KATE LEONARD

KEEPS TAXES AFFORDABLE

1. Votes consistently to protect the wallets of Newport residents and businesses/fights to keep property taxes reasonable

2. Always questions expenditures in City Budget

3. Advocates to keep Newport families here by working to keep Newport affordable

4. Constantly assessing Fiscal Impact and balance for accountability and job productivity in city departments

5. Voted for RI penny-per-pound money to protect Newport watershed

6. Sponsored resolution for State Legislature to pass “Transfer Upon Death Deeds” to save families on inheritance taxes and need

      to through Probate Court

 

 

KEEPS BALANCE BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES

1. Lobbied and voted to create the Deputy Zoning Officer Program to promote peace, control party houses and control over-crowding and AIRBNB violations

2. Worked with Mrs. Dorrance Hamilton to conserve the land at old Edgehill site on Harrison Avenue resulting in the creation of SVF Foundation that has since received several national awards for historic preservation and provides jobs for local residents

3. Works with neighbors’ concerns to protect R-10 residential areas from guest houses

 

 

KEEPS COMMUNICATION OPEN LISTENING TO DIVERSE OPINIONS

1. Available 24/7 to answer texts, emails, and phone calls from

2. Acts promptly to mediate constituent concerns with City Manager and his department heads, especially Public Works,

       Zoning, and Police

 

KEEPS DEVELOPMENT IN ACCORDANCE TO CITY COMPREHENSIVE  LAND USE PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCES

 

1. Advocated for “green space” and land conservation: worked with prior Council and Aquidneck Land Trust to protect City parks from future development, worked with Prince Foundation to purchase development rights of Spouting Rock land and to provide open space around Almy Pond

2. Concerned about the impact of pollution on our environment by investigating pollution at King Park Beach (CSO problems, install sewer line for King Park toilets that were emptying into the harbor)

3. Lobbied with Friends of the Waterfront for years to protect public access—designated rights of way to the water in Newport

4. Sponsored resolution to institute “conservation overly districts” to protect Newport from housing density

5. Voiced concerns about building new hotels in downtown area and the effects on our infrastructure

6. Works with State and Federal government officials to address city issues

 

 

KEEPS NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY

1. Raises funds to beautify King Park, restore the gazebo, and raise funds for the NIMFEST Summer Concert Series

2. As a Trustee for the Hamilton Improvement Fund, the King Park Harbor Walk was created working with Friends of the Waterfront

       and historic fencing was installed at Aquidneck Park for the safety of children

   3. Fought the keep diesel Duck boats out of King Park, Newport Harbor, and city streets

   4. Spent 20 years working with neighborhood groups such as The Point Association, Hill Association, and Bellevue Ochre Point

       Association, when active

   5. Works with the Point Association to protect Storer Park, Battery Park, and be and advocate for residents

   6. Works with Friends of King Park to provide plantings in the park

   7. Advocates for locals to use dinghy dock at King Park Pier for family recreation

   8. Advocated with Councilor Napolitano and attended Legislative Hearings to stop RIPTA bus announcements from disturbing

      residents on The Point

   9. During gas power outage worked with National Grid Supervisors to get power to those in need for medical reasons and for families     with small children; personally sent trucks to CT to purchase electric heaters when National Grid ran out and donated to families in need

10.Voted to expand funding for the improvement and road and sidewalk repairs

11.  Consistently pushing City Manager to address speeding on city on city streets, especially Harrison and Ruggles Avenues and to

        address loud motorcycle noise from illegal pipes

12.  Negotiated the city lease of $1 a year with old Fleet Bank Boston to gain the site for Thames Street Police Sub-Station

13.  Sponsored resolution to extend King Senior Center Lease

 

 

KEEP EDUCATION STUDENT CENTERED

1. Volunteer Organizer/Fundraiser/Mentor for 12 years as Rogers High School Horticulture Summer Mentoring Program that gave students summer jobs

2. Go to Alliance for Livable Newport for response on bond issue

3. Advocated for Pell Expansion

4. Advocates for more vocational/mentoring programs

5. Sponsored resolution to request meetings with Middletown and Portsmouth School Committees

6. Concluded that Bond for a new HS building may not be affordable

taxpayers and that island cooperation offers more opportunities for students to learn and secure their futures

 

          

KEEPS BUSINESSES ROBUST

1. Works consistently to protect small businesses that employ local

2.  Voted to disallow new free liquor licenses in order to protect businesses that have paid for these valuable businesses

3. Supported the creation of Innovate Newport at the Sheffield School to encourage a more diversified economy in Newport and

      help establish new small businesses

   4. Open communication with all business owners’ concerns

   5. Helping businesses re-open during Covid Pandemic

   6. Sponsored resolution for State Legislature to require insurers to cover Covid-19 related business losses

   7. Sponsored resolution for RI Legislature and Airport Authority to improve airport safety at island airport