UPDATED: with additional detail.
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Former state representative Tom Palangio has left his position as the City of Providence's legislative lobbyist.
Palangio, who turned down a job with the city's Department of Inspections and Standards, says he left the lobbyist post because he felt he had "taken it as far as I could." In terms of the timing, he says, "I just wanted to make sure that whoever ended up taking up those responsibilities had some time before the [new legislative] session began."
Palangio, who came into the legislative lobbyist position following David Cicilline's election as mayor in 2002, says "we were all upset by" the lack of legislative budgetary relief this year. He says he was not asked to leave and that it was "pretty much" his decision.
Cicilline spokeswoman Karen Southern says Palangio "felt it was just time to move on."
She says the city is in the process "of determining how we are going to approach lobbying in the General Assembly in the future. The administration expects to make that determination well in advance of the next legislative session."
On September 13, Palangio sent a system-wide e-mail to other city employees, expressing regret about leaving. He thanked his fellow workers, describing his time in the post as a "wonderful experience," and he called the city "a truly unique place to work."
Palangio, the brother of John Palangio, the director of executive operations for Attorney General Patrick Lynch, says he is looking at opportunities to lobby "for a couple of other private groups."
Palangio's departure, and Deb Brayton's recent move to become Cicilline's chief of staff are part of several other changes in the mayor's office. Gonzalo Cuervo is shifting to a senior speechwriting and internal communications position, and Ani Haroian, a former high-ranking Lynch aide, and Serena Conley, previously Cicilline's scheduler, are moving to the Office of Neighborhood Services Community Relations.