Pell calls on mediation parties to set deadline

Providence, RI — Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Clay Pell issued a
statement this morning calling on all parties in the mediation process of
the state’s pension system to set a deadline to end the closed-door
proceeding that have gone on for over a year at a cost of over one half
million dollars to the taxpayers. Pell issued the statement after learning
that a scheduled news conference for this afternoon, where mediators had
planned to give an update on the settlement talks in the long-running
lawsuit over the overhaul of the state’s pension system, had been cancelled.

«The secretive nature of this process has gone on for far too long. This
ongoing uncertainty has been a disservice to taxpayers, state workers and
retirees, and members of the General Assembly. For over a year, we’ve had
mediation shrouded in secrecy. The ongoing uncertainty of this situation is
one of the factors holding back our economy,» said Pell.

«Now we learn that a press conference scheduled to finally disclose the
nature of these proceedings has been cancelled and that Judge Taft Carter
has set a trial date for September 15th. The General Assembly session is
well under way and cities and towns need to begin to construct their
budgets; the uncertainty of this situation needs to come to a conclusion.
Today, I’m calling on all parties involved in this process to set a
deadline and meet it. If they can’t, hold a press conference and tell the
taxpayers of the State of Rhode Island that mediation has failed,» said
Pell.