STATE TAKEOVER OF EP ONE STEP AWAY

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.
The state commission will consist of three members appointed by the state and Mayor Rogers and city manager Peter Graczykowski. Rogers is so upset that he said the city is entertaining a lawsuit against the state. "I will speak with an attorney about this. This was a political decision in retribution against East Providence," continued Rogers.
The Mayor was not specific in his charge that the state's decision to move closer to a takeover of East Providence - similar to that of Central Falls - but the Reporter has learned that there is a ‘frosty' relation between the Mayor and some of East Providence's legislative delegation. Particularly, it is believed that RI legislative leaders Daniel DaPonte and Helio Melo are not strong supporters of Mayor Rogers and vice-versa. On the same day that Chafee announced the budget commission intervention, the Governor's office also announced the resignation of his chief of staff and campaign manager, former East Providence city councilman, Patrick Rogers (no relation to Mayor Rogers).
The Governor issued a press release which would not indicate any disagreement existed between himself and his now former chief of staff' "I have long been an admirer of the Governor's courage and independence and his selfless commitment to Rhode Island ... I look forward to the continued success of Governor Chafee's Administration, and will continue to assist in any way called upon." said Patrick Rogers statement.
Governor Chafee has been advised by or has appointed several East Providence current or former officials and residents during his first term as Governor. Besides Patrick Rogers the former Rumford councilman and waterfront commission leader, Chafee has appointed former legislative powerhouse George Caruolo to chair the state education Board of Regents and former school board Chair, William Maaia to the higher education board of governors. Representative Helio Melo is the chairman of the state's powerful House Committee on Finance and Senator Daniel DaPonte is the chairman of the equally powerful Senate committee on finance. It is unclear at this time if Mayor Rogers feels that this East Providence presence at the state level has not offered more support in this issue of financial concerns. Rogers' nemesis on the city council, councilman-at-large, William Conley disagrees with the Mayor. Conley has constantly accused the majority of the city council with not supporting measures of the short-lived deficit elimination committee, which Conley chaired. Conley also blasted Rogers for charging that the states' budget commission involvement is "politically motivated".
If the efforts of the state budget commission to bring a fiscal remedy to East Providence fail, then the final hammer will drop, this will put East Providence in the same class as bankrupt Central Falls - a proposition that many EP residents do not want to face.