January 2012 EP

Page 1

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The East Providence

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JANUARY 2012 VOLUME 8, NO. 1

FREE TM

Serving the Community and Businesses of East Providence

If you didn't receive this paper by January 10th, please call the Reporter at 508-252-6575

New Year...

New You. see pg 25

State Takeover of EP One Step Away

By Bob Rodericks Governor Lincoln Chafee thinks the state needs to move one step closer to taking total financial control of East Providence. However, Mayor Bruce Rogers has charged the state with “political motivation” for its decision to appoint a budget commission to help East Providence balance its’ budget. “This is totally inappropriate on the part of the state,” said Rogers in an emotional press conference during Christmas week. “This is the state getting back at East Providence because of actions of EP legislative leaders.” he said. Chafee appointed a financial overseer for East Providence, in the first of a three-step intervention process for troubled cities and towns. A state police official was appointed and while in East Providence, he worked with city officials to lower the city’s $7 million dollar deficit to just about $1.2 million. “The Governor’s action in jumping to step two is not acceptable. There are many other cities in worse financial shape than us. I beg our residents and representatives and senators to help stop this now,” Rogers told an assembled news media in city hall. The Mayor had difficulty finishing his statement as he choked back tears with a cracked voice. City Manager Peter Graczykowski thought that the state “acted too quickly”. “I believed that we had more time. Our latest monthly report with the state overseer indicated that we had made substantial progress”, Graczykowski insisted. “The report showed how we cut the deficit down to $1.5 million from over $7 million” the newly hired manager said. continued on page 9...

DEM has finally stepped up to enforce the law in the TLA Pond View issue; read updates on page 10. (Photograph of neighborhood children at press event in March 2011, urging DEM to enforce the law and bring TLA Pond View into compliance.)


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