Mayor, council butt heads on road fix

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Providence's mayor is butting heads with the city council over plans for a proposed $40-million road repair bond.

Mayor Angel Taveras wants to ask voters to approve borrowing the money to fix damaged streets and sidewalks, but now the Providence Journal reports that the city council wants to alter the way part of the $40 million is divided.

Under the mayor's plan, the money would be spent based on a consultant's analysis of road conditions.

The city council, however, voted last week to amend the proposal to give about half the money to the mayor and divide the rest equally among the city's 15 council members for repairs in their respective wards.

Now Mayor Taveras tells the Providence Journal that he will refuse to borrow the money under the city council's conditions and will veto the amended ballot question if it is approved.