The question was one I've heard time and again -- do you think Buddy Cianci will be indicted?
That was at a Providence Rotary meeting a week ago, and it's a question not only on the lips of Rotarians, but one repeated in bars and libraries, on street corners and in cafes, not only in Providence but around Rhode Island.
What is Providence Mayor Vincent Cianci, Jr.'s future?
Few, however, ask the next question. If for some reason he is no longer mayor of the city, who is it that will pick up the mantle, the energy, the vision that has helped create one of the most dynamic city revitalizations in the nation?
Cianci's future rests in the hands of the U.S. Attorney, maybe more importantly in what the mayor has or has not done in connection with those things that are involved in the seemingly never-ending Plunder Dome investigation. We'll let the U.S. Attorney, Grand Jury and the courts play this one out.
Our most fervent hope is that Cianci in fact had nothing to do with the apparent corruption that surrounded him in his administration. If that is the case, the leadership of the state's capital city will continue unchallenged and with, we suspect, a renewed sense of purpose. If not and that's the biggest concern if not, what?
It's tragic that as the city's revitalization - renaissance as some like to say - has caught the fancy of writers across the nation and been hailed as one of the most remarkable in the nation, a dark cloud of corruption looms all encompassing over city hall.
For the sake of the city and this state, it would seem we need to have some end in sight, some place at which this investigation comes to a conclusion, resurfacing only when there is concrete news of any significant new developments.
But as it stands now, the questions are detracting from the things that have turned Providence from a decaying mill town to a vibrant renaissance city, with promise of education reform, neighborhood redevelopment, and a significant downcity effort that will expand the renaissance beyond Waterplace Park and its environs.
While Cianci may or may not be involved in whatever Plunder Dome turns out to be, it is impossible to dismiss his significant contribution to the city's revitalization.
And if this revitalization is to continue there is a very basic need that the same vitality that Cianci has brought to this project is sustained, either in the person of Cianci or in a dynamic successor who will bring a similarly progressive vision, energy, and passion to the city's administration.
