July Ward 3 Meeting & Other PVD Updates

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

I hope that this note finds you doing well. 

I have heard from so many of you in the last few weeks, concerned about the ramifications of the big bill that just passed at the federal level - with cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, clean energy programs, and more. I share your concerns -- and I will continue fighting for you and working hard for you every day. We are always stronger together as a community.

There is always so much going on in Providence - so I'll just hop right into it!

Ward 3 Community Meeting - Monday at 7pm:

I cannot wait to see you at our Ward 3 Community meeting on Monday at 7pm at the Church of the Redeemer on Hope Street. We will be joined by staff from the Mayor's Center on Constituent Services (MCCS) to talk about updates to 311 and answer questions. I will provide updates on the City's FY26 budget. And we may also be joined by Councilwoman Shelley Peterson to talk a bit about work she has been engaged in on student housing. As always, there will be time for general Q&A.  I hope you can join us!

Upcoming Meetings & Neighborhood News:

Meetings:

• Reminder: The City Council takes a one-month recess in August - there are no committee or full Council meetings for the month of August. We are otherwise year-round and return right after Labor Day in September. Otherwise, all committee meetings, notes, and agendas are on the City's Open Meetings Portal.

• North Main Street Task Force: July 23rd at 6pm - 3rd Floor Committee Room of City Hall

• Special Committee on the Environment: July 30th at 5:30 - City Hall Committee Room

• City Council special meeting to vote on the budget: July 14th at 6pm

• City Council full meeting: July 24th at 6pm

• Friends of Lippitt Park Meeting: July 22nd at 6pm at Vincent Brown Rec Center!

  
  

Neighborhood News:

• Welcome to Hope Street to Paper Crown Preschool! You have probably seen the work happening at the location where Trek Bikes used to be on Hope Street - which will be the second location of Paper Crown Pre-School this fall.  I was glad to support a small zoning change in the back to allow for part of the parking lot to be converted into a play space for the kids. Founder Julia Smith is already getting involved with the Hope Street Merchants Association and becoming part of the fabric of our community -- make sure to give her a warm welcome!

• North Main Safety Updates: You've probably been at the corner where North Main, Benefit, and Olney all meet either in your car, on foot, or on a bike and wondered -- "why is this so confusing? How are we all supposed to merge?". It's been a site of confusion and crashes -- and after discussion and planning through my North Main Street Task Force - we are finally fixing it. You've maybe seen the new striping -- which will soon also include some stanchions. Big high fives also to our partners at the Providence Streets Coalition who will be helping us add planters and beautiful greenery to this space. The drawing below shows where the new lines will clarify traffic patterns, and the red rectangles are roughly where the planters will eventually be added.

• Sidewalk Tattoo Project: Have you seen the sidewalk poetry added to areas of the new pavement on Hope Street? These sidewalk poems have been a long-time project of the Arts Culture and Tourism Department -- and are popping up across the City. Several Ward 3 poets have their work showcased! You can find the locations on this map -- or read the poems collected in this book (available at the Rochambeau Library!).

Other Topics of Interest:

Tax Exemptions:

I have covered the budget in a few of the past newsletters and happy to answer additional questions. But I wanted to make sure folks were aware that the budget contains several tax exemptions. Mayor Smiley's proposed budget in April included increased exemptions for elderly residents and veterans - and the Council's amended budget kept those recommendations. You can see how to apply for tax exemptions at this link, and the FY26 exemptions are listed below. (Since the FY26 has not yet been signed, the website may not be updated with the current exemptions).

Appealing Your Tax Assessment:

Tax bills are now scheduled to be mailed out in mid-July after the budget is signed later this week. Taxpayers can still appeal their property tax assessment after their tax bills arrive. The Tax Assessor's office has prepared an FAQ website. Please note: Filing an appeal does not waive your obligation to pay taxes. Failure to pay taxes by the deadline can jeopardize your right to appeal. To avoid loss of rights or extra charges, you should pay the tax as assessed. If an abatement is granted, you will receive a refund of any overpayment.

The process can feel daunting and confusing & I am grateful to Chairwoman Anthony and her team - particularly Kath Connolly - for creating the below easy-to-understand graphic for you. If you click on the graphic, it will take you to a short slide deck with further information.

News on Providence Police Department

I am sure many of you have seen the news about Sgt. Joseph Hanley, who was recently reinstated by a 3-person state body under the State's Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights (LEOBOR). Sgt. Hanley had assaulted a person who was handcuffed in his custody. Upon seeing this news, I immediately called PPD Chief Perez to talk through what could be done about this. I am grateful to the chief both for always taking my calls regardless of the time of day/night -- and for his public statement on the matter (quoted below) and to Deputy Chief O'Hara for his "no" vote for reinstatement. Mayor Smiley will be appealing the decision.  

"I disagree with this decision. Based on the totality of the circumstances, we recommended termination. Deputy Chief O’Hara who served on the panel, agreed with my recommendation and also determined that termination was necessary. Notably my predecessor also recommended termination. Unfortunately, the other two panel members disagreed, resulting in a lesser outcome.  When we can’t hold officers accountable, we put our community at risk and we lose the trust that we as a department work very hard to build. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of accountability, both within the department and to the communities we serve." - Chief Perez's public statement

You may have also seen news about an incident between police and residents on July 4th -- videos have been shared via social media. I joined in a letter with many of my Council colleagues urging the Chief to release body cam footage and ensure transparency throughout this process. You can read the letter here.

Gratitude & Learning:

I am sending this email from Chicago - where I am attending a national convening of local level progressive elected officials from across the country (including my colleague and friend Councilman Miguel Sanchez). I am excited to bring back new ideas, enthusiasm, and connections to strengthen our work in Providence! (And just to pre-answer the question: no taxpayer funds or City funds are used for my travel. I paid for my  own trip.)

I was a little star struck when we bumped into NYC Comptroller Brad Lander on the street - and then heard him give a keynote speech.   Comptroller (and former City Councilman) Lander recently cross-endorsed with Zohran Mamdani in the NYC Mayoral race in what for me was an inspiring demonstration of collaboration and solidarity. His speech centered around policy/politics as a "team sport" - how we work together to govern with and for all people. I also really appreciated the sentiment he shared that the real divide is not between "moderates and progressives", who can find common ground -- but between "fighters and folders" -- those who will stand up to fight and do the work, not just back down or give in.

I am so grateful to serve you all every day. With all of the truly awful things happening at the federal level and all of our big challenges here in Rhode Island - it feels especially important to me to serve in all the ways I can. As I begin to think about my next election in 2026, I hope you might be willing to support this work with a donation.

With Gratitude,

Councilor Sue AnderBois