Yes Providence escaped but Central Falls had to file for banrupcy. RI is a mess and getting worst by the day. I live about 30 minutes from Providence in the summer and Massachusetts isn't far behind the financial eightball. Some of the cities have hired firefighters and police under stimulus grants. These grants say that you must keep the police and firemen on for 2 years after the grant runs out or pay back the money. Guess what, they didn't have the money to do that so now they had to get new grants recently to keep them on. They kicked the can down the road for another year or two. Also if they lay off the firemen or policemen they have to pay them unemployment for (1 year - 2 years) because they don't pay into the unemployment system. They are screwed either way and they can not afford the city workers who are retiring.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/b...ension-crisis-is-now.html?pagewanted=all

Last edited by ragman; 07/07/12 02:23 PM. Reason: sp
Jim
Formerly from somewhere on a beach in Belize