Providence council endorses paving bond

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- The Providence City Council has endorsed the mayor's plan to ask voters to spend $40 million in bond funds on a city-wide paving project.
   
The council voted 12-0 Thursday in favor of the proposal from Mayor Angel Taveras. Taveras said the road work is critical for economic development. His office says an outside firm studied every single street in the city and ranked the needed repairs by order of priority.
   
The measure must pass a second council vote before going to the voters in November.
   
An amended version was offered last week that would have given each council member control over $1.3 million for "neighborhood improvement projects" in their wards.
   
Taveras had threatened to veto the amended measure.