PROVIDENCE – The city has severed its relationship with Central Falls Receiver Robert G. Flanders Jr. following comments he made about the state capital’s financial situation.

Speaking at a conference in Philadelphia, Flanders, whose law firm had been advising Providence on paring pension benefits, said last month that the city of Providence probably will seek bankruptcy-court protection to deal with a budget deficit.

Mayor Angel Taveras last week announced that the city would no longer be working with the former Supreme Court justice, Bloomberg News reported.

“Judge Flanders’ recent comments concerning Providence’s fiscal crisis are unacceptable,” Taveras said in a statement.

Flanders told The Associated Press that city lawyer Jeffrey Padwa told him that the services of Hinckley Allen & Snyder, where he is a partner, were no longer needed. He said he was given no reason by Padwa.

Taveras spokesman David Ortiz said the city has been concerned about “private and public comments” Flanders has made in the past month, the AP said.

The city is facing a $22 million budget gap this fiscal year. The mayor has said the city could run out of cash by the end of June, and that bankruptcy could be an option. •