Friday, June 22, 2018

Regulating Short Term Rentals (Airbnb) - Neighborhood Meeting 6/25

From Councilman Sam Zurier's 6-17-18-Ward-Letter

In recent months, Councilwoman LaFortune and I have received requests from constituents to consider regulation of short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb.  We asked the City Council staff to research current regulations in place in other communities.  We now would like to share that research with you and receive your thoughts and ideas about what type of regulation would make sense in Providence.  With that in mind, we have scheduled a neighborhood meeting to take place at the Rochambeau Branch Library Conference Room on Monday, June 25 at 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.  Please mark this on your calendar and consider coming if you wish to learn more about this issue and offer your feedback.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

12 things to know about Providence's $749M budget

By: Dan McGowan 
Posted: Jun 18, 2018 10:05 PM EDT
Updated: Jun 19, 2018 05:17 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – If all goes as planned, Providence will have a budget in place for the fiscal year that begins July 1 by the end of the week.

The City Council Finance Committee on Monday gave its blessing to a $749-million tax-and-spending plan that differs only slightly from the proposal Mayor Jorge Elorza put forward in April.

The budget, which is comprised of a package of several ordinances, will be considered by the full council at a special meeting Wednesday night and again Friday night. The council is widely expected to support the proposal.
Full Story

Sunday, June 10, 2018

Disaffiliation Deadline for Primary - 6/14/2018

Thinking you might want to change parties for the September 12 primaries? To vote in a party primary you must disaffiliate from any other party at least 90 days before the primary date.

Deadline: Thursday, Jun 14, 2018
Description
Deadline for voters to disaffiliate (if necessary) with their local board of canvassers in order to vote in a different party’s primary. If you wish to disaffiliate you must do so at least 90 days prior to the primary. Unaffiliated voters may vote in any party’s primary. [RIGL §17-9.1-24(a)]

You may either go to your local Board of Canvassers or update your voting record at  the Secretary of State's Voter Information Center

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Next Stop: Making Transit-Oriented Development Work for RI

GrowSmartRI Forum

Cities and towns across our region and the nation are seizing on the public-private partnership opportunities to build stronger, more vibrant and sustainable communities through transit-oriented development.

With major transit projects currently in the works, increased demand for housing in walkable urban neighborhoods and job sites with convenient access to transit, Rhode Island is poised to take advantage of these trends to grow smart with transit.

For more information and reservations

After millions of dollars in settlements, Providence still faces 1,000 lawsuits

By: Dan McGowan ,  Walt Buteau  WPRI
Posted: May 30, 2018 05:06 PM EDT
Updated: May 31, 2018 05:27 PM EDT
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – The decision by Providence officials to settle a high-profile lawsuit challenging the city’s controversial speed camera program may close the books on one high-profile legal challenge, but the city remains a defendant in more than 1,000 civil lawsuits, according to report released by the city’s law department this month.
The report, prepared for the City Council, shows Providence is involved in 1,114 open civil cases, 41 of which the city is the suing entity. Two hundred lawsuits involve entities challenging their property tax assessments, including the building at 100 Westminster Street owned by former Mayor Joseph Paolino.