NORTH PROVIDENCE -- The town can balance its budget for the next fiscal year without cutting back on municipal services, the mayor said yesterday.
Mayor A. Ralph Mollis was mum on specifics, but brimming with optimism as he finalized his annual budget address.
He plans to deliver it -- along with his recommendations for spending and taxing -- at tonight's Town Council meeting.
"There's going to be an awful lot of good news to report tomorrow night," Mollis said.
He said he will report that North Providence is ahead of schedule to pay off debts owed by the school district.
He promised that homeowners will be pleased with his proposal for cushioning residential taxpayers from higher property values by reducing the tax rate.
"We're going to be able to provide the level of services that the residents of the town have come to expect," he said.
Mollis said he wouldn't unveil specific budget figures in deference to the council.
As a councilman, Mollis was annoyed when he and the other council members learned about the mayor's budget recommendation from the newspaper -- before the mayor briefed the council.
"They are an equal branch of government," Mollis said. "I just want to respect that branch."
Meanwhile, Mollis lauded the School Committee.
The school district's success at balancing spending against revenues, in the budget year that ended last June, has enhanced the town's financial outlook, he said.
Until last year, the district had run deficits of more than $1 million over a four year span.
That track record heated up relations between the municipal officials and school officials last year.
"This year has a much different tone," Mollis said.
Mollis typically pares the school budget.
This year, members of the school committee say they have done plenty of cutting and snipping on their own.
The committee has proposed a budget of $39.7 million. That's about $2 million, or 5 percent more, than what the district budgeted for the fiscal year that will end June 30.
The school budget -- not including about $1 million allocated for debt payments -- is $37.6 million this year, Mollis said.
The municipal budget is $31.6 million. Altogether, the budget is $70.3 million.
Mollis isn't the only official pleased with the budget situation.
Councilman Robert Ricci announced yesterday that Mollis had agreed to double an exemption for the elderly.
At the present time, the elderly can reduce the value of their property by $5,000 before the town bills them at a rate of $28.71 per $1,000 of assessed property.
Under Ricci's proposal, the exemption would increase from $5,000 to $10,000.
The change would keep the exemption current with the latest property values, which have doubled amid a townwide reappraisal of property.
"That's a big item for the senior citizens," Ricci said.
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