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Providence Group Honors Former Mayor Cianci

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May 1, 2006 1:38 pm US/Eastern

Providence Group Honors Former Mayor Cianci

PROVIDENCE, RI (CBS4) ― Former Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci will be honored on Thursday when the Providence Preservation Society inducts him into their Hall of Fame.

But Cianci will not be attending the induction ceremony because he is currently serving a 5-year sentence in a federal prison in New Jersey on racketeering charges.

"I'm sorry I cannot join you because I am figuratively and literally 'tied up,'" said Cianci in a letter from the Fort Dix prison.

Cianci was convicted in 2002 for accepting bribes in exchange for favors, offers of employment and tax credits.

The conviction did not diminish his popularity, but some people – including current Mayor David Cicilline – think that honoring Cianci sends the wrong message.

The Preservation Society, however, said that Cianci's conviction does not diminish his important work in historical preservation. As Mayor, Cianci ran a campaign for tax credits in exchange for historical preservation projects and helped to save City Hall from being torn down.

Cianci is scheduled to be released from prison sometime next year.

(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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