Cicilline Apologizes for Claiming City was in "Excellent Financial Condition"

Cicilline Apologizes for Claiming City was in "Excellent Financial Condition"

Congressman David Cicilline for the first time has apologized for characterizing Providence’s finances as being in “excellent” condition in his final days as Mayor of the capital city.

In an interview with WPRI, Cicilline, who has long blamed the national recession and massive cuts in state aid for the city’s financial woes, said he was trying to follow through on a commitment to not raise taxes on residents for as long as possible in hopes “other contingencies would happen.”

Current Mayor Angel Taveras inherited a $110 million structural deficit and was forced to raise taxes last year. The city faces a $22.5 million deficit in the current fiscal year and is likely to impose another tax increase in its next budget.

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Cicilline’s apology comes just days before Anthony Gemma is expected to announce a primary challenge to the incumbent Congressman. Republican candidate Brendan Doherty held a double-digit lead over Cicilline in a WPRI poll in February.