Providence Mayor David Cicilline said the capital city faces "additional drastic cuts" if no new revenues are found from the state or colleges and universities. Appearing today on the WJAR-TV show "10 News Conference" with Jim Taricani and Bill Rappleye, the mayor argued that "as Providence goes, so goes the state" in order to buttress his pleas for new revenues.
Currently, the city is in negotiations with private colleges and universities for them to provide voluntary payments in lieu of taxes. Cicilline indicated that he was "making some progress, but not making the progress I was hoping." The colleges have a responsibility to Providence, he argued, and "hopefully, they are listening."
When the reporters asked him how he could be complaining about tax-exempt institutions not paying taxes when the city is deferring taxes on the gaming company GTECH to get it to locate its headquarters in Providence, Cicilline explained that "tax stabilization is a way to encourage capital investment." These kinds of deals with private companies are "part of the urban culture," he said.
