Leaders express concerns over budget

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Governor Don Carcieri met with mayors and town administrators behind closed doors Thursday, for about an hour. Afterwards, both sides painted a picture of the radically reduced government operations in Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns.

"I can't say it any different way. We don't have the resources right now. And, it's not a time to go back to our citizens and say 'give us more', in a way of taxes. Cause, they're all feeling the pressure. You see it out there. Other people are worried about their job that haven't lost them. We've seen unemployment levels that we haven't seen in this state in decades. So, what you need to do is sit down with all your employees and the unions leading them, and say 'look, we need help'," said Carcieri.

Johnston Mayor Jospeh Polisena said, "You may see town hall closed once or twice a month. We haven't come to those numbers yet. You may see trash pickup every other week, or every two to three weeks. We're looking at everything. We're putting everything on the table. We're running different numbers. Unprecedented changes are in the works."

Dan Beardsley, of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, tells Eyewitness News "the future is here".

"The perfect story has arrived. (The changes) could happen in less than a month", adds Beardsley.