Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly Version

Tonight - Providence city hall is reeling over an Eyewitness News Investigators exclusive.

We went undercover and found three highly paid city employees are living in the suburbs. Even though they're supposed to live in providence.

Now the Mayor is sounding off about what we undercovered.

Mayor David Cicilline says he supports the city's strict residency requirment.

And he says he's ordered a review of the residency of the three tax officials we identified in our exclusive undercover reports.

"You know working in city government is a privilege."

Mayor David Cicilline said during the taping of our newsmakers program he was upset when he saw the eyewitness news undercover reports of three city offcials coming and going to homes in the suburbs.

"When I see that kind of news account, it is very disappointing to me and I expect the peole who have the prilege and honor of in working in city government to comply with the residency requirement  period."

The Eyewitness News undercover camera showed tax collector Robert Ceprano at his home in scituate, although he signed a residency affidavit saying he lived in Providence.  

"If he's not complying, he's going to have to make a decision.and his decision will have to be?  either he has to choose to move into the city or leave the city of providence  employement."

Our exclusive reports also detailed the comings and goings to the suburbs of acting tax assessor John Gelati and assistant city tax collector Maria Mansolillo.

"If this is true, these allegations are true then i am going to be looking towards the personal director to review that evidence and forward the findings to the mayor and to the council."

Cicilline says the city needs a system to regularly check and enforce the residency requirement.

"It is the law in this city and people can argue whether it is wise or unwise, but so long as it is the law in Providence it will be  complied with."

According to the city charter, anyone who violates the residency requirement could be fired and prosecuted.

No timetable has been announced for the review of the three tax officials we identified in our undercover reports.