Providence Council Demands Special Audit
Saturday, November 13, 2010
“I think this will be beneficial to the new mayor and the seven incoming council members that they at least get a snapshot of the city’s finances,” Solomon, D-Ward 5, told GoLocalProv.
The call for an independent audit comes after the Internal Auditor James Lombardi issued a report saying the city was falling behind on its pension payments and could run out of cash sometime next year. Solomon said an outside auditor would have more resources to examine city finances and provide an independent perspective on the situation.
New councilman applauds special audit
Incoming councilman Bryan Principe, D-Ward 13, applauded the move. “I think it’s great. I would love to get the most up-to-date information possible,” Principe told GoLocalProv. “How can we make decisions if we don’t know what we’re basing the decisions on?”
The city’s independent auditor, Braver PC, is already in the process of doing an audit for fiscal year 2010, which runs from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010. Solomon said the council—through Finance Chairman John Igliozzi—has requested an additional audit of the first six months of fiscal year 2011—July 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. Solomon, who was first elected in 2006, said it was the first time he recalled such a special, mid-year audit being requested.
Solomon said the extra audit would encompass all aspects of city finances—from pension payments to cash flow to disbursements. “I’m not sure what we’re expecting right now,” Solomon said. “I think it’s too premature to speculate.”
‘We keep postponing the inevitable’
Principe said he is worried the new council and mayor will be facing a serious deficit come next January. “It’s a huge challenge with the city finances that we’re going to have to deal with,” he said. “Not only is the city in dire financial straits but the state is and that kind of exacerbates things.”
He added: “We keep postponing the inevitable. We are not accepting the reality of the gravity of the situation.”
Karen Watts, a spokeswoman for Mayor David Cicilline, declined to comment, saying his office was unaware that the special audit had even been requested.
Cicilline’s administration has caught some flack over the Internal Auditor’s report, but Principe said the city’s fiscal problems pre-dated his administration. He said it is time to move on. “It’s easy to point fingers, especially at the incumbent, but again, it’s a legacy issue and it took many years to get into this situation and there are a lot of people to blame,” Principe said. “I’m trying to look forward.”
Related Articles
- Auditor: ‘There’s no question the city will run out of money’
- Taveras to Unions: City in Dire Financial Straits
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Comments:
Gary Arnold
10:07am on Saturday, November 13, 2010
Pretty bad, the council wants to know what is financially going on and get an outside auditor. Just how can they run a city without the financial information in the first place? This is just a smoke screen that will allow the mayor and council and other political types to say they didn't know how bad it is and guess what, they will have to raise taxes.
Cicilline has been mayor for 8 years and his point person is already saying the cities problems predated his administration? He knows politics, point at someone else and the problem will belong to someone else but in the end the tax payers get hit with increases, again.
Joseph Davis
11:00am on Saturday, November 13, 2010
Shame on Michael Solomon. Before the election he was trying to protect David Cicilline and was dissing the Internal Auditor's Report. Now he is trying to pretend that he was unaware of the fiscal problems. Can't have it both ways. Either you knew and wanted to cover for Cicilline or you didn't know and you should have.
Michael, you should not have thrown Auditor Lombardi under the bus for you friend Cicilline. Just once in a while, do something for your constituents and the people of Providence who you purport to represent.
Shame on you. When it comes out that Lombardi was right, I hope you will give him a well deserved apology. Thank God he is there to watch out for the taxpayers. God knows the Mayor and his puppies on the Council don't.
RI Taxpayer
11:53am on Saturday, November 13, 2010
From the article:
"Cicilline’s administration has caught some flack over the Internal Auditor’s report, but Principe said the city’s fiscal problems pre-dated his administration."
BWAAHAAHAA !! Sure. It's all Cianci's fault.
It's been eight years since Cianci's been in office. I think at this point, it's time to owe up to the responsibility of poorly running the city.
Roy Parson
2:40pm on Saturday, November 13, 2010
_______________________________
Oh you LUCKY residents of Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District!
You have elected a criminally inept liar to represent you in the U.S. House of Representatives.
May you reap, over and over again, all you have sewn.
YOU are now responsible for David Cicilline.
Unless, of course, he's Cianci's fault ...
Joseph Davis
7:47pm on Saturday, November 13, 2010
Roy,
It is sown...as to sow your oats...not sewn.
Although, as you would say, I defend your right to post incorrect homophones.
Gary Arnold
11:13pm on Saturday, November 13, 2010
Hey guys, the problem is with the state of the finances so focus on the problem and bring your solutions or pressure on the state and local politician & friends to keep them focused. This is one of the problems, politicians get voters talking about other nonsense and not the issues.
Cicilline has always been a problem and yet he gets elected as a congressman, so the problem continues to grow and he is leaving an impossible mess behind.
Maybe this is an opportunity in disguise and will make us reform our government, budgets, public services and contracts. Yes, there is hope if we keep the pressure on the politicians & friends.
Jack McCabe
1:55am on Sunday, November 14, 2010
All personalities aside, an audit is always good policy, is it not?
If I were taking over the dog catchers office, I'd still consider it due diligence to have an audit!
Providence is a special situation, regardless of who holds office over the city. God have mercy on poor old Providence as it continues to limp along one year after the next.
Roy Parson
6:56pm on Sunday, November 14, 2010
____________________________
Joseph Davis: Good luck with the ESL class.
And congrats on noting a typo.
So little on which to grasp. Enjoy.
Where do we find such keen intellects?
Roy Parson
6:57pm on Sunday, November 14, 2010
____________________
P.S.
Best to brother Jeff.