Politics

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – House lawmakers will take up a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Rhode Island.

The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear testimony on the bill Wednesday after delaying a Feb. 2 hearing because of bad weather.

The legislation has been introduced several times over the years, but failed when it faced opposition from previous Republican Gov. Don Carcieri and former legislative leaders.

By IAN DONNIS

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence City Council is slated to take a preliminary vote this evening on a new $638 million budget.

Mayor Angel Taveras says the city is poised to end an unprecedented situation in which it has operated for months without a budget. Two votes are necessary to approve the spending plan, and the second is expected later this month.

A recently completed audit found that the city's liabilities for the fiscal year ending last June 13 exceeded its assets by $20 million.

By CATHERINE WELCH

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Former Providence Mayor David Cicilline is defending the near depletion of the city's reserve fund, saying he had to make tough choices.

A new audit finds during the last fiscal year, the reserve fund went from $17.3 million to $3.4 million.

Last October the city auditor warned about a draining fund. At the time Cicilline's office claimed the warning was political. Cicilline now says he tapped into the rainy day fund because it was raining.

By JOHN ROBITAILLE

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – I was born in Central Falls - at a time when Broad and Dexter streets were booming with small businesses, churches on Sundays were over-crowded and neighborhood social clubs were choice venues for weddings, celebrations and community events. It was a thriving, spirited and engaged community.