Providence dropped retired Supreme Court Justice Robert Flanders as an advisor after he said the capital city was headed to bankruptcy court.
“I don’t see how they can get out of it without going there,” Flanders told Bloomberg News last week about the city’s budget deficit.
“Judge Flanders’ recent comments concerning Providence’s fiscal crisis are unacceptable. I do not share Judge Flanders’ opinions,” Mayor Angel Taveras said in a statement.
“Because of the harm his comments have done, effective today the city of Providence has severed its relationship with Judge Flanders.”
Flanders, a partner in the law firm Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP, is also the receiver for Central Falls, R.I., which filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection last Aug. 1.
Flanders reworked pension agreements in Central Falls, getting retired police officer and firefighters to accept a 55% cut in benefits.
At The Bond Buyer symposium on distressed municipalities in Philadelphia three weeks ago, Flanders touted the benefits of filing for bankruptcy.
“We found out we could blow up any contract we didn’t like,” he said.
