Providence Mayor David Cicilline was he was "outraged" at a recent court ruling by Judge Stephen Fortunato to overturn the job terminations of city employees Nick Easton and Tom Glavin. The mayor made his comments over the weekend on the WPRI-TV show "Newsmakers" with Steven Aveson and Amy Forliti.
Speaking with obvious anger, the mayor told the reporters that "it was an incredibly outrageous decision." Cities need the right to reorganize municipal departments in order to reduce costs, he argued. "The judge said it is a lifetime position," Cicilline noted. "It shows great contempt for the taxpayers."
With Providence facing a $60 million budget deficit, the mayor called a decision by the city's four private colleges and universities to make millions in voluntary payments to the city "a historic agreement". Cicilline said his next target was labor unions. He indicated he was in the final stages of conversations to reduce labor costs. When asked about the possibility of a tax increase, Cicilline said the city would "only have a tax increase if I have exhausted every other remedy." He said he was "working as hard as we can to avoid an increase."
Reporters asked him about whether other non-profits in Providence would face pressure to make voluntary payments. "I think it is important we have conversations with health care organizations and hospitals," he said.
