Mayor Diossa proposes Central Falls is a comeback city due to tax relief,
fiscal responsibility and strategic investments
Central Falls, RI - On Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at 6:00 p.m., Central Falls
Mayor James A. Diossa delivered his Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Address to
Central Falls City Council members and residents of Central Falls.
"Together we have led this city with prudence and responsibility without
forgetting why we are here in the first place: to serve the people of
Central Falls. Budgets are about priorities. We have followed the
State-imposed six year recovery plan faithfully and stabilized the city's
finances while working diligently to improve its operations and deliver
better services and greater quality of life to our residents and taxpayers.
I am proud of what we have accomplished together in such a short period of
time. In fact, my proposed budget is less than the Fiscal Year 2015 budget
proposed under the state-imposed plan. We are doing more with less."
Throughout his address, Diossa highlighted tax relief for Central Falls
residents:
"Specifically, this budget increases the Homestead Exemption for owner
occupied homes by 5%. It also raises the Motor Vehicles Tax Exemption to
$1,250. Furthermore, we are freezing the Commercial Tangible Tax Rate. Taxes
are still too high in Central Falls, but, after only one year of being out
of bankruptcy, we are doing everything possible to provide some relief to
our taxpayers in a responsible, sustainable manner. And we are doing
everything possible to expand the city's tax base by attracting investment
and making it easier to do business in Central Falls."
Key investments were another recurring theme:
"We are making key investments in the privately-managed pension funds of our
police and fire retirees. My budget proposes a 49% increase in the annual
contribution to these funds which are grossly underfunded as a result of
poor decisions made in the past."
"And in thinking of our savings, I propose we invest point five percent of
Fiscal Year 2015's budget into a reserve fund. We need to save money and
think conservatively to ensure Central Falls will never declare bankruptcy
again."
In closing, Diossa noted:
"A clean, safe and dynamic Central Falls is exactly the kind of city that we
want to ensure for future generations. A city that embraces small
businesses, encourages innovation and invests in our youth and
infrastructure. A city that manages its resources with great care and
fiduciary responsibility while not losing sight of the task at hand:
improving its residents' quality of life.
Let's shout it from the rooftops: Central Falls is the comeback city."
