will forever be in your debt. Can you please stand so that we can recognize you for your service? The weight of this tragedy and the path to recovery has not been carried out by law enforcement alone. Despite living in a moment where sometimes the divides among us feel great, and despite the mounting challenges that we face every day, our neighbors stepped up. Local restaurants donated food.
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Neighbors shared information and resources with one another. And, our city came together. The unity and compassion of this community played an instrumental role in the weeks and months since we had that tragedy and have started the healing process. And then, when sadly tragedy hit again just next door in Pawtucket, our neighbors came together again to show support and lend a hand in their recovery. And so, I say from the bottom of my heart to every one of our neighbors, thank you.
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You have helped us heal and you helped us get through it. The rising challenges that our communities are facing every day were at the top of mind as we developed next year's budget. We're in the middle of an affordability crisis. It's impacting every aspect of our way of life here in Providence. While our neighbors need relief to stay in their homes and afford basic essentials, irresponsible decision making at the federal level has made the cost of everyday things only go up.
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The budget for delivering services that our neighbors rely on has not been immune from those same rising costs. Like cities across the country, Providence is grappling with a largely fixed budget and increasing inflation. And after a winter with record breaking snowfall, the largest blizzard in Rhode Island's history, we knew that we would have to make tough choices to balance the city's budget. Absent ARPA funding and with a reduction in federal grant support, we minimized operating costs, reduced spending, learned to do more with less in order to avoid further financial strain on our neighbors. Because of those difficult decisions, I am proud to announce that the budget I am proposing tonight does not raise taxes nor does it increase any fines.
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Closing the budget gap in a year with historic inflation, high interest rates, and aging infrastructure without increasing the cost of living doesn't happen by accident. It took examining the budgets of every department to find ways to cut back without reducing investments in the services that our neighbors rely on. Trash pickup, road repair, and all the services that are so important. In the months leading up to this proposal, I talked to constituents in every neighborhood. I listened to what services were working.
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I asked honestly, where were we falling short? From increased support for small businesses to financial relief for parents with young children, every neighbor's concerns were unique. But, the message I heard loud and clear from every corner of Providence was that our neighbors needed financial relief. At the heart of our affordability crisis is a shortage of housing that makes renting or owning a home increasingly difficult. And for far too many of our families, a temporary financial setback can lead to eviction or displacement from their homes.
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They need support now, so that a medical emergency, job loss, or simply the overwhelming cost of utilities does not leave them without the means to stay in their homes. That's why in this budget, I am proposing an investment in a rent relief program that will provide immediate relief for individuals in crisis. By offering our neighbors in crisis emergency grants of up to $3,000, we are working to break the cycle of displacement and bridge the gap to long term housing stability. And at a time, at the same time, we are invest investing in no cost eviction defense and tenant education. So that individuals facing emergencies will receive the short term relief that they need along with support.
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But, short term relief is not enough. The cost of rent is too high. And, we know that it will not meaningfully lower until we address the underlying cause of this crisis, which is the housing shortage. Providence needs to build more housing. To give our neighbors the housing relief that they deserve, we set out to take bold action to tackle this crisis head on.
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We put in the work to speed up development, collaborated across levels of government, brought together both public and private partners. And as a result, providence is already on track to exceed the state's housing goal and we are building more homes per capita than larger cities like Boston and New York. We streamlined the review process for housing development, adopted zoning changes to allow for greater density, and we're making a direct investment in affordable housing production right here in in the city. Since taking office, over 2,000 new housing units have been built in the city And we're opening more every month. And to better protect the well-being of our tenants, I am proposing two new code enforcement positions in this budget, which will hold landlords accountable and ensure that all of our neighbors live in clean, safe homes.
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From the groundbreaking at the Omni Newark building last week that will bring in over 50 new homes to our city, to the soon to be opened Flynn Building in South Providence, we are making meaningful progress. Once a vacant blighted school, thanks to our investment, in just a few weeks, the Flynn will be home to nearly 200 Providence families. And, to continue that progress, I am putting a $25,000,000 housing proposal on the ballot this year. Our neighbors need affordable housing options and to help us build more in every neighborhood, we need you to vote yes in November on this bond. Solving this crisis is complex and we know that there is no single solution that will provide relief overnight.
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But housing security is the foundation for community well-being, and that's why we are treating this crisis with urgency. There is more work to be done for sure, but we are making tremendous progress. In 2026, protecting the well-being of our neighbors also means standing up to the dangerous and unlawful actions of the Trump administration. Now, more than ever, it is incumbent on local leaders to step up and take action when decisions that are made in Washington put at risk the health and safety of our families here at home. In November, when the federal government failed to take action to protect snap benefits, threatening food security for thousands, 16,000 of which are children, the city stepped up, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, and for the first time activated our emergency food plan.
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We doubled the number of meals at our recreation centers, established a central hub for Providence based food resources, and provided transportation for seniors in need of food. Then we directly contributed funds to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. When the federal government ramped up its reckless immigration actions in our neighborhoods, stoking fear and anxiety, we took action. We signed an executive order that reinforced our commitment to invest in twenty four seven emergency legal immigration support. And with that executive order, we reaffirmed our commitment to protecting and serving all of our neighbors regardless of immigration status.
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In Providence, all are welcome. And in January, as we watched ICE operations continue to stir unlawful chaos across the country. We stepped in again, signed an executive order prohibiting immigration enforcement on city property. Because as your mayor, I will do everything in my power to protect our neighbors from the reckless actions of this administration. And I'm not alone.
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In Providence, we don't do this work alone. Local grassroots advocates and non profit organizations have stepped up to provide donations, legal expertise and immigration support to all that need it. Proving once again why Providence is so special. To the non profit leaders who have joined us today, your efforts to protect our neighbors and to keep our community together deserves our thanks. Can you please stand so we can give you a round of applause?
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Keeping our community safe begins with ensuring that our public safety teams and their partners have the staffing, resources, and training needed to ensure that all those who live, work, and visit our city feel safe. With this budget, we are fully staffing our police force with officers that represent the diversity of our neighborhoods. And in just three years, we have graduated three new police academies, matching the total number of academies of the previous eight years combined. We're putting in the investments to modernize our approach to safety. Last summer, we launched the real time crime center, a centralized hub of technology that gives our officers the real time tools and technology they need to provide faster, more coordinated responses in every neighborhood.
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The safety of our neighbors is my number one priority. And I'm proud to share that our approach to public safety is working. We have brought violent crime to the lowest level in thirty years. The lowest level since 1990. And we're not slowing down.
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Last year, we removed a record number of illegal guns off of our streets. And this year, we're on track to outpace that record. We're cracking down on excessive sound violations that disturb the local quality of life. And since the creation of our community response team, Providence's ATV problem which had long been a menace to the safety and peace of mind of our neighbors is nearly non existent. In less than three years as well, we've modernized our fire department, digitizing records, and expanding our fleet of state of the art rescues for the first time in a decade to increase the capacity to meet the rising need for medical transports.
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And though we're doing everything in our power to ensure that a tragedy like the Brown University shooting never happens again, Through this budget, we're investing in the modern equipment that our first responders need so that our officers, firefighters, EMTs have the specialty equipment that they need to keep us and them safe. Now, know that quality of life goes beyond just feeling safe. When I ran for office, I heard loud and clear from families in every neighborhood that they wanted to see the day to day services that they received from their city done right. We listened. We have structured our priorities around building a city hall that more effectively meet meets the needs of our neighbors.
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From the creation of an in person city service hub that addresses our most requested services, to bringing government into the modern era by revamping websites and digitizing permits, City services in Providence have never been more effective. We brought in special equipment to dredge rivers and prevent flooding. We invested in new asphalt machines to better fill potholes. In the past year, we have fixed 11 miles of roads, completed over 650 sidewalks, and filled over 5,000 potholes in every corner of this city. Through neighborhood meetings and three one one reports, we have heard directly from our neighbors that when utility companies work on our roads, they often do so without notice and without properly repairing the damage that they've caused.
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In this budget, I am proposing two new positions to hold utility companies accountable. So that when repairs are needed, our neighbors are informed, and our roads are fixed properly. And just last month, we launched the first ever city wide replacement of trash and recycling carts, improving the recycling rates and further elevating our local quality of life. From the From the creation of our innovative urban wood depot in South Providence, to the climate resiliency improvements at India Point Park, we've invested over $14,000,000 in parks and green space renovations in 2025. We completed 20 major projects in our parks in the last year alone.
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And we are adapting to a changing climate, so that when our crews are so that our crews are ready for whatever nature throws our way. Two years ago, with the support of this council, we made the responsible decision to invest in a new fleet of heavy duty snow plows. In just a couple of weeks, those plows will finally be arriving. And in preparation for the year ahead, in this budget, I've expanded our investment in snow and storm recovery. So, that when inclement weather strikes, it will not come as an unexpected expense for our tax payers.
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And while the federal government is rolling back investments in critical climate programs, my administration is making innovative investments in climate resiliency. In Providence, we are already feeling the urgency of the climate crisis. With 13 flash floods since I took office, Schools closed in September for the first time in our history because of high heat and the largest blizzard in our state's history. The time to act is clearly now. And in the absence of federal leadership, we are making the necessary investments to mitigate the impacts of a rapidly changing climate and curb our reliance on fossil fuels.
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Because neighbors and local businesses should not have to bear the cost of another catastrophic weather event. Two years ago, along with this council, Providence led by example. We signed legislation committing to make all city owned buildings completely carbon neutral by 2040. And just last week, I announced that for the first time in Providence's history, we are establishing a dedicated funding source to invest in renewable energy and decarbonization. From new solar panels to upgraded infrastructure, the green revolving fund is an innovative new initiative that will ensure we have the means to invest in energy efficiency improvements throughout Providence.
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We are paving the way for a healthier, more sustainable future for generations to come. And when it comes to our youngest generation, improving education outcomes has been one of my administration's top priorities. That's why we're expanding after school opportunities, building modern state of the art school facilities, and engaging with our community to learn exactly what our teachers and students need. We have broken ground on new school facilities at Asa Messer, Mount Pleasant, Lima Stewart. Work is underway at Mary Fogarty and Robert f Kennedy.