Cranston City Council Special Meeting: Budget Adoption and Amendments – May 15, 2026
Cranston City Council Special Meeting: Budget Adoption and Amendments – May 15, 2026
The Cranston City Council held a special meeting on May 15, 2026, to consider and adopt a revised fiscal year 2026-27 budget, including amendments to expenditures and revenues. The council passed a resolution seeking state authorization to exceed the property tax levy cap to a maximum of 4.99%, adopted a $2,041,789 allocation split equally between the school department and the senior center, restored $200,000 for police vehicles offset by fee increases, and approved the capital budget. The meeting also included public comment, discussion on union negotiations, and procedural tabling of tax-related ordinances pending a June 1, 2026 follow-up meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Stephen Fryas (107 Garden Hills Drive) expressed support for the administration’s 4% proposed budget, calling it fiscally conservative. He argued the senior center is not an essential service and can operate with fewer staff, praised the elimination of the economic development position, and urged the council not to exceed a 4% tax increase. He noted the school department has found savings without pursuing curtailment action and suggested the state may provide additional school funding.
Discussion Items
- Resolution for Levy Cap Exemption: Councilman Andehar introduced a resolution (amended from 5.5% to 4.99%) to request state legislation allowing a one-year levy cap increase not to exceed 4.99% for FY2027. Councilman Bonano called it a “backstop,” emphasizing the council does not intend to reach that level. Councilman Ritz expressed discomfort but supported as a last resort. Councilman Trafficanti insisted no department should shoulder the entire burden, especially schools and seniors. The resolution passed unanimously (9-0).
- Budget Amendments: A block of revenue adjustments (municipal court fines, animal shelter fees, library line reallocations) was approved, netting $41,500 in additional available funds. Councilman Bonano proposed restoring $200,000 for police vehicles (line 53201) offset by increasing police detail car fees (from $20 to $25 per hour) and administrative detail fees (from $5 to $8), generating $200,000 in additional revenue. Despite concerns from Director Maretti about lack of administration vetting, the block passed 8-1 (Councilman Trafficanti voted no).
- Additional Revenue Amendments: Auditor DeMayo presented a $100,000 increase in third-party rescue revenue (line 1010041522) based on a 16% projected increase. Approved unanimously.
- Allocation of Surplus: Council President Wall proposed splitting the $2,041,789 in net savings and revenue between the school department ($1,020,894) and the senior center ($1,020,895). Councilman Ritz suggested waiting for potential fire department concessions, but the council approved the split 9-0. Discussion included the potential sale of Chester Barrows School ($750,000 agreement for school capital) and need for further savings from unions.
- Capital Budget Adoption: The council adopted the revised capital budget and capital improvement program for FY2027-FY2031. Councilman Bonano clarified that reducing capital items does not free up operating funds; debt service is the only operating impact. Councilman Ritz questioned borrowing practices. Director Strom explained that bonding requires council approval and that debt service schedules can be managed. The capital budget was approved 9-0.
- Union Concessions Update: Director Maretti reported that the Teamsters voted against concessions; the Laborers’ union declined without universal participation; police are in contract negotiations; and the fire department proposed wage deferrals that the administration declined due to future cost implications. Council members urged continued negotiations and better communication from the administration.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution passed (9-0) requesting state legislation to allow a FY2027 levy cap increase up to 4.99%.
- Block of revenue amendments passed (8-1) increasing police detail fees and restoring $200,000 for police vehicles.
- Additional revenue amendment passed (9-0) increasing third-party rescue revenue by $100,000.
- Allocation approved (9-0) of $1,020,894 to schools and $1,020,895 to the senior center from the $2,041,789 in net budget changes.
- Revised operating budget adopted (9-0) as amended on May 14 and 15, 2026, with a tax levy increase of 4.65%.
- Revised capital budget and capital improvement program adopted (9-0) for FY2027-FY2031.
- Annual appropriation ordinance adopted (9-0) as amended.
- Tax levy and tax due date ordinances tabled (9-0) until the June 1, 2026 council meeting.
- Meeting adjourned after completing all agenda items.
Meeting Transcript
So she's gonna be the first thing. I'd like to call this special city council meeting to order on this night, May the fifteenth, two thousand and twenty-six. I call the meeting to order and ask the clerk to please call a roll. Present. Councilman Ander. Present. Councilman Rets present. Councilman Trafficancy. Councilwoman Mazari. Present. Present. Councilman Banana. Present. Vice President Heroyan. Present. Council President Wall. Here. Thank you. She is clerking from home, and I truly appreciate Director Renzouli stepping in to call the rule roll and take care of the stuff here in Chambers tonight. All right. And then I'm going to be seeking a motion to take the agenda out of order because I think it's going to be important that we address the resolution first, and then we're going to look at amendments and the capital budget just for a programming note. So if there's anyone in chambers, and I see uh Mr. Fryas has is signed up to speak. Um, please state he knows the drill, stage your name and address for the record, and you'll be given four minutes, Mr. Fryes. Uh thank you, Council President. Stephen Fryas, 107 Garden Hills Drive. Thank you for allowing me to make public comment tonight. I missed yesterday. I was at church for a confirmation for my daughter. So uh I'd like to start just by thanking the administration and the council for a couple of things. First, um, as a fiscal conservative, I'd like to thank you, the administration for putting forward a four percent budget. The four percent budget I know has been trashed by various people. However, when you're trying to do a four percent budget, the you have to reduce or eliminate what I would refer to as non-essential services. And to me, the senior center was not an essential service. Um, many cities and towns don't have a senior center, and I will elaborate on that further. On the schools were level funded, as you saw in the newspaper for the last couple weeks, the school department is now looking at millions of dollars of savings. They are not pursuing a currulo action, I believe. And the reason they're probably not is because what I saw of the cuts, none of them are mandated by federal or state law. That's why they probably wouldn't succeed. So I believe that the cuts, although dramatic, um, and that's probably the problem with a lot of people for them. Um, it was one of the most fiscally conservative budgets I have seen in history with Cranston. Just in general, to compliment the mayor, his administration. Under his tenure, when we started out, there was 197 full-time jobs in general government, not public safety in our library. Last year was 178. Under these budgets, whether the first one or the second one, he's reducing it by to 157 to 139. Either version, first version of one percent. That's significant. You've never seen this in history. Mayor traffic anti in 1996 reduced it by 20.
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