[Summit] Councillor Helen Anthony’s newsletter:-- Homestead exemption, Bond vote, Council meetings, Environment, Meters, Kennedy Plaza, info sources

Sun Jan 24 05:26:11 UTC 2021

   ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: Helen Anthony <helen at helenanthony.com>To: 
Sent: Saturday, January 23, 2021, 5:21:36 PM ESTSubject: Providence Ward 2 Letter, January 23, 2021
   An update from City Councilor Helen Anthony  
|  
| 
|  
|  View this email in your browser  |

  |

 |
| 
|  
|    |

  |

 |
| 
|  
|  
|  
Dear Neighbors, 

I hope this finds you and your family well. COVID-19 continues to press on our state and its healthcare system -- please remain vigilant to keep one another safe.

We peacefully welcomed a new administration to the White House this week. Please see below for details on an upcoming special election -- I encourage everyone to continue to participate!

Let's take care of one another. 

Helen
  |

  |

  |

|  
|  
COVID Updates

   - RI Department of Health
   - Vaccination in RI
   - State of Rhode Island
   - RI Governor's Office
   - City of Providence
  |

|     
   - Providence Public Schools
   - Brown: Healthy Brown; Report concerns at 877-318-9184 or 863-3322 or online using this form
   - RISD: COVID Information; Report concerns using this form
   - RI State Police COVID tip line: 401-764-5554
  |

  |

| 
|  
|    |

|  The RI Department of Health has begun a weekly email update on COVID-19 vaccinations. Read the latest issue here and sign up to receive the emails directly by clicking "subscribe" in the upper left corner.   |

  |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

|  
|  
Providence City Council Meetings

Next City Council Meetings:  February 4 and February 18. Tune in to meetings on Zoom -- look for a link at the end of the agenda -- or on the Council's YouTube channel. 
  |

  |

|  
|  Agendas and minutes are posted on the City of Providence Open Meetings Portal. Register to receive notifications (see “register” in upper right corner).  |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

|  
|  
Voting Deadlines
  |

  |

|  
|  Rhode Island will hold a state-wide vote on seven bond initiatives including environmental initiatives and affordable housing, on March 2. The complete guide to state referenda and voting is here. 

Important deadlines include:   
   - January 31, 2021: Deadline to register to vote
   - February 9, 2021 at 4pm: Deadline to submit a mail ballot application.  The mail ballot does NOT need to be notarized. Click here for the mail ballot application. 
   - February 10-March 1: Early in-person voting at city halls throughout the state
   - March 2, 2021 Special Election:  Polls close at 8pm 
We will confirm which polling places will be open in Ward 2 as soon as we receive confirmation from the city.  |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

|  
|  
Homestead Exemption Due Feb. 12
  |

  |

|  
|  I have reached out to the Tax Assessor's Office to continue to try to answer questions I am hearing from you. A reminder that the Homestead Tax Exemption applications are due February 12.

If you have already submitted your application   
   - If you submitted your application online, you will receive confirmation by email. Many people are reporting that emails from the Tax Assessor's Office confirming receipt of their application are sent to their spam folder. The confirmation will be from webmaster at providenceri.gov. You will also receive final notification of the result of your application via email. 
   - If you submit your application by mail, you will not receive a note confirming the receipt of your application, but you will receive final notification of your Homestead Exemption status by mail. 
   - Know that it takes the Tax Assessor's Office a few weeks to process applications and everyone who submits an application will be notified of the result of the application. 
   - The city will not revoke the Homestead Exemption without first sending multiple notices to that effect.
If you have not filed your application
Please do so by February 12. You can file your application:   
   - online: https://e.providenceri.gov/homestead-recertification/ This is the quickest way for the city to process your application. 
   - in person at the Tax Assessor's Office, Room 208 of City Hall
   - via mail, by downloading a paper application here: https://e.providenceri.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/HomesteadOwnerOccupied2020v2.pdf
 You can contact the Tax Assessor at TaxAssessors at providenceri.gov or 401-680-5229, and the city also suggests contacting the Mayor's Center for City Services by dialing 3-1-1 or by visiting PVD311.com.  |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

|  
|  
Update on Sustainability Ordinances
  |

  |

|  
|  At the January 21 City Council meeting, I introduced two ordinances to advance the fight against climate change that I described in my last Ward Letter. The first ordinance establishes  our current Office of Sustainability as a permanent office. The second mandates a Building Energy Reporting Program for buildings in Providence that are over 10,000 sq. ft. As you may know, large buildings are a major source of our city's carbon footprint. The ordinance has strong support from many environmental organizations, and we received over 197 letters of support from individuals and organizations including the Audubon Society of RI, Climate Action RI, the Conservation Law Foundation, and the Green Energy Consumers Alliance. The ordinances have been referred to committee, and I am working hard to get the support of my fellow council members as well as local building owners. I hope we can take this important step as a city to protect our planet.   |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

|  
|  
School Zone Speed Cameras
  |

  |

|  
|  On January 11th the city reactivated all school zone speed cameras. In February the city will announce new camera locations. Cameras are operational on school days, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cameras on the East Side include: 114 Olney Street (Hope High School), 301 Butler Avenue (Lincoln School), 520 Hope Street (Providence Center).  |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

|  
|  
Parking Meter Payment App
  |

  |

|  
|  Parking meters in Providence no longer accept credit cards as of January 1, 2021. The city encourages residents to download the Passport parking application which allows you to pay for parking using your mobile device.  |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

|  
|  
Providence Restaurant Weeks
  |

  |

|  
|  Our local restaurants are struggling as fewer people are eating out. It has been wonderful to see people ordering take out and supporting our neighborhood restaurants. Providence Restaurant Weeks are January 10-February 6, and East Side eateries participating include Mare Rooftop, Persimmon, Pizzico, Red Stripe and Waterman Grille. Buy Local!  |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

|  
|  
Deadline: Feb. 1 Imagine Downtown
  |

  |

|  
|  The City of Providence is inviting input on the public spaces in Kennedy Plaza. A new Imagine Downtown website includes a survey for residents to offer feedback. Take a minute to share your ideas.   |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

|  
|  
Christmas Tree Recycling

The Department of Public Works reports that Christmas trees will be picked up during the first three weeks of January with curbside recycling. The last Sunday pick up is this weekend -- January 24, 2021.  |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

|  
|  
A Bright Light
  |

  |

| 
|    |
|  The Providence Department of Planning and Development has launched a new web site featuring data about our city's neighborhoods. Demographics, transit, housing, unemployment, sea level rise and many other elements are accessible for the first time in one place. The image above is from an interactive portal showing recently completed or planned development projects. To see more about the projects above, visit the zoning, projects and development section of the site.   |

  |

|  
|  
|  
|  
|  
|  
|    |  Forward this Email to a Friend  |

  |

  |

  |

  |

  |

  |

|  
|  View Past Issues of the Ward 2 Letter  |

  |

 |
| 
|  
|  
|  
|  
|  
|  
|    |

  |

  |

|  
|  
|    |

  |

  |

|  
|  
|    |

  |

  |

|  
|  
|    |

  |

  |

  |

  |

  |

  |

|  
|    |

  |

Our mailing address is:
Providence City Council Ward 2654 Angell StProvidence, RI 02906-5552
Add us to your address book

  |

  |

 |

  |

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://sna.providence.ri.us/pipermail/summit_sna.providence.ri.us/attachments/20210124/63dfc586/attachment.htm>