Fall River City Councilor requests money from Massachusetts Millionaire Tax be used to upgrade police and fire

A Fall River City Councilor is looking for some co-operation from the state delegation.

Councilor Cliff Ponte has issued a motion for the state to use funds from the “Millionaire’s Tax” to help renovate the city’s fire stations and provide needed vehicles and technology.

The motion reads as follows:

WHEREAS, the City of Fall River is home to a dedicated and hardworking Police and Fire Department who work under challenging conditions to serve and protect the residents of our community, and 

WHEREAS, many of the City’s fire stations are severely outdated, some over a century old, and are in need of critical capital repairs to roofing, HVAC, structural, and safety systems to maintain operational readiness and ensure the safety of our firefighters, and 

WHEREAS, the Fall River Police Department is in need of upgraded technology, equipment, and infrastructure to ensure modern, effective, and community-responsive policing, and 

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has generated a significant surplus through the Fair Share Amendment (commonly known as the “Millionaire’s Tax”), exceeding projections and providing a unique opportunity to reinvest in municipal infrastructure needs across the state, and 

WHEREAS, the surplus funding presents a timely and essential opportunity for investment in cities like Fall River that have been historically underfunded, especially in critical areas like public safety and emergency services, now therefore 

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Fall River City Council hereby supports and endorses the attached letter authored by Councilor Cliff Ponte and urges the Massachusetts Legislature— specifically Senator Michael Rodrigues and the local Fall River House Delegation to allocate a portion of the Millionaire’s Tax surplus revenue for: 

Structural and capital repairs to the Fall River Fire Department’s aging stations 

Investment in safety, surveillance, and communications technology for the Fall River Police Department 

Replacement of critical vehicles and life-saving equipment used by both departments 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Fall River City Council respectfully requests notification of any upcoming public hearings or advocacy opportunities so that local officials may be present to represent the City’s needs. 

The letter in question reads as follows:

Dear Senator Rodrigues, 

As a City Councilor in Fall River, I write to you today with urgency and respect to formally request your support in ensuring that the City of Fall River receives a portion of the surplus revenue generated through the Fair Share Amendment (“Millionaire’s Tax”) to address critical capital needs in our public safety infrastructure. 

As you are aware, Fall River faces significant challenges with outdated and deteriorating capital needs across our public safety departments in Police and Fire. Our Police Department is in dire need of upgraded technology and equipment to effectively protect and serve our residents capital needs such as additional police cruisers. Our Fire Stations many of which are over a century old-require substantial repairs to roofs, structural systems, HVAC, and safety infrastructure to meet modern standards and ensure the safety of our firefighters and the communities they serve. 

With the state generating a surplus of over $1.3 billion in Millionaire’s Tax revenue, now is the time to invest in cities like Fall River that have been historically under-resourced. This funding presents an unprecedented opportunity to modernize our emergency services and ensure our public safety officials can do their jobs safely, effectively, and with the dignity they deserve. 

We respectfully urge you to advocate for dedicated capital allocations from this surplus to support: 

Structural repairs and modernization of Fall River fire stations 

Investment in police communication, surveillance, and safety equipment 

Replacement of outdated vehicles and life-saving apparatus in both departments 

Public safety is the cornerstone of any strong community and Fall River cannot meet today’s challenges with yesterday’s infrastructure. We need your voice and leadership on Beacon Hill to ensure our city is not left behind as these important funding decisions are made. Lastly, we respectfully ask to be notified of any upcoming hearings, working sessions, or public forums where advocacy on these matters will be welcomed. We are prepared to come to the State House with our public safety officials to make our case directly and ensure Fall River’s needs are.

The next City Council meeting is scheduled for July 15th.