City sets new tax rate at $14.76. A rate decrease of 32%.

The East Providence City Council received a report from Mayor Bob DaSilva at its May 16, 2023 council meeting which set the new tax rate at a decrease of 32%. The council received the news in a meeting in which the city auditor was also present to update the council on city finances. 

“I am writing to inform you that the property tax rate for the upcoming year has been finalized after a thorough statistical revaluation. This state mandated revaluation is designed to ensure fairness and accuracy in tax assessments, and we are confident that the new assessments that we are implementing are fair and equitable to all taxpayers city wide,” Mayor Bob DaSilva wrote in a letter to the City Council.

“The new residential property tax rate will be $14.76 per $1,000 for the 2023 tax roll. With these rates, the average residential taxpayer will see a slight annual increase of approximately $130 in their property tax bill,” said DaSilva.

The $14.76 tax rate is a decrease of 32%, down from $21.86. Due to mandatory property revaluations, the combination of a new rate equates to the overall increase of about $130 per year for the average homeowner. The commercial tax rate also decreased from $26.89 to $23.03 for a decrease of 14%. The city Tangible rate showed a 1% increase from $56.33 to $56.81.

Mayor DaSilva and City Council members mentioned collaboration with the city legislative delegation in passing House and Senate bills intended to help with the process of setting a tax rate. “My administration, together with the city council worked, with State Representatives Katherine Kazarian, Matt Dawson, Brianna Henries, and Jennifer Boylan as well as State Senators Valerie Lawson, Robert Britto and Pam Lauria to introduce and seek passage of legislation that would enable the City of East Providence to adjust and equalize our residential and commercial tax rates after a revaluation to ensure fairness and equity for our East Providence taxpayers,” wrote DaSilva to the council at its May 16th meeting.

Ward One Councilman Frank Rego attributed the tax rate news, in part, to the form of government. “I thank our state delegation, city administration and the five of us (city council) here for why this really happened. We corrected a prior wrong by people who had no concern for residents,” said Rego. “This is another example of repairing bad policy. Without this, the taxpayers would be on the hook for a lot more money,” Rego added.

Tax bills are slated to be mailed at the end of May and are scheduled to reach property owners' mailboxes during the first week of June.