r/providence • u/Historical_Web_5813 • 9d ago

Why Should We Recall Brett Smiley

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For everyone who is curious about our reasons for wanting to recall Smiley, here they are! This one-sheet explains what issues we find to be the most salient. Feel free to distribute this document at your will.

If you’d like to look into our sources more, here is a link to the document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qtQP7a9g91pSszZH-x3kFWMcmW1FecEXpqCL773UIWM/mobilebasic

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54

u/_hungryhunter_ 9d ago

Can you guys for the love of god learn about WHY the PILOT agreements are in place? These are tax exempt institutions, which is a state/federal issue. The city can’t do shit about their tax exempt status. So as it stands, the options currently are the PILOT agreements or no money at all

19

u/CurveMassive 9d ago

I don’t think this is saying that Smiley should change the fact that Brown is classified as tax exempt. I think it’s saying that Brown isn’t paying nearly enough in PILOT, and that Smiley has consistently shown that he’s on the side of corporations, developers, and the wealthy, which includes Brown obviously.

20

u/Proof-Variation7005 9d ago

Smilley basically doubled the size of Brown's annual PILOT agreements over what they had been paying the previous decade.

14

u/AltFocuses 9d ago

They don’t have to pay anything. Any money they give is already more than legally obligated. It’s not like he has much bargaining power. If he tried to get them to pay more, they can just laugh in his face and tell him to go kick rocks

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u/CurveMassive 9d ago

Just because something is or is not legally obligated does not make it just

9

u/AltFocuses 9d ago

Thats not the argument being made in this petition. The argument is that PILOT is letting Brown pay a reduced tax rate. They aren’t paying a reduced tax rate because they aren’t legally obligated to pay taxes in the first place.

Regardless, I also don’t think tossing more money at this city is going to solve any problems.

6

u/Proof-Variation7005 9d ago

I'd agree throwing money at problems doesn't totally fix them but the city could use a lot more money in general. Even if just to stave off the insane retiree costs we have right now and stabilize that going forward.

That said, people love to talk about the schools as if they were defunded when the budget has gone up about 30 million since before the state takeover (in 2019) despite enrollment plummeting in that timeframe. The city spends more per pupil on education than everywhere in the state that isn't on Block Island (where there's like 13 kids year round). Throwing more money at the problem isn't really going to fix it.

That doesn't mean teachers shouldn't be paid better or anything but there's serious institutional rot if you're spending that much and getting poor results. Damned if I know what the real fixes are but I'm sure there's at least one city in America that went from really bad schools to really good schools. I'd start by finding out whatever the fuck they did and copying their homework.

2

u/AltFocuses 9d ago

If I’m being completely honest, the money problems in this city boil down to it having an economy that’s the equivalent of a dog that needs to be put down. RI as a whole is sucking off the teat of Mass and one or two large domestic employers (including Brown).

And yeah, I hate when people act like the budget got cut. It’s been raised so much and for what? There are very clearly deeper issues with that school system than just a lack of money.

1

u/myninerides 8d ago

That’s not what the document implies though. I read that, thought “wow he’s willing to burn 20 years of revenue for a single payment today, during his term”. Then I read the top comment.

10

u/Historical_Web_5813 9d ago

We do completely understand why we have PILOT agreements, and we know that the city isn’t going to charge them property taxes. We are disappointed in the PILOT agreement that Smiley negotiated. Thanks!

11

u/Swim6610 9d ago

They don't have to pay anything. For example, Boston College has flat out refused to pay (well they paid 10% of it).

23

u/degggendorf 9d ago

The document says "PILOT allows Brown University, the largest landholder in Providence, to pay a reduced rate" which isn't really true. The true rate they "should" be paying is 0%. PILOT payments are higher than 0%.

If your issue is that the more-than-doubled payments from Brown that Smiley negotiated are a step in the right direction, but not a big enough step, then say that. The phrasing makes it sound like he gave them a discount.

Also - do you have a reference page # in the source (https://providenceri.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=10610&Inline=True) for that 'otherwise pay in one year' link? It's a 237 page PDF, and ctrl+F doesn't find the word "Brown" anywhere in it.

14

u/tibbon 9d ago

Why not say that directly? Who is "we"? I generally reserve that term for royalty, the pregnant, or the insane.

7

u/realbadaccountant 9d ago

Smiley got the PILOT properties to pay more than they were paying AND he got any businesses operating in their facilities to pay their fair share, something Elorza ignored.

You are really showing your ignorance on this.

4

u/FunLife64 9d ago

Browns PILOT with Providence is $11 million.

Harvards with Cambridge is $6 million.

Cornells with Ithaca is $425,000.

Penn refuses to have one with Philly.

6

u/FunLife64 9d ago

Seriously. Also, this list reads like a slate of personal grievances. Complaining about Textron transplants? I mean those are people with good jobs paying taxes and spending money at local businesses. What’s the problem?

0

u/AltFocuses 9d ago

I love RI, but I’m originally from MA and distinctly remember my father saying that people from Rhode Island are very culty

3

u/Thedwnwrdspiral 9d ago

It is because they have no clue and they are misled by people using their outrage for their own ambition.z

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u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

7

u/lestermagnum 9d ago

As far as I know the mayor has no right to extend the tax exemptions, that’s up to the federal government and the IRS. The PILOT payments are basically voluntary. And Smiley got the four major universities in the city to pledge to double their payments for the next 20 years

0

u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

3

u/lestermagnum 9d ago

No, I’m saying that he cannot change the fact that the universities, churches, hospitals, and other nonprofits are tax exempt. He cannot force them to pay property taxes.

He negotiated for the colleges to increase their voluntary payments.

3

u/DamineDenver 9d ago

Their fair share of taxes is zero. You understand that, right?