Providence Journal: "Providence Hopefuls Support Preservation"

By: Philip Marcelo

State Rep. Steven M. Costantino’s role in passing a moratorium on the historic tax-credit program was among the preservation-related issues discussed when the five mayoral candidates met in a forum at the downtown public library on Thursday. The forum was sponsored by the Providence Preservation Society and the Providence Revolving Fund.

Democratic candidates Angel Taveras and Christopher F. Young criticized Costantino, the House Finance Committee chairman, for shepherding legislation in 2008 that closed off new applicants to the program as part of the legislature’s plan to close a budget deficit.

The program gave developers a tax credit of up to 30 percent of their qualifying historical-rehabilitation construction costs and is largely credited with revitalizing historic buildings and old mills throughout the state.

Taveras mentioned Costantino’s role in freezing the program and pledged that, if elected, he would advocate that the General Assembly reinstate the program. Young repeated the criticism as he explained his plans for incorporating historic preservation into economic-development initiatives.

Costantino called his attackers “historical revisionists,” saying that he had not brought an end to the popular tax-credit program, but “salvaged” it.

He said he fought an earlier version of the proposed moratorium that would have capped the program at $20 million in 2008 and $40 million in 2009. He added that there are still uncompleted projects guaranteed the credits.

“In Providence alone, close to $400 million in projects were saved,” Costantino said. “The program is still in existence. A national recession hit us and that’s what has really delayed those projects from moving forward.”

In his closing statements, Costantino claimed he had an “undisputed record” on historic preservation.

He mentioned his role in sponsoring the so-called “mill bill” that provides tax credits toward preserving mill buildings as well as legislation that created the 5-percent tax credit for homeowners who complete a historic renovation.

Costantino also mentioned his role — as well as that of City Councilman John J. Lombardi, another Democratic mayoral candidate — in approving legislation that regulates utility upgrades in historic houses.

That legislation, passed last year, grew out of a dispute between gas company National Grid and city residents who complained that meter upgrades were damaging their historic houses.

Asked how he would integrate historic preservation into economic development, Lombardi pledged that his administration would not issue permits to developers that could not provide proof that their projects had sufficient financial backing, a problem that many preservationists say led to a number of unwarranted demolitions of historic downtown buildings in recent years.

Taveras, in explaining how he would integrate historic preservation into city government, said he would streamline the city’s many commissions dealing with building design and historic preservation.

Independent candidate Jonathan P. Scott, who will face the winner of the Democratic primary in November, said the city should focus more on “historical tourism,” marketing its rich history in much the same way that Newport has. “We have every asset that Newport does, but we don’t market it like Newport does,” he said.

The forum was the second-to-last before the Sept. 14 primary; the four Democratic candidates will attend a breakfast sponsored by the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce on Friday at 8 a.m. in the Providence Marriott Hotel.

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