Providence faces hiring freeze, potential tax hikes after school funding ruling
by GABRIELLE CARACCIOLO, NBC 10 NEWS
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — The city of Providence has implemented a hiring freeze and put all discretionary spending on pause after a judge ruled the city must pay the state-run Providence Public Schools.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley also said Tuesday that a tax increase and other cuts could also be coming.
“The ruling is very disappointing. The range of whatever the award might be is massive and could be catastrophic. If it is the high end of the range that is truly worst case scenario. This is financial health of the city for a very long time,” Mayor Smiley said.
The state-run school district said they’ve been underpaid by the city since the state takeover.
Despite a judge ruling in their favor, the district, which had threatened to cut sports and other services, isn’t in the clear yet.
No final dollar amount has been determined.
“I want to make sure that everyone is clear. I will always advocate for my students. Our students deserve this. Our students are the reason why we do this work. When I hear that we were the ones that mismanage funds, absolutely not. We only turned around and we did our funds based on what we expected that the city was supposed to give us,” Superintendent Dr. Javier Montañez said.
https://twitter.com/GabCaracciolo/status/1856371633407119452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1856371633407119452%7Ctwgr%5Ec7834601de95dc1185fdd2498093c8b3abe4265a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fturnto10.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fprovidence-officials-speak-on-school-funding-as-students-plan-walkout-nov-12-2024
Montañez said that $10.9 million is needed to avoid cuts for this school year but once backpay is included, the district argues the final number should be higher.
“When the city signed the agreement, they failed to meet their obligation not PPSD,” he said. “So it’s important for everyone to understand that the city had the opportunity and should have planned correctly in budgeting for the students needs in Providence.”
For some, that increase could mean hundreds more each year.
“I’m a single parent, and I work every day, and I’m struggling myself right now,” said one resident.
Smiley said the city could be facing a bill anywhere from 10 to $85 million.
He’s argued the district is unfairly mismanaging funds.
“It shouldn’t be what one judge’s interpretation of the state law is. It should be what’s best for these kids and their families,” he said. “It’s not going to help the social and emotional needs of our kids to have no after school and summer programming. It’s not going to help the financial strain of families in our cities, for their taxes to go up and summer school to get cut, and the water parks to be closed and the libraries to go down to two days a week. None of these things are going to help these families and these kids.”
While city and district leaders continue to debate the funding issue, Providence students staged a walkout Tuesday afternoon chanting, “No matter how, fund us now.”
City Council President Rachel Miller calls for Providence schools to be returned to city hands. (WJAR)
“I think that the fact that we’re in this position in the first place is just completely disgusting,” Julianna Espinal; PPSD 11th Grader. The city and the state have dual responsibility, because I feel like we shouldn’t have gotten to this point. We should not have to choose these major parts of our city as like ultimatums.”
Both sides were originally schedule to be back in court Wednesday morning to discuss the final dollar amount owed.
However Tuesday afternoon, the court hearing was postponed until Nov. 20.
In court Friday, the judge had urged both sides to come to an agreement ahead of a hearing.
Its unclear if the postponed hearing extra time will help them reach a settlement but until a final figure is agreed upon, the final cuts coming to the city or schools won’t be determined.
NBC 10’s Leanna Faulk contributed to this report.