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Cranston council grills legal advisers over mayor's 7.45% budget plan as tax-cap quandary looms
Summary
Council and legal staff spent the meeting unpacking the mayor's proposed FY27 budget, which requests a roughly 7.45% property tax increase that exceeds the state's 4% cap without General Assembly approval; counsel outlined options including reverting to last year's budget, seeking state authorization, or requesting an auditor-general review.
Members of the Cranston City Council spent much of their April meeting focused on a legal and fiscal impasse after Mayor Kenneth J. Hopkins submitted an FY27 budget that requests a roughly 7.45% property tax increase.
Council President (presiding officer) led a detailed review of charter provisions that set a property tax levy cap—generally 3% and up to 4% under conditions tied to state law—and warned council members the mayor's 7.45% proposal exceeds the allowable local increase without action by the General Assembly.
Assistant legal counsel and the city's solicitor explained the practical options on the table. If the council fails to act by the charter deadline (noted in the meeting as May 15), the mayor's budget as submitted would become effective on paper; counsel said that budget could be legally invalid to the extent it exceeds the state-imposed 4% levy cap and…
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