Cranston Finance Committee Budget Hearing for FY2027 – April 18, 2026
Cranston Finance Committee Budget Hearing for FY2027 - April 18, 2026
The Special Finance Committee of the Cranston City Council held a budget hearing on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 9:05 AM to 1:44 PM, to review the proposed FY2027 budget. The city faces a significant fiscal challenge with a proposed tax increase (estimated at 7.4%) that requires a 7/9 council vote and state legislation to exceed the 3% cap. Department heads presented budgets reflecting increased costs, underfunding in prior years, and staffing reorganizations. Council members expressed concerns about sustainability and sought potential cuts, while pledging to protect essential services.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Arthur Jordan (Labors Union) offered collaboration and stated members are ready to face challenges, do more with less, and work as partners.
- Maria Rondo (Senior Services employee) opposed eliminating the Assistant Director position, arguing it is the operational backbone of the department and will harm seniors.
- Justin McCarthy (resident) criticized the Building Inspections director for not attending, calling it disrespectful after seven hours of hearings.
Discussion Items
- Parks & Recreation: Director Piscopello cited realistic budgeting for fertilization ($20k to $45k), playground attendants, electricity, water, tree maintenance, and new pool costs ($150k total). Council questioned increases; director noted prior underfunding and contractual obligations. Council President sought potential cuts (e.g., summer camp). Councilwoman Graziano opposed splash pad water costs. Councilman Trafficante explored sponsorships and revenue. Councilwoman Horoyan refused to support administrative raises when worker positions are cut.
- Library: Director Garsha presented a level-funded budget per state maintenance-of-effort. Library ranks #1 in circulation statewide, patrons saved $9.5M. Assumed landscaping/snow removal costs ($145k reserve). Council discussed branch study, sustainability of snow removal, and grants (director writes own grants).
- Planning: Director Ashman cut budget 12% by not filling senior planner and zoning enforcement positions. Increased developer fees 25%. Relies on grants for staffing ($227k). Council President commended cut; Councilman Caltabiano supported administrative modifications to speed development.
- Building Inspections: Director absent; council members expressed disrespect. Letter not read. Acting building official receives $25k differential.
- City Clerk: Director noted Sunday sales license revenue should be zeroed. Short-staffed with three vacancies; expects positions filled. Revenue projections conservative. Councilwoman Horoyan requested fee comparison with other towns.
- City Council Budget: Clerk flagged inauguration expenses ($24,200) likely insufficient; recodification project may exceed $5k line item. Stenographer eliminated, using video stream.
- Public Works: Director Cray outlined reorganization: building maintenance cut from ~15 to 8 positions, but discussions ongoing with unions to retain electricians. Staffing reductions will slow response times. Council President questioned sustainability; Mayor Trafficante worried about impact on services. Councilwoman Graziano noted tree planting budget cut from $30k to $15k.
- Highway: Winter budget (snow removal) overspent by ~$800k due to major storms. FEMA reimbursement expected for historic storm but may take years.
- Building Maintenance: Budget cut $900k; council questioned feasibility, fearing privatization and higher long-term costs.
- Traffic Safety: Council President and Councilman Bernardo frustrated with slow responses from traffic engineer; Director Cray promised improvement.
- Trash/Recycling: Councilman Campobiano suggested splitting trash contract for competition; Council President noted only one bidder. Councilwoman Graziano complained about broken bins; Councilman Bernardo decried recycling rejection costs (3-600k/year) and called for education.
- CCAP: Owed $202k by city; proposed budget cuts contributive support, risking Head Start closures. Council President suggested executive session to discuss.
- Finance: Director Strom consolidated, eliminated internal auditor. Concern about treasury collections with reduced staff.
- Economic Development: Director Paulino budget $128k; grant program has $40k left. Council President questioned use of senior center employee on assignment. Councilwoman Horoyan expressed disappointment over slow business attraction. Councilman Bernardo criticized focus on single-family homes as tax burden.
- Senior Services: Eliminating assistant director and clerk (laterally transferred). Councilwoman Horoyan and Councilman Ritz worried about impact; director assured continuity.
- Personnel: Director noted small staff, tech challenges. Councilman Ritz asked about digitization.
- Community Development: Director Tomasiello oversees $1.09M HUD grant; net zero cost to city.
- Municipal Court: Judge absent; director confirmed budget acceptable.
- Capital Budget: Cranston East track ($2M) approved but not to bond; seek grants.
- Revenues: Discussion on collection rate (99.6%), feasibility of reducing sewer bill, and interest from sewer fund ($30M balance).
Key Outcomes
- The committee heard all department presentations but took no formal votes; the hearing was informational.
- Council members signaled they will likely not approve administrative raises.
- An executive session will be scheduled to discuss contractual matters, retirement buyouts, and CCAP funding.
- The committee will reconvene the week of April 27 to continue deliberations.
- The council must act on the budget by May 15, with tax bills traditionally sent by June 1.
Meeting Transcript
Uh thanks everybody for coming today. Um I'd like to call the special finance committee budget hearing to order Saturday, April 18th at nine oh five. My apologies for being five minutes late. Um clerk, please take the roll. Councilwoman Graziano, Council Ritz. Present. Council Trafficante. Present. Councilwoman Vizier. Council Vice President Heroyan. Council Anduhar. Present. I am here. Okay. All right, I guess we have a quorum. Um so as the president said in in the council meeting, I think on Thursday, there will be public speaking at the end. So if uh anybody online or in the audience would like to stay till the end, we'll have the opportunity to speak. Um before we begin, I would like to let our auditor say a few words. The budget that's presented to us right now is not been adopted for the percentage of the increase. We have to be aware that anything you see, calculation making potential suggestions made may not go through. So do that and put them aside because we still need approval from the either the General Assembly, uh the municipality, uh league, and the council. So everything you see, the questions you ask based on the current budget. This budget may have to go back to the administration, and substantial changes may have to be made. So just keep that in consideration in your focus on what what we are asking questions based on what's been presented. Thank you. At this time, if there's no objection, I'd like to take the Mr. President. Listen, I just want to I I I didn't want to overstep my bounds, uh, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Uh, but I did ask the people who were here this evening tonight, and you you know, it is your prerogative what order they go in. I did ask them, so you have an idea to s just have their name written in the department they represent, um, written on a sign-up sheet. Just to know who's here. It could help you. It's yeah, you take it in whichever order as chair you like. Um but i the other thing is uh in the I'll ask uh say something else, just a programming thing. In the past, many times we have taken on these long days public comment in sever several intervals. Meaning if you took a certain amount of department, five or six set uh ten departments, whatever it was, then you would have public comment on those departments going forward at you know, in interval period in intervals. I just wanted I don't know if that's how you want to do it, or you want to wait ex all the way to the end. Yes. Which would be probably about three, four o'clock, I figure. Two PM or earlier. Let's see. All right. So if there's no objection, thank you, Mr. President. Um, I would like to take the order the meeting out of order. No objection. All right, let's begin. Let's start with Parks of Recreation.
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