Cicilline's taxing matters

Published Feb 01 2009, 12:43 PM by Ian Donnis

Disinterested observers reading Mike Stanton's Sunday piece today on axed Providence tax collector Robert Ceprano might draw the conclusion that Ceprano -- as David Cicilline's critics maintain -- was a convenient scapegoat/distraction from John Cicilline's $75K check/victim of politics.

Ceprano bristles at the mayor’s comments that the tax collector’s office lacked necessary procedures and safeguards. Prignano, his former boss, says that Ceprano produced the office’s first written standards.

“We created the first written policies and procedures in that office,” said Ceprano. “My approach was that everybody had to play by the same rules.”

Ceprano, a Providence native, brought a long pedigree in law enforcement and the military to City Hall.

A retired Army lieutenant colonel, Ceprano served on active duty from 1968 to 1971, earning a Bronze Star in Vietnam, and then served with the Army Reserve and National Guard from 1971 to 1996. After leaving active service, he worked from 1972 to 1998 as a special agent for the IRS in Providence, serving as the lead agent in investigations of narcotics trafficking, organized crime and political corruption.

Meanwhile, in a "special message" communicated last night via the mayor's e-mail list, in advance of Stanton's story, Cicilline is sticking to his message that Ceprano's downfall was a matter of lackluster performance:

Finance Director Miller initiated a process to bring the Tax Collector’s office from a level of mediocrity to a level of excellence. This began with a discussion of the deficiencies that Mr. Miller had outlined and his request that a plan be developed to correct them. The Tax Collector repeatedly refused to create the plan or initiate the improvements.

After roughly nine months of working with the Tax Collector to make these improvements, Director Miller saw no improvement in the operations of that office. The Tax Collector's failure to act was clearly leading to disciplinary procedures against him, so Director Miller sought to pursue an outcome that might avoid termination. In July and August of 2008, several options were discussed:

-- Continue as Tax Collector while complying with all the stated expectations, understanding that if expectations were not met then termination would proceed.
-- Because the Tax Collector had difficulty meeting the expectations of the Finance Department, perhaps another City department would be more suitable. Reassignment t the Police Department was discussed.
-- The Tax Collector could choose to resign. He was interested in this option and a discussion of the conditions regarding this option ensued.

Finally, last September, the Tax Collector agreed to resign. On September 15th, 2008 Director Miller formally asked for his resignation by email.

Filed Under: Cicilline

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7 Comments

Up With People said:

I still find it hard to believe the mayor had no knowledge of the bad check.

February 1, 2009 9:01 PM
joe bernstein said:

I watched Newsmakers<ian and it was apparent you didn't enjoy pressing the mayor on the issues,but you did anyway.That was good,but I am not understanding why Arlene,when she called his brother a scofflaw,didn't ask why his brother's car never got booted.No one else asked either.Your car or mine would've been booted with thousands of dollars in outstanding tickets.Could it be that our "great"police chief gave special orders on that matter?We'll never know unless someone lets on.

February 2, 2009 9:14 AM
Ian Donnis said:

Joe, you are of course welcome to your opinion -- regardless of how far it might be from reality.

February 2, 2009 9:40 AM
joe bernstein said:

The reality being what Ian?That such a thing couldn't happen?How else can you explain his car not being booted?You're the one in denial here.Your two urban heroes have got a ton of poop on their shoes.

That's okay-in your new gig,you probably won't be answering any questions.

February 3, 2009 12:10 AM
Ian Donnis said:

The reality, Joe, is that I have no stake in Cicilline's political future. Fyi, the Phoenix endorsed Joe Paolino in the September 2002 primary, and I broke the story looking at how Cicilline was trying to remake the city council in 2006.

In terms of John Cicilline's parking tickets and why he wasn't booted, people can draw their own conclusions about the mayor's considerable downplaying of the matter.

February 3, 2009 9:37 AM
joe bernstein said:

I wasn't exactly accusing you of being soft on Cicilline.If you read what I said it was that I thought you admired him,but did your job anyway.That's not a slam at you,more like a tepid compliment.

The ball was in Arlene's court on the ticket issue.I realize that it is easy for me to be a Monday morning quaterback(what a week to say that!!).Truth be told,I asked him about the tickets on Helen Glover and totally forgot about the boot.But then,I'm not a journalist.

February 3, 2009 2:49 PM
Ian Donnis said:

OK, we can call it a draw, Joe. I basically took issue with your initial phrasing.

February 4, 2009 9:36 AM

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Cicilline's taxing matters

7 Comments

Up With People said:

joe bernstein said:

Ian Donnis said:

joe bernstein said:

Ian Donnis said:

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