Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera: No New Taxes In 2022 Budget

CENTRAL FALLS, RI — Mayor Maria Rivera delivered her first-ever budget address Monday night, promising no new taxes, fiscal responsibility, transparency, public engagement, targeted investments, and a commitment to economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to residents and the City Council on a Facebook Live broadcast, Rivera presented her $19.3 million city budget proposal for fiscal year 2022.

“This budget recognizes the steps we need to take to recover, build, and thrive," Rivera said.

Rivera said COVID-19 was destructive to Central Falls and promised that public health would continue to be a top priority. She said that "brighter and lighter days" are ahead. “Today, we recognize our important role in fighting back, and using the weight of these challenges as momentum forward," Rivera remarked.

The mayor noted that residents and business owners had asked her to hold the line on taxes this year. “During this pandemic, I know even a small increase could mean the difference between a family being able to cover a necessity, like rent," Rivera said. "This decision was an important one for me.”

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The mayor's office released the following list of highlights from the proposed FY2022 budget:

• Holding the line on taxes. The proposed FY2022 recognizes the incredible hardships Central Falls residents and businesses have faced during the pandemic, and includes no proposed tax increases.

• Fiscal responsibility. The budget outlines investments that set Central Falls up to be stronger in the months and years ahead, like continuing to fund the pension fund at 100% and investing in Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) for future retiree health care benefits.

• Fiscal transparency and engagement. As the city begins receiving federal recovery dollars, a community-based advisory committee is being created to support the efficient use of the funds. The new city website (www.centralfallsri.gov) has been built with government transparency and accessibility in mind, and will be used to communicate this federal spending. The community will help identify important ways to spend this money, like working with the parks and recreation department to identify a community project. This will be the first time the city will enact participatory budgeting.

• Prioritizing the health of Central Falls. Mayor Rivera’s number one priority is beating this pandemic and keeping Central Falls safe. Through investment in the office of constituent services and health, this budget continues necessary work for COVID vaccines, testing, and steps to keep public buildings sanitized and safe.

• Housing investment. Housing infrastructure plays a direct role in the city’s economic success. The proposed budget launches and invests $50,000 into a new Affordable Housing Fund. Mayor Rivera’s recent three-day Housing Summit identified more than a dozen housing projects that can directly create jobs and develop safe, affordable housing for residents. This is just the beginning of this necessary work.

• Economic development. Investments in planning and economic development continue the work of the city to build up its economy. From Central Falls Restaurant Week to new economic development initiatives like a joint Central Falls-Pawtucket Economic Development Plan, the city is working to help more people come to local businesses, events, and enjoy Central Falls.

• Neighborhood improvements. The proposed FY2022 budget aims to improve quality of life in the city’s neighborhoods. It creates a new community garden and park residents will help design. It also creates programs for older residents, like senior concerts, picnics with seniors, and organized physical activities in the park.

• Preserving athletic fields and green spaces. In addition to clean-up efforts, the proposed budget includes funds to hire new field supervisors to continue protecting and preserving the city’s new athletic fields.

• Planning for a new Community Center. The city is outlining a vision for a new Community and Senior Center, something Central Falls has beenwithout for a decade. The lack of a Community Center has been challenging on many fronts – including making vaccine distribution efforts more difficult.

• Creating safer streets. The city commonly receives complaints regarding speeding, and to stop this in neighborhoods, the city will be installing new speed cameras to directly address this concern, and lay out a clear plan for introducing these.

• Improving older infrastructure. From working to lay the foundation to transfer ownership of the city’s deteriorating sewer infrastructure to the Narragansett Bay Commission to repairing and repaving roads and sidewalks, the city’s older infrastructure is being addressed. This includes continuing to fix school buildings and laying out a vision for a new High School. This also includes making important public safety equipment investments, like a new police cruiser and a new rescue for the fire department.

Mayor Rivera’s proposed FY2022 budget is subject to approval by the City Council. Her budget speech and proposed FY2022 budget are available on the city’s new website (www.centralfallsri.gov).