New tax break allegations emerge in Providence City Hall suit
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New allegations of tax favoritism at Providence City Hall have emerged from a lawsuit by fired tax collector Robert P. Ceprano. Ceprano alleges that Mayor David N. Cicilline pressed him in 2005 to waive back interest on unpaid property taxes by Richard Bready, the CEO of Nortek. According to the 86-page lawsuit, Ceprano refused to accept a $25,000 check from Bready in 2005 for two properties that were facing a tax sale for unpaid taxes. The reason: because the check did not include interest, which Bready was asking be waived. When Ceprano refused, his lawsuit says, Bready instead delivered the check directly to the mayor. The mayor, through then-chief of staff Michael Mello, then ordered Ceprano to remove the properties, at 145 Benefit St. and 24 Stimson Ave., from the tax sale. According to the lawsuit, Mello told Ceprano that Bready was "a generous contributor to the city.'' Ceprano subsequently wrote a note in city tax records, attached to the lawsuit as an exhibit: "At the request of Mayor Cicilline & Chief of Staff Michael Mello, interest will not be charged on this account.'' Cicilline spokeswoman Karen Southern said in a statement that Ceprano's allegations are completely false. "Everything about this case - the plaintiff's lawyer, Artin Coloian, the amount of money, the people named - reveals exactly what this is - a baseless attack by political enemies of the Mayor," Southern said. Ceprano, who touched off a City Hall scandal involving Mayor David N. Cicilline's brother and a bad check for $75,000, claims conspiracy and wrongful termination in his suit, filed late Monday in Providence Superior Court. Ceprano was fired by the Cicilline administration in January, after an audit sparked by his allegations that the mayor's aides frustrated his efforts to collect a tax debt from a client of John M. Cicilline's, the mayor's brother. The audit concluded, and the mayor agreed, that "errors in judgment'' were made by several people in the decision to hold a $75,000 bad check from John Cicilline on behalf of a delinquent taxpayer. The taxes have never been paid, and the city is now owed more than $130,000. The audit also faulted management controls in the tax collector's office, which Mayor Cicilline said justified his decision to remove Ceprano last fall. That decision was delayed by the allegations involving John Cicilline, which were first reported by The Providence Journal. Instead, Ceprano was suspended and the mayor ordered an outside forensic audit by KMPG in Boston. The release of the audit in January touched off a political firestorm for the mayor, with its allegations by Ceprano that he had been pressured in other instances to perform tax favors for the mayor's friends and supporters. Cicilline acknowledged "advocating'' for those taxpayers, but said that their concerns were legitimate -- based on mistakes by the city or an honest mistake on the part of the affected taxpayer. 
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SO WHATS NEW, SAME OLD SAME OLD!! THINGS WILL NEVER CHANGE, JUST THE NAMES.
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Great...Mike Stanton will be able to make a career from writing books about Providence corruption. What did the citizens expect, electing a criminal defense attorney, Mr. Lily White?
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It was just a matter of time that "Mayor Clean Govt" would prove to the taxpayers he is no diffrent. He should be ashamed at how he criticized Cianci....Guess What Cicilline you are no better and actually WORSE!!!KARMA will get you!
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The office of Mayor in the largest (Population wise) city is always going to be corrupted. The longer they stay in office the more corrupt they get.
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Strange. Corruption at Providence City Hall? Oh yeah, I'm currently reading The Prince of Providence. There must be something in the water in that building. Perhaps a new city hall in a different location would put an end to all this.
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I see a political opportunity for Cianci here. Cicilline is proving to be as dirty as Cianci. At least Cianci got stuff done. If Cianci runs, what will Cicilline's advantage be? He can't say he is the clean mayor anymore - that clearly isn't true.
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and buddy went to jail.nof said!
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another disgrace by the city government. Mr. Ceprano is in the right here and is being treated unfairly. Time to clean up city government again.
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Gee who is more believable a person with Mr Ceprano's resume or a person with Mr Cicilline's list of clients.
Enough said
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Same wine--diffent bottle
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"everything about this case is a baseless political attack"? Where are the taxes owed by Garcia? Does Ciccline's spokeperson believe that statement? Sounds like the Mayor needs a new press spokeperson. This one is on vaction
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You have got ot be kidding me -- has everyone here had a lobotomy and had their memories removed. CIANCI - the twice convicted felon - hired CEPARANO. CEPRANO is incompentent says the auditor, so he is fired. He hires COLOIAN, the twice-felon's former chief of staff. Hmmmm, sounds to me like the BAD GUYS are attempting to destroy the good guys and get power back.
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I wanted to get a word in while the talk radio folks are having their say. First, the most important point: this is a completely false allegation. Second, it's worth reviewing a few facts about the lawsuit according to the reports. The lawyer on the case is Artin Coloian, chief of staff to Buddy Cianci. The plaintiff is apparently seeking ten million dollars. The individuals named are all people who have been publicly critical of the old way of doing business in the city. This lawsuit appears to be the latest vehicle of attack by a group with an inexhaustible supply of them.
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Let us ALL be serious for a moment.
Mr. Bob Ciprano was no cashier...he was the HEAD CASHIER!
A Prov. City Offical!
A $100,000.00 + a year City Offical!!!
and now he says his BOSSES made Him Do This!!
PAAALEEEEZEE!
THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE!
THAT'S A CONSPIRACY!!!
This spineless jelly fish looked out for himself only...
Did he ever take the city Taxpayers into account!!
With this kind of Lackluster character it makes me wonder if he ever invested any money himself into these tax sales!
Did he have a Special Little Friend in the gallery bidding for him under an assumed name???
ya know...A
"Partner That Counts" ????
nothing in that office would suprise me.
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I hope Ceprano bankrupts the city and Cicilline gets to cohabitate with fat jack.
Now, after Ceprano gets done with those clowns in City Hall, I hope Perkins' steps up and cleans their clocks also.
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Ceprano has an impeccible record of being a Lt. Col. in the military, 20 plus years with IRS as a supervisory investigator and agent, etc. The list goes on of his accomplishments. He was having no problem until this thing with the mayors brother, then all of a sudden he became a problem. Hmmm. You dont need to be a detective to figure out what happened.
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In re the comment by "Jack" above:
"Bad guys" and "good guys"?
Such respect for the intellect and sophistication of the people of Providence has not been in evidence since the York for Governor campaigns.
Hmmm ... Sounds to me like the chablis supplies on Freeman Parkway are gonna need replenishment.
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