In Wake of Scandals, Public Corruption Bill Unveiled
Stephen Beale, GoLocalProv News Editor
In Wake of Scandals, Public Corruption Bill Unveiled
The new bill comes in the wake of two public corruption scandals in a week. Last Thursday, three town councilors in North Providence were arrested for allegedly taking a $25,000 bribe for approving a zoning change for a new supermarket.
Earlier this week, North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi revealed that an unidentified person in the Rhode Island Senate had asked him to appoint former state Senate President Joseph Montalbano as a municipal judge in exchange for a supplemental tax increase. Lombardi said he refused and the bill didn’t pass.
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Officially named the Government Integrity and Public Accountability Act of 2010, the bill was introduced yesterday by state Rep. Peter Kilmartin, a Democrat from Pawtucket.
Kilmartin said maintaining the public trust was more important than ever—especially during an economic recession.
“Especially in the midst of a difficult economic landscape, Rhode Islanders must be able to trust their elected leaders in order to move toward a more secure tomorrow,” said Representative Kilmartin. “Instead, we have witnessed repeated allegations of corruption and impropriety, which has led to increased public cynicism and has compromised our trust in government.”
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