Providence City Council Members on Three Big Ideas for City

Providence City Council Members on Three Big Ideas for City

In the post budget and tax increase era, GoLocal asked the Providence City Council to outline the most important initiatives that they believe face the city -- issues, that they believe if addressed, could help to improve and elevate the City of Providence.

Infrastructure Needs Tops on Lists

Improving the city's infrastructure funding was a common theme among those Council members who offered up their thoughts.

See slideshow below.  

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"People want to see what their taxes are paying for. We either need to figure out how to deliver good services or we need to consider privatizing certain city departments. It is as simple as that," said Councilwoman Sabina Matos.  "People are sick of the Byzantine way certain city departments operate."

Some of the "big ideas" offered up by City Council members were bold, ranging from Council President Michael Solomon's suggestion that the city should develop a major open-air, mixed-use sports facility, to Councilman Terry Hassett's proposal that the Providence public schools should consider utilizing solar panels to address energy consumption needs.  

In addition, what the City should not be doing was broached by least one council member.  

"The city should no longer be in the water supply business," said Councilman John Igliozzi.  "The city receives no benefit or profit -- it is against the law for us to receive profit. We need to see the water supply board sold off, whether it be to the state or a private company."  

In addition, Igliozzi thought the city should be out of another business -- that being pensions.  "We need get out of the pension business," he said.  "We need to honor the ones we've got, of course, but take on no further new ones.  Our teachers pay into the state system, Cranston's employees are now being put in the state system.  We need to do the same."  

See Providence City Council's Ideas for Providence Below