Scathing Report on Providence Board of Licenses Issued by Former AG Pine

The long-awaited Providence Board of Licenses (BOL) report by former Attorney General Jeffrey Pine has been released, in which Pine calls board members "not properly prepared," and recommends that board members not be elected officials. 

Pine, who was paid $10,000 to conduct the report that was commissioned by the City Council in March, took issue with “the conduct of adversarial hearings" at the BOL, which comes on the heels of a number of recent board hearings that dealt with shootings, stabbings, and drug charges. 

SLIDES: See Pine Report BELOW

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“In order to have an accountable and respected administration, there must be uniformity and consistency in the administration of justice,” wrote Pine, who noted the BOL’s record keeping system is not up to date, and that the BOL has a “poor website that is not user friendly.”

In his report, Pine calls on the board to “live by the rules of the road” in an operations and procedures manual — that is in the process of being updated — and that the “conduct of hearings needs to be formalized and improved.”

Among other recommendations, Pine calls for the board chair to have a legal background — and that the Chair and other board members should not be elected officials. Currently, State Senator Juan Pichardo serves as Board Chair. 

“It is abundantly clear that at present the Board is not serving the citizens of Providence at an acceptable or required standard,” said Pine. “It cannot be stressed enough how important it is that the Board function and perform its duties at the highest professional level, following its own rules consistently, removing politics from the equation, creating a public-friendly environment, and holding accountable those who violate any rules, regulations or laws.”

Council Response

“The Board of Licenses is the place in local government where quality of life and economic vibrancy intersect,” said City Council President Luis Aponte. “This report reinforces our message that the Providence business community needs greater predictability and accessibility within the licensing process, and the people of Providence need the Board to operate consistently and hold businesses accountable when violations occur.”
  
“This initiative is part of the Council’s ongoing effort to bolster and grow the City’s economy while protecting the quality of life in our neighborhoods,” said Council Majority Whip Jo-Ann Ryan. “The Council also recently won support at the state level to modernize liquor license classifications which provide businesses with a predictable regulatory framework.”
 
The City Council will formally accept the report at the City Council meeting on Thursday and is expected to pass a resolution requesting implementation from Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza. 

429 Too Many Requests

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