Mark Aramli, seeking re-election to Newport’s City Council At-Large, is sounding the alarm on the city’s financial challenges and calling for a new approach to managing tourism.
In a interview with What’sUpNewp on Thursday, October 3, Aramli highlighted the fiscal imbalance he discovered during his first term and outlined his priorities for addressing these issues if re-elected.
“Newport as a city, and I say this not lightly, our finances are in terrible shape,” Aramli stated. “You know, in the simplest terms, Newport is broke.”
The councilor explained that while the city manages to pay its employees and maintain basic operations, it has been deferring major infrastructure and capital projects. This practice, according to Aramli, has led to a long-term decline in the city’s ability to maintain essential infrastructure like the Cliff Walk, beaches, and stormwater management systems.
Aramli attributes this financial strain to the unique expenses associated with Newport’s island location and its status as a popular tourist destination. He points out that while the city hosts 4 to 5 million visitors annually, only 6.5% of the city’s revenue comes from direct tourism taxes.
“We need to get more money from the tourists. They’re not paying their fair share,” Aramli asserted. He proposes tripling the current tourism tax revenue, aiming for an additional $10 to $15 million in the annual budget from direct tourism taxes.
During his first term, Aramli proposed doubling the hotel tax that Newport receives and introducing a ticket tax for high-volume venues and events. While these initiatives didn’t pass in the state legislature, Aramli remains committed to pursuing them.
“We hired a state lobbyist,” he said, explaining the city’s new strategy to secure more funding from the state. “If you need money from the state, you gotta be in the game.”
Aramli also emphasized the need for a tourism master plan, shifting away from a growth-at-all-costs approach to a more balanced strategy that considers residents’ quality of life. He warned of the concept of “over-tourism,” citing examples from cities like Barcelona and Venice.
“Having that balanced approach and giving the residents a voice in what they want for the future of their city… I believe, is one of the most important issues for this city for the coming decade,” Aramli said.
The councilor highlighted his efforts to address quality of life issues, including the implementation of sound cameras to combat excessively loud vehicles and reforms to the resident parking sticker program.
On education, Aramli voiced his support for completing Rogers High School with all planned vocational programs and sports facilities. He urged voters to support the upcoming bond for infrastructure projects, warning that without additional revenue from tourism, residents could face significant property tax increases.
Aramli defended his recent proposal to ban new short-term rentals in the city, which was narrowly defeated. He argued that such measures are necessary to protect housing stock and local businesses from being converted to Airbnbs.
“We’re not going to be the first. We’re not making some left field decision here,” Aramli said, referencing other tourist destinations that have implemented similar restrictions.
As the election approaches, Aramli is positioning himself as a candidate willing to make tough decisions. He emphasized his business background and financial acumen as assets in addressing Newport’s challenges.
“A vote for me is a vote for not business as usual,” Aramli stated. “I am not afraid to make the tough decisions, brave decisions, but capability and judgement.”
Early voting begins Oct. 16, with the general election scheduled for Nov. 5.
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Mark Aramli seeks re-election to Newport City Council, emphasizes financial challenges and tourism management