Central Falls seeks bankruptcy authority

CENTRAL FALLS – Officials in this financially strapped city are asking the General Assembly to give them and other local cities and towns the ability to file for bankruptcy protection.
Central Falls is facing huge deficits in the current fiscal year and the one that begins on July 1 due to cuts in state aid, according to The Associated Press.
City attorney Jack Gannon told city councilors that Central Falls may not need to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, but municipalities in the state should still have the power to do so.
Mayor Charles Moreau is asking city unions to accept concessions that include a 10 percent cut in salaries and a requirement that they pay 20 percent of their health care premiums. •