Councilman “Outraged” at Salvatore for Offering $50K in City Funds to Move Columbus Statue
Saturday, October 26, 2019
The recently vandalized statute of Christopher Columbus is now facing more controversy. Photo: GoLocalProv.com
Salvatore does not represent Federal Hill, but had proposed the move on talk radio in the past week.
Taylor, who was first elected to the body in 2018, said he was “not pleased” with Salvatore's proposal or offer.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“I was already pissed off that day,” said Taylor, of similarly hearing Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza’s comments in the press that he believed the statue should be moved to Federal Hill, following the vandalism. “You think the Mayor might have called me.”
Taylor, who is putting forth a resolution to keep the statue where it is, said that Salvatore approached him to say he would give Taylor $50,000 of his neighborhood infrastructure fund (NIF) money — which council members get $100,000 each — for Taylor’s ward, in order for him to agree to move the statue.
“Salvatore’s [district] is not even on Federal Hill,” said Taylor. “So he’d take money from his own constituents to move it to the Hill? Because he’s running for Mayor [in 2022], that’s why. He wants to say he did something.”
"I find it very disturbing that a fellow city council colleague would [go to the press] and say that they would like to take a statue out of another city council colleague's ward without asking the councilman first," said Taylor, who said he's asked the city for additional resources for the park. "Same for the mayor!"
Salvatore did not respond to request for comment on Friday.
History — Present Day.
Taylor said that he heard from constituents who spoke to the history of the statue — which was created by Auguste Bartholdi —the Frenchman who sculpted the Statue of Liberty. The sculpture was cast in 1893 by the Gorham Manufacturing Company, which had commissioned master sculptor Bartholdi.
“The streets adjacent to the statue — Lenox, Melrose — those are named for Gorham silver sets,” said Taylor. “There’s Rhode Island history here. The statue belongs where it is.”
Taylor said that he has received letters of support from constituents who believe it should stay in its current location, including Karen Hlynsky, the Chair of the Elmwood Neighborhood Association.
“If the statue is to be moved, that request ought to come from the residents of Wards 8 and 9. Otherwise, it feels like this poorer part of town is being plundered by the rich,” Hlynsky wrote in a letter to Salvatore.
Taylor said he believed the statue would be worse off on Federal Hill.
“Sadly, whether it’s here or there, it’s just as likely to have paint thrown on it,” said Taylor. “But with everything going on, it would be worse off on the Hill in my opinion.”
This story was first published 10/25/19 3:32 PM
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