Cranston City Council retracts resolution seeking one-year levy-cap exemption

The Cranston City Council voted unanimously to retract a previously docketed resolution that would have supported legislation authorizing the city a one-year levy-cap exemption for fiscal year 2027 not to exceed 4.9%, Council President Wall said during the meeting.

Wall said the decision was driven by recent budget figures. "The current trend in our budget is trending right now as the most recent monthly report uh at a 9.1% deficit," he said, adding that moving to 4.99% would raise about $600,000 but that using the exemption now could eliminate the option in a later emergency. He urged colleagues to withdraw the resolution "for this time" and preserve discretion for future years.

Council members who spoke during the discussion backed the retraction as a pragmatic move. Councilman Campopiano called it "wise to put this off," citing public opposition to a tax increase. Councilman Bonanno said the exemption was intended as a backstop and that exercising it now would forfeit the city's ability to use it for the foreseeable future; he said, in the amendment process, a split would have resulted in roughly $300,000 to schools and $300,000 to senior allocations.

A motion to retract the resolution was moved and seconded; the clerk recorded a unanimous roll-call vote in favor and the motion carried. The council did not adopt a new tax increase; members said they would continue seeking alternative revenue and cost-saving measures.

The councils action follows an earlier executive session held that evening to receive updates on collective bargaining negotiations. No votes were reported from the executive session and the council later voted to seal the executive session minutes.

What happens next: council members said they hope to avoid seeking the levy-cap exemption again immediately but left open the possibility of revisiting the option in a future fiscal year if conditions worsen.