I just exported the Providence approved fiscal budgets back to when they’re available online. Interesting note - the city council budget (modeled above) has grown the highest percentage from 2014 to date over any other department budget (excluding IT).

While the city council budget has doubled in this period, the total city budget itself has only gone up 37.5%. And the largest hike in record happened just recently. Whereas other city council administrations hired and expanded with their new budget allocations, this recent unprecedented hike was used primarily to give themselves raises. To the tune of just under $750k across a staff of 36 - that’s about a $21k raise per person annually.

Example: the prior Chief of Staff, Sean Bouchard, was a licensed attorney and mediator with significant education and experience. He ended four years of service at \~$70k annually. Our Council President, Rachel Miller, championed the hiring replacement of June Rose and approved doubling the position’s salary from roughly $70,000 to $140,000 within just weeks of their start date.

Separately, I find it immensely disappointing that, alongside these tax and budget increases during a time of extreme cost-of-living struggles, the Chief of Staff was arrested while driving a city vehicle within just a few months of being hired, became the subject of questions surrounding $48,663.12 in unsanctioned taxpayer-funded travel expenses incurred while they should have been present for some of the City Council’s most important business of the year, and was ultimately asked to resign by council members. This entire sequence of events was defended by the same City Council President who recommended the hire, and no punitive action was ultimately taken.

“Rose was arrested in June of 2024 in Washington, DC … Councilman James Taylor - who represents Ward 8 - said that he believes Rose should resign.” // “The Office of the Internal Auditor was asked to review two city-issued debit cards since they were opened in April 2024 … During this time, Costa said she found that there were one hundred and eighty-three transactions totaling $48,663.12 … The executive branch’s card has one hundred forty-one transactions valued at $32,991.36, approved by the Chief Operating Officer; the remaining forty-two transactions valued at $15,671.76 were approved by the City Council’s Chief of Staff and/or used by them.”

This is our tax money. Why are we paying for this 🤔😑.

Read These News Sources:

1. https://www.golocalprov.com/news/after-prov-council-chief-of-staff-arrested-again-at-trump-protest-councilor  
2. https://www.golocalprov.com/news/city-employees-violated-providence-credit-card-policy-by-using-for-politica

City Council Budget