See who's paying for next week's inaugural bashes of McKee, Smiley

Patrick Anderson, The Providence Journal
·4 min read

What do Rhode Island banks, law firms, lobbyists and the Laborers International Union of North America have in common this week?

They are all giving generously to pay for the inaugural festivities of Gov. Dan McKee and Providence Mayor Brett Smiley next week.

Smiley is set to be sworn in at the Providence Public Library on Monday before joining an inaugural party at the WaterFire Arts Center.

McKee is slated to be sworn in the next day at the Rhode Island Convention Center with the rest of the statewide officers before hosting a private reception at the Providence Performing Arts Center and returning to the convention center for a public celebration.

A nonprofit formed for McKee's inaugural had raised $240,000 as of Thursday for his events and Smiley had raised more than $353,000 through the Providence Tourism Fund, which is again paying for the city's inaugural showpiece.

Smiley's team released a list of 56 donors to his inaugural events and McKee 28 groups who have pledged to his. (State law does not require disclosure of contributions to inaugural events.)

The names of the donors to both the city and state are no surprise to Rhode Island political observers.

In fact, of the four groups who have pledged top-tier $25,000 contributions to McKee's inaugural, three were maximum donors to then-Gov. Gina Raimondo's inaugural four years ago: International Game Technology, Bally's (formerly known as Twin River) and the Laborers International Union of North America. The other $25,000 pledged McKee donor is Citizens Bank.

The Laborers are also one of four top-level, $20,000 donors to Smiley's inaugural, along with Brown University, school bus operator First Student and school lunch vendor Aramark.

At least eight organizations have pledged money to both the McKee and Smiley inaugurals. In addition to the Laborers ($45,000 between both inaugurals) they include Citizens ($35,000 combined), PPAC, law firm Adler Pollock & Sheehan, Delta Dental, Dimeo Construction, Washington Trust and AAA of Southern New England.

Smiley spokeswoman Patricia Socarras said all of the mayor's inaugural events are free and open to the public. The budget for them is $200,000, she said, and donations left over will go back into the Providence Tourism Fund.

McKee's noon swearing-in and 6 p.m. party at the convention center are open to the public, but the afternoon reception at PPAC is invitation-only.

McKee spokesman Mike Trainor said the inaugural is expected to cost less than the $240,000 raised, but did not have a specific cost estimate.

Entertainment at the family friendly McKee Convention Center party includes music by Michael Dutra and the Strictly Sinatra Band, magic tricks by magician Jared DuBois and jokes from comedian Brad Pierce.

McKee is expected to appear at the event with a procession of flags representing all 39 cities and towns in the state.

The groups who have pledged to McKee's inaugural are:

  • Bally's: $25,000

  • Citizens Bank: $25,000

  • IGT: $25,000

  • LIUNA: $25,000

  • Adler Pollock & Sheehan: $10,000

  • Altria: $10,000

  • Blue Cross & Blue Shield: $10,000

  • Capitol Communications Group: $10,000

  • Carpionato Group: $10,000

  • Delta Dental of Rhode Island: $10,000

  • Dimeo Construction: $10,000

  • Maximus: $10,000

  • Washington Trust: $10,000

  • AVANGRID: $5,000

  • Bank of America: $5,000

  • Beacon Mutual Insurance: $5,000

  • CVS: $5,000

  • Gilbane: $5,000

  • Construction Industries of RI: $5,000

  • PPAC: $5,000

  • Tidal Basin Group: $5,000

  • CCA Health Rhode Island: $5,000

  • America Works USA: $5,000

  • AAA: $5,000

  • Peregrine Group: $5,000

  • FedEx: $2,500

  • Dean Warehouse: $2,000

  • Galvin & Associates: $200

The groups who have pledged to Smiley's inaugural are:

  • Aramark $20,000

  • Brown University $20,000

  • First Student $20,000

  • Laborers' International Union of North America $20,000

  • Cox Communication $15,000

  • Sims Metal Management $15,000

  • AAA Northeast $10,000

  • Dimeo Construction $10,000

  • The Procaccianti Companies $10,000

  • Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O'Gara $10,000

  • Molina Healthcare Inc. $10,000

  • Citizens Bank $10,000

  • Chisholm, Chisholm, Kilpatrick $10,000

  • Sodexo Inc. $10,000

  • Adler Pollock & Sheehan $5,000

  • BETA Group, Inc. $5,000

  • Bliss Properties $5,000

  • Locke Lord $5,000

  • McLaughlin & Moran, Inc. $5,000

  • Pomerantz LLP $5,000

  • ProvPort, Inc. $5,000

  • Waterson Terminal Services $5,000

  • Providence College $5,000

  • RISD $5,000

  • Duffy & Shanley $5,000

  • Johnson & Wales University $5,000

  • Roberts Carroll Feldstein and Peirce Inc. $5,000

  • Paolino Properties $5,000

  • Advocacy Solutions $5,000

  • Flock Group Inc. $5,000

  • Delta Dental of Rhode Island $5,000

  • First Bristol Corporation $5,000

  • Providence Performing Arts Center $5,000

  • Freeway Enterprises $5,000

  • Trueaccess Networks Inc $5,000

  • The Washington Trust Company $5,000

  • Shawmut Woodworking and Supply $5,000

  • The Barrette Family $5,000

  • Green Development LLC $5,000

  • Verizon Corporation $4,500

  • F/S Capitol Consulting $2,500

  • RA Cataldo & Associates Inc. $2,500

  • Tele-Networks $2,500

  • Victoria M. Almeida $2,500

  • Beara Capital LLC $2,500

  • H. Carr & Sons $2,500

  • Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast $2,500

  • Santander Bank N.A. $2,500

  • Amgen Inc. $2,500

  • ZDS Inc. $2,500

  • Residential Properties $2,500

  • Deluca & Associates LTD $2,500

  • Hinckley Allen $1,000

  • Government Strategies Inc. $1,000

  • Cardi Corporation $1,000

  • Optimates Co. LLC $1,000

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Who foots the bill for inaugural festivities? dex) McKee, Smiley fêtes draw familiar support