EAST PROVIDENCE — At a special meeting Tuesday evening, Oct. 14, in the City Hall Chamber, the East Providence City Council voted unanimously to approve a revised Fiscal Year 2014-15 budget.
All four Councilors present — President and Mayor Jim Briden, Tracy Capobianco, Chrissy Rossi and Tommy Rose — voted for the final budget’s final incarnation. Councilman Helder Cunha was absent from the proceedings.
Last week, during its initial discussions, the Council gave preliminary approval for a budget that include no residential tax increase and a $5,000 break for businesses on tangible property. In doing so, the Council lopped off some $250,000 from the $172,040,750 originally proposed by Acting City Manager Paul Lemont, reducing its total to a then $171,790,750.
Tuesday, the Council adopted nine more cuts all approved by the same 4-0 vote, further trimming the final draft of the budget by a approximately an additional $84,350.
The total trimmed off the budget from both meetings, $334,350, is to be put in a reserve account to be used for next year’s fiscal budget.
The most notable change was removing total salary increases ($12,000) the Council had previously given to itself. The annual expenditure for Council salaries was scheduled to increase from $18,500 to $30,500.
Among the other cuts made were $20,000 apiece from the street light program and the judicial judgements account; $15,000 from a self-help community initiative originally slated to receive $30,000; $8,000 from $28,000 intended for a police unreimbursed medical account; $5,000 from the Planning Department’s outside services appropriation; $3,350 from tax collection; and $1,000 from the Clerk’s office postage account.
In addition, the Council also finalized removing $50,000 from a Tax Assessor’s office account intended for the next revaluation.
Of note as well, the Council opted to take $30,000 intended for a feasibility study aimed at improving Riverside Square and Watchemoket Square and shift it to making repairs at the Looff Carousel. The Council later took $6,000 of that money and $20,000 of $100,000 intended for Kent Field improvements and shifted that total ($26,000) to refurbishments to Pierce Field.
The Fiscal Year 14-15 budget takes effect on Saturday, Nov. 1.