E.P. Taxpayers Foot $312,000 Bill for Budget Commission Staff

It cost East Providence taxpayers more than $312,000 for the recently departed Budget Commission to straighten out city finances.

City Manager Peter Graczykowski presented that final total to the City Council on Tuesday night, Sept. 17, for the budget board’s staff expenses. 

The Budget Commission’s term in East Providence ended on Monday, Sept. 16, when a Finance Advisor replaced the board. 

The city has already paid the RI revenue department about $105,500 of the total bill. It has been withholding the final payment of around $206,500 until a detailed invoice for staff services was received. 

“They have provided the substantiation,” said Graczykowski.

City Councilor Chrissy Rossi was the only member to question the bill. She ultimately was the only city councilor to vote against a motion to pay the invoice.

“I know we have to pay it,” she said. “If we don’t, the state will just take it out of our state aid, right?” 

Graczykowski said Rossi was correct. The state would subtract the outstanding amount if the city council did not vote to pay it.

The city manager, who served on the Budget Commission as a city representative along with the mayor, said the staff did provide a range of services for “core needs” while working for the Budget Commission. So there was some tradeoff because the city did not have to pay for services such as a purchasing agent while the budget board got the city back on sound financial footing.