For Immediate Release:                                                      Contact: Ryan Kelley

July 29, 2010 True North Communications

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Providence – Sabina Matos, Democratic candidate for Providence City Council’s Ward 15, expressed significant concerns over the passage of a $284-million tax levy last night by the Providence City Council. Matos is urging Mayor David Cicilline to veto the increase which would significantly and adversely impact property taxpayers throughout the city.

“I have grave concerns about the tax increase that passed last night and how it’s going to impact homeowners throughout Providence,” said Matos. “I am particularly concerned with its affects on property owners in the Olneyville, Silver Lake and the West End sections of the city who will lose their homestead exemption on multifamily properties they may own. I can assure the voters of Ward 15 if I had been on the council last night I would not have supported this tax increase.”

The council narrowly passed the tax increase by an 8-to-7 decision, which included raising property taxes and repealing the homestead exemption to allow non-owner-occupied dwellings of five units or less an exemption on the first 33 percent of assessed value.

“There are many on the council who would like us to believe only the wealthiest homeowners on the East Side will be impacted by this tax increase,” said Matos. “That is simply not the case. For a struggling family to lose their homestead exemption on a multifamily property they own, which may already be underwater, would be beyond devastating. It would further deepen Rhode Island’s economic crisis as these families will likely face foreclosure.”

“I am urging Mayor Cicilline to immediately veto this tax increase and am asking him to think about all homeowners in Providence struggling to make ends meet,” said Matos. “These are financially trying times and these homeowners can simply not be burdened by thousands of dollars in property tax increases.”