North Providence

Cash, cuffs, and the American flag

The COPS Hiring Program is yet another way government spends tax dollars to force the spending of more tax dollars.

By Justin Katz | November 20, 2021 |

It adds up, of course, but when government is trillions of dollars in debt, a hundred million here and there seems hardly to count.  That may be part of the reason that news of grants like the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program doesn’t typically question where the…

Property Tax Rates Don’t Matter

By Justin Katz | August 11, 2011 |

Reading this article, I thought it worth reminding everybody once again that, given the way local budgeting is done, property tax rates don’t really matter: After voting to take court action against Mayor Charles A. Lombardi’s vetoes, the Town Council changed its tune Wednesday night and voted unanimously to set the tax rate for residential…

Democratic Sweep in North Providence

By Carroll Andrew Morse | August 18, 2010 |

Democrats won all three seats in the North Providence special election for town council (AP report via WJAR-TV (NBC 10) available here). A quick perusal of the campaign finance reports reveals that…Not only Democrats, but establishment Democrats had a good night. Dino Autiello, winner in District 3, received $1500 in total from 4 Democratic State…

Revelation of Another (Alleged) Political Stick Up in North Providence

By Monique Chartier | May 13, 2010 |

No frog march, though; unlike the other (alleged) stick up, this one failed. With some … er, coaxing by Buddy Cianci, Mayor Charles Lombardi alleges (link currently broken) on ABC6 On the Record, to air this Sunday morning, that the RI Senate quashed the city’s request for a supplemental tax increase – an increase approved…

A North Providence Coincidence?

By Carroll Andrew Morse | May 8, 2010 |

Last year, as reported upon by Mark Reynolds of the Projo, the concerned public servants of the North Providence Town Council approved a forensic audit of their town’s school system…The Town Council wants to develop a formal proposal for a forensic audit of the school district’s finances. Councilmen also want the School Department to provide…

The Frog March Parade Moves to Municipalities

By Justin Katz | May 6, 2010 |

My delay in posting this news derives from the swamp of low-grade political shenanigans through which I’ve been fighting local pro-tax forces in Tiverton, but it’s worth noting some FBI arrests of North Providence Town Council members, President Joseph Burchfield, John Zambarano, and Raymond Douglas for alleged full-on extortion: First Burchfield, then Councilman John A.…

“We Can’t Afford the Government that We Have”

By Monique Chartier | May 30, 2009 |

So said Mayor Lombardi yesterday morning on the John DePetro Show. While the comment might also apply to our state and federal governments, in actuality, it referred to the status of the town of North Providence. Indeed, one has to wonder what the town’s options are at this point to deal with a $10 million…

Supplemental Tax Bill? Mayor Lombardi Will Name Names

By Monique Chartier | April 2, 2009 |

In his editorial today, Valley Breeze publisher Tom Ward writes You’ve got to love that Mayor Charlie Lombardi, unless you hate him, of course. This week he’s telling hometown state legislators that if they approve the state supplemental budget, the one with huge cuts in state aid to North Providence and other communities, he’ll be…

Lombardi Beats the Path

By Justin Katz | February 23, 2009 |

In dealing with his town’s unions in series, North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi is imparting a lesson: Mayor Charles A. Lombardi dismissed 20 town workers last night after their unions failed to meet a 7 p.m. deadline for accepting deep cuts in wages and benefits. In all, 10 municipal workers and 10 public works employees…

A Warning-Response Disconnect in North Providence (for One)

By Justin Katz | February 21, 2009 |

North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi has issued twenty layoff notices to public works and municipal employees that will go into effect unless their unions accept a five percent cut in salary and a fifteen percent health insurance contribution. The mayor’s had mixed results, thus far, with the police union coming up with $200,000 and the…