New Council Hears Non-Profits' Pleas at First Regular Meeting

City Councilors heard the pleas of non-profit organizations asking to be sparedfrom newly assessed taxes during their first regular meeting, receiving a possible balm from Councilman Garrett Mancieri.

Denis Galipeau, Elks trustee, assured councilors newly assessed taxes for several city non-profit organizations would end their charitable efforts. "We're at the point where if you tax us, the donations will stop, Galipeau said.

Darrin Cooper of Club Lafayette said the new taxes assessed for them would also cancel out their charitable efforts to causes including the Cops Wallk, the Jimmy Fund, the Milk Fund, Woonsocket Music Boosters and the Woonsocket Prevention Coalition.

Russ Chevalier of St. Joseph's Veterans Association said the newly assessed taxes would sink the organization outright. "Quite frankly, it's going to put us out," he said, "You're just going to have another piece of property collecting dust."

City Council President Al Brien suggested segregating non-profit groups between those that give back to the city and those that do not.

Mancieri agreed, suggesting that each non-profit organization's charitable efforts be applied to their assessments as a tax credit. 

Moreau noted one of the non-profits, Seven Hills, which has received criticism due to its high-paid CEO, actually commits 100 percent of its space to non-profit work, and employs a number of people in the $20,000 per year range. He warned against burdening them and compromising their mission, which includes work with children with Down's Syndrome. 

The newly assessed taxes for the non-profits was a decision made by the Budget Commission prior to the election, which replaced Mayor Leo Fontaine and Council President John Ward with Baldelli-Hunt and Brien respectively, each of whom now serve on the state-appointed board. The two now have a minority voice in Budget Commission decisions, the same political power enjoyed by Ward and Fontaine. 

Brien said he would arrange a work session with the Budget Commission to address the non-profits' concerns and Mancieri's proposal.

The evening was also notable for the new seating arrangements for the city's directors, all facing toward the audience. Under the previous administration and council, directors sat at tables with their backs to the public. The new arrangement allowed directors faces to be seen while they spoke to the councilors.