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May 24, 2011
And Where Was the Projo?
Justin Katz
One can infer that a politician is on the ropes when he insists that his constituents look to the future rather than the job that he held until six months ago (and for which he can credit his subsequent political advancement):
"This poll reflects some disagreement about some of the decisions I made in Providence, rather than my work as a new member of Congress for the past five months," [David Cicilline (D, RI)] said in a telephone interview. "I intend to continue to work hard every single day to earn the support and trust of the people in my district by doing everything I can to get people back to work and rebuilding our state’s economy."
The problem is that, while Cicilline may be able to escape to Washington, the people of Providence and Rhode Island cannot. Election to higher office is not a born-again baptism:
Providence Mayor Angel Taveras has said the city faces a $180-million structural deficit for the current fiscal year and next. An independent auditing firm concluded the Cicilline administration overspent its budget and nearly depleted the city's rainy day account in its final budget year. And a City Council report asserted that the former mayor violated the city's Home Rule Charter, inflated revenue estimates and ignored budget procedures.
So here's the lingering question: Where was the city and state's newspaper of record back when Cicilline was still in the state and in the office? Where was the paper, that is, other than attacking his opponent with bleedingly obvious bias through its PolitiFarce mechanism?
1:47 PM
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I keep trying quickly, but can't find ProJo's endorsement of Cicilline where a part of their reasoning is for his sound fiscal management. I think it would be great to find that and re-print it in a few places. Has the ProJo editorial board ever offered an "oops"?
Posted by: Patrick at May 24, 2011 2:13 PMYour welcome.
www.projo.com/opinion/editorials/content/ED_latecic_10-25-10_MGKIEU9_v7.4b60a4c.html
Posted by: Max Diesel at May 24, 2011 2:30 PMWell, part of this line is technically true:
"And he has brought a level of fiscal discipline (including in relations with the city’s far too powerful public-employee unions) that has not been seen in the city for many decades."
What we're seeing now sure has not been seen in the city for many decades.
Posted by: Patrick at May 24, 2011 2:59 PM"we agree more with David Cicilline, who has also shown himself to be a highly competent public servant."
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
Good one, ProJo, good one.
Posted by: Patrick at May 24, 2011 3:01 PMEvery single line of the Projo Cicilline endorsement is not just funny, but laugh-out-loud funny.
Wouldn't be so funny if I were still stuck in RI and owed $30,000 in public pension obligations, mind you.
Posted by: Dan at May 24, 2011 3:04 PMThe Projo was too busy demonizing Local 799, The Providence Firefighters Union.
Posted by: michael at May 24, 2011 3:37 PMMany moons ago (when I was just a toddler) grandpa used to have the Journal AND The Evening Bulletin delivered. There were 2 daily editions. The news used to be reported and not editorialized or purposely slanted. Sadly the Journal has gone the way of almost all major dailys. It's not really interested in truth telling and factual reporting unless it fits their purpose. This non-reporting has given births to great blogs such as this one. The big papers are failing and the blogs are growing. ProJo will continue to raise prices and decline. It is not too big to fail.
Posted by: ANTHONY at May 24, 2011 10:59 PM