So we weigh that obviously as we're going to weigh all the evidence in front of us and then apply it for you find that you like ever turn down especially permanent based on the testimony you receive, or do you generally approve most things?

Yeah, I mean, I I don't know that I have personally voted against based on based on the an item of testament that I slightly.

As well as what's what's in the application, and then some of the questions that we're able to ask the applicant that are representatives, whatever.

So we went way all that.

Um, but I can't think of one specific where uh where there was something particular at that time.

Um I know that um Mr.

Azar from planning is presenting to the ordinance committee tomorrow night about the new design standards.

How will you guys be using that?

That's really not I mean it is going to impact us because it's going to because of the way certain designs are going to impact how large some of these buildings will be.

Um so I do anticipate there'll be some impact going forward and we will work with staff uh to figure out how that's how it's gonna play out.

I think we we might not know until actually goes into five.

Uh but I'm glad you mentioned Director Azar, who's someone I have tremendous respect for City Group for a very, very long time.

Uh he and I are have opened up a line of communication discuss applications and then their their thoughts, his department's thoughts on applications uh pretty pretty much every every month going forward.

So uh we can have that one in dialogue and adjust accordingly if we need also word three silence.

There you go.

Um and then I guess like the last question I have is um why do you want to be chair?

Yeah, um well again I enjoy public service.

Uh but I also I enjoy uh administrative meeting.

I've stepped in for Chair Greenfield when he is absent, so I feel like my my grasp of how a lot official meeting is is there.

Um I council boards before zoning boards and central falls in particular.

Um I've been chief staff and seconds I've dealt with the ones there.

So I feel that is just a good use of of my talents, my service, and also I like to talk.

So that helps as well.

Um, but I I feel like I'm I'm somebody that um as chair can be a um you know common presence.

I learned a lot from from uh chairman Greenville to you know this being providence.

Uh his his kids went to high school with me at Classical.

So I've known him a very very long time as well.

Uh but I've learned a lot from it.

He's a great attorney.

Uh he's a very very thoughtful person, and I like to continue that way of the register.

So why do I want to be chair?

I think it's just a it's a great way to have to add to my service and to you know ensure that again people treat fairly that we're moving efficiently and that we're as you know affordable and pro you know pro business pro resident place place to be able to build a better province.

Yeah, those are my questions.

Wonderful.

Um councilwoman Cajusen, do you have any questions that you um none yet?

No, he was just listening.

Thank you.

Okay, so first of all, you could pick shoes to fill because Mark was there for how long?

Uh I believe 14 years.

Oh wow, that's a long time.

Long time.

Yeah, it's tough.

Very well regarded.

But you've got a solid resumes, and we certainly wish you well.

Um good appointment from the mayor, and you've already served on the words where it's a natural transition.

Um my only question is on oftentimes council people are pulled in a gazillion different directions, and we rely on tapes and audios of meetings.

There's been instances when I've tried to go on to pick up an audio, and I haven't been able to do that.

Um so I do know that on being on the council for so long that um your meetings were um recorded and you had clerk.

Staff them.

Um I just don't know why there's not an audio of them.

So I think it's important work.

I think the work that you do needs to be more visible on not because you're doing anything wrong, you're certainly helping move the city or province forward in a very positive way.

But I think uh if you could, if you are sworn in as the new chair, if you could please look into that, I'm gonna uh raise it to the clerks as well and the chief of staff because I do think that I know that it's stopped after when 2020 COVID got it off.

Do you be happy to raise that should I be uh I think it's important so if you're not staffed by clerks, we are it then we should have an audio.

Um can I ask you guys, do you know anything about it?

My famous clerk scan.

You know anything as to why that stopped?

Not the acknowledging.

Okay.

Is there anything about location?

Maybe where do you guys make 444?

I mean, there's on the zoom, it's definitely okay.

And they I hear that they're recording because I always said I always hear the recording in progress.

Yes, yes, so I hope that it could be a technician.

Let's that be something that you and I'm happy to work with you on it.

Okay, that sounds great.

I don't have any questions.

I think tremendously uh talented individual uh proud that you go up in the mighty fifth board, I might say we raise good people.

Um but anyway, um I know your family well and your commitment to public services applicable.

So I thank you for that.

Thank you, Chair.

Committee member, oh councilwoman Graves.

Approved.

Okay, so you're making a motion to approve, yes.

Um councilwoman Braves, uh seconded by councilwoman Emma, all in favor, aye.

Any opposed, all nays ayes have it, motion carried.

You move on.

Your appointment moves on to the full council for full vote.

Thank you very much.

We wish you well.

Okay, we appreciate your time and always an open door.

Thank you.

Okay, Madam Clerk.

Uh last item on the agenda, please.

Item two.

That resolution or passing abatement report island is development property taxes for tax year 2025.

Okay, thank you all.

Who do we have?

Who do we have to present on this matter?

We have the famous Lisa Rangler, who lives in my ward.

That's right.

Thank you.

Okay, guys, we're trying to put down business here.

You do like to talk.

I do, I'm sorry.

I was gonna talk.

Um, please swear the witness.

Do you swear in the penalty of clearly we get the testimony about to give us the truth?

The whole truthing up in the truth.

Yes, state your name against the bank.

Okay.

So did we read this into the record?

Did I ask that?

No, we skipped.

We skipped.

So let's read our two which I just read.

Okay, we were talking in the background room.

It was driving me crazy.

Okay.

Ms.

Rangler, welcome.

Thank you for presenting yourself on tonight.

We have a number of questions, but I'd first like to give you an opportunity to um address the committee and ask for what you would like us to vote on.

Absolutely.

So, chairwoman, thank you so much for your leadership, and thank you for allowing me to be here today.

And council member, thank you so much.

And councilwoman Grey, thank you for sponsoring this um abatement for us.

I am Lisa Ranglin.

I currently represent the Rhode Island Business Development Institute.

I'm here in that capacity.

I will share about the work that we do.

I did also listen to the tape from the last meeting, so I'm also prepared to answer all the questions that were raised.

Um, but I'm here um representing um RIPD, Rhode Island Business Development Institute.

It's a 503501c3 entity.

It's preside at 220 Smith Street in Providence.

So it's a charitable organization.

Um we are actually requested um abatement of the taxes for 2025, which is an amount of 10,0096.28 cents.

And just a little bit about us as an organization.

Some of you probably very well know.

Um we are a grassroot organization.

Um, I want to clarify because I think people uh you know talked about that we have funding because we were lucky enough, thanks to Senator Reed and Senator White House that we were able to receive funding to acquire a building where we have been living at the regency for the last 11 years and recently moved into this building that is currently owned by RIPD, Rhode Island Business Development Institute.

But I want to be clear, we are a grassroot organization over the last 10-15 years, and even before that, we have a tiny little skeleton budget, and without the support of Senator Reed and Senator White House, we would not be in that building that we are in right now.

In addition to that, while we're seeking this um abatement specifically for the taxes for 2025, um, all of us here know the climate that we're in.

We are an organization that supports um communities of color, um, not only communities of color, but we work to help businesses create jobs, education in terms of helping people to increase their academic uh outcome.

In addition, we help with leadership development.

So the work that we do, it's really driving economic growth, it also drives um job creation.

Um, I don't know what the next year or two will be as it relates to us as an organization based on the current climate.

So um I do want to share, and I'm sure that you may already heard from last meeting, is that we did um have a um legislation um that were submitted on our behalf last year by Senator Um Senator Um Basilian Jake and um Nate Mbia on the rep side that was passed in July of 2025.

That was passed in July of 2025.

That will go in effect January 1, 202.

Keep in mind when those legislators actually present their their bills, they were hoping that this would be retroactive, right?

So I think we learned after that.

Um this is not how it works.

I think we heard from Chairman the finance person, Mary Mancini talked about the time in and how that works.

Um the legislators did not know, they thought it would be retroactive, right?

And we found out that it's not.

But I would like to share specifically about our impact, because it's one thing to talk about, you know, acts in for invadement of taxes.

I live in the city of Providence, and I'm sure all of us that have property owners understand the impact from property taxes.

But I also want to speak to when we talk about equitable.

We know firsthand in the city of Providence.

There are many other nonprofit organizations in the city that is currently receiving tax credit or have received received tax credit, and they have a lot more funding than we do.

Um I also would like to share that the building is owned by the Rhode Island Business Development Institute.

We have not paid our 25 2025 taxes as yet.

Um, and I'm just addressing some of the questions that were raised from our last meeting.

We appreciate that, thank you.

Um there were some discussion around our address.

Again, as I noted, our address is 220 Smith Street in Providence.

Um we actually moved into that build in 2024.

So I think if my memory serves me correctly, we had our ribbon cutting like in May.

Um we waited for about a year and a half to get permit to start development in that work in that building.

Currently, the building housed two entities, Rhode Island Business Development Institute, REBA, Rhode Island Lat Business Association rents from the 501c3.

Um, and I know there were question around the relationship, if you will.

As I mentioned, the RIPD, Rhode Island Business Development Institute is a 501c3 charitable organization.

Um we like to consider it a charitable arm of REBA.

So for example, um, if you look at the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, you will see they're set up exactly the way that we're set up.

If you look at the North Nuclear Chamber of Commerce, they set up because Rhode Island Lat Business Association is an advocacy membership organization that is 501c6, I believe.

Um, and that organization is at the state house.

They're advocating for the support of small businesses.

While on the other side, you have the three, you can't do lobbying, right?

You can't be up at the state.

I mean, it's a little amount of small amount of time that you can, but these two entities are set up to really ensure that REBA, which is a member organization, um, and RIPD is the charitable organization.

So when people donate um funds to us, they can write it off on their taxes, right?

Um, and we use that to solicit funding from corporations or a nonprofit, but that's the organization that really focuses on the training, if you will.

A couple other things that I would like to share, and you know, we have been looking at how do we um reduce cost?

So we currently have those two entities that I mentioned, and as a board, as the organization, the board is governed two organizations, they're two independent organizations.

They have two EIN numbers separate, they have separate 990.

The board is currently um overseeing two entities.

Um, from a long-term perspective, the goal is for us to eventually merge, if you will, the the six into the three.

Again, we're trying to get guidance from the IRS.

That's not necessarily something that we can just do.

Obviously, these are two different entities.

One is a member-driven organization.

Some of you may have remembered way back when we were called the Rhode Island Black Chamber of Commerce, and we change our name to the Rhode Island Black Business Association.

But again, to be clear, those are two separate entities.

Um, I also would like to share, and we can go back and look at the 990s prior to receiving the funds from Senator White House and Senator Reed, which these are restricted dollars.

Prior to receiving the funds from Senator White House and Senator Reed, which these are restricted dollars.

So we're not able to take those dollars and pay for taxes or anything like that.

They're restrictive for a specific purpose on, for example, job training, small business development, all of that.

So we use RIPD to raise dollars that we can use to keep the lights on to pay the rent to keep supply to keep the organization floating, what our grants actually don't provide.

So I'm gonna pause there and see if there, I think I covered all the questions that were posed.

I know there were discrepancy around address, whether we, you know, what's the address?

Um, I guess hopefully that clarifies 220 Smith Street.

That's the address for both entities.

Um Rhode Island Business Development Institute owns the building.

The tax bill was also issued to Rhode Island Business Development Institute.

And I know um last week Mr.

Mancini talked about could not validate whether or not the tax bill was issued or who it was issued to.

I want to put this into evidence that this is very clear in terms of who owns the building and also who the building is taxed.

So there's no question about that.

So I'm gonna pause there and see if anyone has any questions.

Questions, many members.

We have something.

Um councilman race, you have a question?

No, I I don't have a question.

I remember because I have a time uh comment.

Okay.

Um one of the comments that I want to address that you alluded to was that we did this last year, um, when we when they came through and we uh voted for them to go off to the state to get this um taxes out.

I'm sorry, I'm gonna just with the tax revenue.

Well, they applied that last original state.

Yes, correct.

Okay.

And it was approved.

I didn't know that.

That was before my time as financial, so I appreciate that.

Thank you.

And um when Jake and all of them did the bill, it was they thought as well as I have to admit.

Nathan is not um we can't, we don't have to talk about our state representative.

But but anyway, but then you know, one's movie, I'm gonna be in the other one.

I've been here long enough, I guess.

Um, but the other one should have known.

But it was on the assumption that there was that their tax would not that there would not be tax for that year for December.

So when the bill came in, it was like, why did I get this bill?

So I received a phone call, and I was like, I wonder why you got a bill, you shouldn't have gotten a bill because that's supposed to be all taken care of.

So I spoke to them because we went up to them, and then that's what that was supposed to be happening.

And they said, Oh no, it's all taken care of.

They don't have to pay uh anything because it's been excused.

And I was like, okay, well, they got bill, you know.

So that's when we first we had our conversation with the mayor, and they said they were going to look into it, and then they looked into it and said, Oh, well, if we gotta do it, you gotta pay it.

Uh so I spoke to the reps again.

They said, no, no, that's not the way it is, because we put it in so that it's it was rectoactive, so we did not have to pay.

So then we um ended up having a meeting, a sit-down meeting with all of us at the table.

And the mayor said, Well, you know, as long as you put a resolution on the on on the floor again for this, it would be fine.

You know, I have I have no um no problem with it.

And we thought that was all done in November.

I believe it became on the table, it was supposed to be voted on in November, and then I find that while you know in the middle of the meeting that we're gonna take it back off the table and and and submit to finance.

So that's why we ended up here back here in finance.

Um I was also told at that meeting.

It was well, we what it was.

How can we remedy this?

There's two ways.

Do that, through the uh general um, or they go back up there and and we were the it so that it reflects whatever it was supposed to be.

And we decided because it came from us that it should stay with us because we wanted it to come to that.

So that is what was happening.

That's what happened at the meeting.

And myself, Lisa, Aaron, and several other people from both of the city and Hassai sat at that meeting.

And we left that meeting thinking it was all done.

Okay.

Thank you.

And you testified to that at our last meeting.

I need to go back.

First of all, I want to say thank you for the work that you do for our community.

I know you personally.

I mentioned you're a member of my neighborhood, and we've enjoyed a wonderful relationship over the years, uh, and we do great work.

This has nothing to do with the work of Reba or I can't even say RIBDI.

Um, it's nothing to do with that, but this is about process.

So whatever the history was on this, the state house, first of all, the mayor can't compromise taxes.

That authority only uh lies with the city council.

Um and the state can grant, even though we don't like it on uh tax forgiveness, they can't go back in time, they can't do it retroactively, and the reason that that can't be done is because when this body, our body goes through a budget gearing uh budget process, we have open meetings, we have hearings, we fight over the budget, we labor over it.

Um and you know, everything is done in open meetings and hearings, and when we're done and we vote on it at the end of the day, the budget is certified.

That tax amount, tax levy is certified.

When we get audited, the auditors come in when they make sure that the tax amounts and the bills and all that all add up and uh work together.

So why we're here today is because it is a matter of process.

Um, and I want to clarify um our state legislators, our brothers and sisters on the hill, they didn't make a mistake.

What is before us today and has been before us on is a retroactive tax abatement.

Um so going forward, RIBDI has gotten an approval from the state to be classified as tax exempt.

Now I can go on and on about that whole kettle of fish because quite honestly, each year we ask for an increase in the pilot, and the tax exempt pilots include uh Gina and help me, they are hospitals, they are government schools, hospitals, those are the tax brackets that we get pilot payments on from the state on the state approves um these tax uh exemptions, and we don't get increased pilot, so we're losing revenue.

Um I personally don't like to approve tax abatements outside of the budget process because why?

Because it's a process, and we labored over it, and again, we heard our chief talk about certifying the uh levy.

So on I just wanted to clarify there was no error on the state legislation on can only go forward.

Um, maybe the people that submitted it had a different understanding, but the reality is only the city council can um even entertain an um a discussion for retroactive the um council staff put the matter on the docket for a vote that night when I saw it.

I said, you can't do that, folks.

We have to we have to research it, we have to cross our teeth, we have to understand what it is we're doing and how that is going to affect our existing budget.

So that being said, there's a whole nother direction I don't want to go in on that, but before I do, I just wanted to ask when did RIBDI, just for my own edification, when did that begin?

So I have the um information here from center estate, and I believe it is there.

So that organization was actually started initially June 19 2014.

2014, okay.

All right, we didn't know that.

Um you said in your testimony earlier that rent is paid.

You get your solicit funds from charitable organizations, and funds go to RIDDI.

Correct?

Or do they build rehoop and then Rebo.

So where are the funds go that you guys collect?

So there's two two questions here.

So let me just clarify.

Reba is a tenant of Rhode Island Black Rhode Island Business Development Institute.

We have a legal drawn-up contract that was drawn up by now Judge D.

Cassidy Kavala, which speaks to Reba as a tenant of Rhode Island Business Development Institute.

So those are that's clear on that one.

In regards to funding, for example, if we were solicit funding from like a blue cross or a bank of America for the gala or something, there's a portion of it that is deemed charitable, and there's a portion of that is deemed for something in return.

You come to the gala, you get your food, all of that, right?

Those funds go directly into the 501c3 entity.

Once it goes into the 501c3 entity, there is a pass-through, as I mentioned earlier.

RIBD is the charitable own for Rhode Island Black Business Association.

There is a pass-through where the funding can either be used directly from the 501c3, or it is used as a um intercompany, if you will, where the funding is transferred to Reba for different services.

However, I I should note this structure, if you will, is not unique to just REBA, or it's not unique to just any organization.

This is a structure that has been in place for many years and is currently utilized across our state.

So I just want to be clear there.

And also um councilwoman and chairman, you talked about the process.

Um, I fully understand the process.

I also um or clear around when we initially came to this body, maybe not all the people here, but we came initially in terms of trying to get guidance around this once the building was acquired by the O3, and we were told that we need to go up to the state house, which we did.

Everything that we were told to do as it relates to process.

We told you to go up to the state house.

We met with we met with the mayor's office.

We actually, if I remember if my memory serves me correctly, we met with the finance, the other, she's no longer here.

Helen.

Yes, we actually came to this meeting.

I actually presented.

Um I thought it was approved.

So we were kind of surprised when we are back again going through the same thing.

Okay.

So it was what's the chair, what's the boy's name?

Let's say we found Anthony, she's no longer.

Yes.

So we presented to her before, okay, and we were instructed that we need to go find legislators, which we did.

We're in the district for um Bazillion and um Red V el in that district.

The building is located in there, and they were um very um supportive in sponsoring those legislation for us.

Can I ask how many um so the draft of the ordinance says educates advisors black entrepreneurs in Rhode Island contributing to the growth of black business statewide through the small business community?

How many providence folks do you touch?

I understand your statewide operation, but the bulk of her client, I don't have the specific number in front of me, but I'm happy to share that.

The bulk of her clients is actually in Providence.

Um let me just share, since 2015, we have led the CDBG program for the City of Providence each year for that 80,000 or something like that we get from the city CDBG funds, we're required to service about 40 businesses every year.

We have exceeded that.

So that started Providence businesses.

Sorry, they're all Providence businesses.

All providence businesses.

We have to serve young adults.

There are some that are um 18 through 24, I believe, and then the rest of them low to moderate income.

So again, we have the Emily, I can't think of Emily's last name right now, but they're a guideline, these are low to moderate businesses that we are supported, that we are required to support.

In addition to the technical assistant that we give to Providence resident, we also have a small micro loan program that we are able to give.

These are funds that came in from the POC Foundation Pizza Opportunity Connection.

We give small grants from 500 to $3,000.

These are pass through dollars that came in from Miss Barbara Papito and her chair that we can give to businesses.

For example, they are behind on their rep.

They have something revoked.

They need a bookkeeper for a very small project to get their financial stuff underway so they can get a loan, right?

We give them a startup money, if you will.

In addition to that, um, we actually have a young um business pitch, young adult business pitch each year.

Um we get a small amount of funding from LIST, and we give out about $10,000, typically to three young people.

They're always under 30.

And these are young adults that have ideas that they want to bring to market, right?

And we are so grateful for the support that we've received over the years that we can invest in young people that have ideas.

For example, one of the the young men that won last year was a student from um the med school.

He came and presented, he has a business that he does um removal of trash, but he also does cleanup in the Providence area.

And he came and pitched to us because he wanted to buy another truck.

He has a small truck and he wanted to purchase another one.

So he was the first place winner.

We were able to help him with a $5,000 grant so he can move forward to buying this truck, right?

So this work is it's it's vital, it's critical to many of the companies that we serve.

And I can share with you that we're open to we're a state right organization, we're open to the public.

We just don't only support black businesses.

Um can I and it's a great story that I thank you so much for sharing it.

I just have a couple of questions.

You um talked about getting CDG money funds for wonderful purpose.

Where are those funds go into?

Does it go into RIVDI or does it go into those funds are directly to Rhode Island Black Business Association?

The direct the contract, the grant with the City of Providence is with REBA.

Okay.

So do those, but you're saying that RIBDI gives out grants.

So is REBA receive CBDG funds.

Are they giving the grants out?

Or is are these different CDBG funds are utilized for technical assistance only?

The charity fund from POC, there's a money that they gave to a 501c3 entity, which is Rhode Island Business Development Institute, right?

So the CDBG and the program that you talked about is um since 2015, Black Business Association that operates out of the same building that currently your 501c3 does.

Yeah, the 501c3 is the nonprofit entity that owns the building and is asking for a tax statement.

Okay.

You have trainings.

Do you have any earned income in who does the education or who does the training?

Is it REBA or is it the other RIC?

So we currently have some training that is provided directly through the institute, the Rhode Island Business Development Institute, and some is provided through Rebus.

So for example, we have a couple of programs that is funded right now through Department of Labor and Training.

Those funds go directly to REBA.

We have elite mentorship program that we provide to young adults that are in that are college-bound, and then each year we train at least 30 professionals that are looking for career advancement.

Those are restricted funds that come directly from the Department of Labor and Training, and it's out of the real jobs funding that is restricted for the purpose of work readiness, if you will.

When we talk about RIPD, Rhode Island Business Development Institute, it is an organization that we use to select funded from private people just like yourself in the room, right?

For example, if someone has a I don't know anybody that has these private foundations, but we have people that donate from here to there, 401 gives maybe a $5,000 into RIBD because it's a charitable write off for them.

So those are two separate entities as I mentioned, and I can share with you that we have KLR, an accounting firm came in, evaluated everything that we're doing.

We have several attorneys on our board, and we have reviewed everything that we that we're doing that we have done over the years, and everything is a check, right?

I can tell you that very recently Citizen Bank actually had a program where they came in and evaluated our um bylaws, and everything that we have put together is in order, right?

There's nothing.

I think you know, when I when I think about 10,000, close to 11,000 that we're talking about in terms of the request.

We have been here so many times over, and chairwoman, I know you weren't here, but um while I I respect this body and I'm grateful for the leadership, I will ask that I I do hope because I sat in this room before, and I've seen um organization came in and asked for a tax exemption from building that they haven't even purchased yet.

I was sitting back there and that happened, and that was moved ahead, right?

So I do hope that as we're talking about um equitable and fairness that it's applied across the board.

Um, because when I sat in the back and I was here, there were presentations that were done, not by a woman of color, not by an organization that's led by a black woman or organization that support black and brown and poor people.

The treatment was different.

So while I do appreciate the process that we're following, I will also ask that whatever guideline or processes that we're utilizing that it's done in the same manner, regardless of which organization comes in front of this body.

I can tell you I was not here when you when this matter was presented.

I think we've already heard that.

So I don't know what you've gone through.

I can tell you I haven't been a council person.

I'm in my 12th year.

Everything that I do is open and forthright, and I treat everyone with respect in the same way.

I love this body, and I um also make sure that we follow appropriate protocols as a chair, and that's what I'm doing.

And I want to say one more time, no one questions your organization's uh value and commitment.

And I, you know, I personally, you know me personally, and I know the work that you do, and that's great.

This question that is before us has a direct income, uh direct income impact on a certified budget.

That is it for me.

You you know, you've kindly I also had questions as to the two entities, the relationship with them that you've testified to, and we're happy, we're so happy that you came in, and I'm sorry that you had it in all the parts.

Um, but we've had conflicting information from the application for the exemption.

We had conflicting information of addresses, we've seen it yourself, and you helped us clarify that.

And everything that we do has to be done on record as a matter of record, so that when we vote on it, we're asking our colleagues to vote on it.

They know we put we vetted the project, we vetted the issue.

It isn't about people, it isn't about personalities, it's about the work that we have to do, and it's on the on our table.

So I'm going to say on that, on I'm very concerned that if we go down this road of forgiving a retroactive forgiveness on an existing budget, we're opening the door for other entities that have value and are very important to the city of Providence, just like you.

So my concern is if we open that gate on there are, I can tell you six properties that I know of that were on received state um exemption for next year, not for this year.

But if we make um an uh exemption and we grant a retroactive abatement, we open the door for all of those others.

So the value is like 220,000 for the 2020 on five requests up at the State House that were granted for next year's budget.

Um this is gonna be it's only 10,000, it's not a lot of money on almost 11,000, but the other properties um will cost the city about 220,000.

We all know we've got on the snowstorm.

The um that is an unplanned expense for our budget.

This is an unplanned expense, the 220 possible on that may hit us.

We've got um the shooting up at Brown.

Councilwoman, I'm speaking.

I will call on you when I'm done, so you can put your hand down.

I can keep my hand up.

We're gonna continue to speak.

I will continue to speak, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you very much.

So we've got a lot of expenses coming in this budget.

Um I've spoken with the administration.

I know that we're going to be announcing an essential spend going forward.

Um this is a very challenging question, and I can't speak to what happened before me in this session.

I don't know what conversations you had, but I can't support this.

If the committee wants to um make a motion and vote on it, that's fine.

Council.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

Excuse me, the chair directs who can speak.

Councilwin and well, if you'd like to say something.

Thank you.

Um, I guess I have two questions, one of which might actually be for Aaron.

Um, or for me, Chairwoman, I'm not sure.

But um, before I get to that, um actually, I'm gonna have my questions and Lisa you pre-answered most of my questions.

That's great.

Um, I guess the question I had, which might be for the chairwoman or for Aaron, is um with the statement at the beginning.

So Lisa did come before us last year with this request, which I think makes her in my mind thinking through the list that you have is different than the other folks on that list because we have a pre-existing request, and she came here and we did send her to the state.

That is something that she had made this request prior to the end of the fiscal year, and we we moved her um to the other process.

That is that does make it feel a little different.

I but then the request I had is that we've had a number of these one-offs come before us.

Um, and every time I'm uncomfortable, I I I am going to support this, but I every time this comes up, I feel very uncomfortable and feel like there should be some sort of process we have in place, and maybe it's that it happens only during the budget process, which we need for like June going forward.

I feel like we need some process written down that's like this is what this is, this is when these can come in, this is when we can make these requests.

Otherwise, like right, we're out because we've had like eight or nine come through in the last bit of time, and they've all been great, like amazing organizations.

A lot of my constituents have been uh see cross, you know, all the things.

Um these great organizations, but it's every time it's they're all great, they're all nonprofits and doing great work for our city.

So we need to have this is my request of us is to have some sort of process and timeline for if folks are making these requests when they come in and when the cutoff is, and like outside of that bounds, like and that process.

I think that makes good sense.

Um I think we need to work with our um colleagues up on the hill, yeah, on and put better parameters on what it is they're voting for, yeah.

And also on, you know, we're looking at a hit to this levy this year, um, if we approve this and others, um, and they approved uh 220,000 plus hit to our next year's budget.

We're only in February of this year, so we've got some challenge ahead of us.

Um we need to basically, you know, we we ask for additional pilot funds every year from the state, yeah, because our exemptions have grown on and we don't get an increase.

Matter of fact, there were years we didn't even pay us the pilot amounts.

So um I mean, we need to kind of have we need to have a better plan going forward.

It's it's clear in that regard.

Councilwoman Graves.

Yes.

The other thing we're talking about.

We're talking about um the money that we're gonna be shortfall in that money again prior to you coming here.

Um we took money from that that was allocated through that aquapon.

That's a whole nother topic.

No, no, no, no.

You're off topic.

So was this thing about what we're gonna have to do?

No, it's not, it's relative.

We're out of order now.

I'd like to take a vote.

Do you have a motion?

We approve this one, this one off this one.

Motion made by councilwoman and seconded by councilwoman graves.

I say no.

Um so it's two to one.

Okay.

Motion passes.

This goes to the council.

Yes, council um uh Lisa.

I do want to reaffirm this.

Has nothing to do with you with the work of the organization.

We apologize if we had to be in here.

Um, but I think you're walking away with a recommendation from this finance committee to pass it.

Um it's a big ask on, particularly in this year.

This budget gave on property owners a big tax increase on abating taxes is another hit to them.

So that's what we've got to look at as a body on, but again, we'll go into an essential spend.

We'll try to find this forgiveness, isn't a big one, but it is a significant hit.

With that, I see no further business on the uh agenda.

I have a motion to adjourn made by Councilwoman Angabl, seconded by Joanne Ryan, all in favor, aye, any opposed, eyes have it for adjourned again.

You know, and I know this is