Kamen’s current estimate of $51 million represents a 90 percent slump in value over 13 years. “It’s like winning the lottery and putting all the money in a pocket with a hole in it,” he said. “It’s really incredible how it has gone down in value.”

“By the end of 2010, Rhode Islanders’ median income had slipped to $52,254 from $69,102, down 24 percent from 2000.”

“Taveras said unless the city can get city colleges and hospitals to pay more to the city, and achieve significant savings in pension benefits, the city could run out of money by June. ‘We will be forced into bankruptcy.’”

The Rhode Island Health Department has confirmed pertussis, also known as whooping cough, in seven students who attend Hampden Meadows Elementary School and one who attends Barrington Middle School.

“The hurdles facing Central Falls are formidable: it has a high-level of fixed costs yet only a limited ability to raise revenue, Moody’s said. The median family income is just under 54 percent of the U.S. average.” I still don’t understand why CF is actually a town.

Mayor Leo Fontaine described the city’s financial situation as “really tenuous.” The city ended the last fiscal year with a $12.3 million deficit. Fontaine says finishing this fiscal year, ending June 30, with another deficit would be very damaging.