Mayor to pitch city budget Monday
Numbers, though not set in stone, represent increase of nearly $3.3M
WOONSOCKET — While the city was still fine-tuning the proposal as of press time, Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt will propose a $140.8 million spending plan for fiscal year 2018 that calls for cutting residential property taxes by more than 3 percent and commercial rates by nearly 1 percent.
The proposal represents an increase of about $3.3 million over current spending, but hikes in state and federal school aid account of all but $518,024 of it, officials said. Not counting the school budget, municipal spending is on track to increase about .82 percent.
City Clerk Christina Duarte said she was expecting the administration to propose budget ordinances for preliminary action by the City Council on Monday. Such ordinances are routinely tabled by the council for a public hearing before the panel commences a review that may result in further adjustments to the spending package approved for the year that begins on July 1.
In a still-evolving draft of her budget message that was released early Friday, Baldelli Hunt was proposing to cut the residential tax rate by 3.14 percent and the
—Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, above “My administration has made great progress in our economic development efforts and we must show relentless devotion to meeting the growing needs of our local economy... The FY ’18 budget stresses business development so we can continue the progress we have made.”
commercial tax rate by .91 percent.
If the proposal holds as officials firm up the details, the residential tax rate would drop from $31.84 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation to $30.84. The commercial rate, $38.34 – presently among the highest in the state – would fall back to $37.99.
“We have demonstrated that through prudent budgeting we can reduce the tax burden upon our hardworking residents, while still improving city services by investing in key sectors of the community,” Baldelli-Hunt’s draft letter says. “This reduction in residential and commercial tax rates will provide needed relief to our residents and business owners, while ensuring fiscal stability.”
Though he provided no specifics, Blake Collins, the city’s business outreach and public relations coordinator, said the affordability of the tax cuts is the result of generally prudent spending practices by Baldelli-Hunt across a wide range of areas.
“There’s not one area that was slashed or anything,” he said.
In addition to cutting residential and commercial property taxes, the draft version of Baldelli-Hunt’s budget letter indicates that she intends to:
• Double the tax exemp- tions for war veterans, from $79.38 to $158.76. Widows and widowers of veterans are also eligible for the same benefit.
• Budget $700,000 for the city’s in-house road reconstruction program, an increase of $100,000.
• Invest $250,000 in continued energy-saving infrastructure improvements at cityowned buildings.
The mayor is also recommending a boost in funding for personnel and equipment in the police and fire departments; resources to adequately maintain parks; and funding to maintain an aggressive program of razing blighted, unsightly homes and other structures.
She said the budget would also include funds for programs that foster economic development and job growth.
“My administration has made great progress in our economic development efforts and we must show relentless devotion to meeting the growing needs of our local economy by having the necessary staff to find and develop growth opportunities, maintaining small business loan and facade improvement programs, and passing legislation that fosters growth,” Baldelli-Hunt said. “The FY ’18 budget stresses business development so we can continue the progress we have made.”