At this point, Rhode Islanders are accustomed to stories about our betters in state and local government gaming the system to take more of our money, so we’re a hard people to shock.  For my money, though, here’s the most eye-opening part of Tim White’s recent report about North Providence employee Maria Vallee, who’s being paid two salaries simultaneously (despite apparent local law forbidding such practices):

“There’s not one evening you could come here that she’s not here until like 5, 5:30,” [Mayor Charles] Lombardi said. “So she gets the job done.”

Think of it!  This government insider thinks it justifies double pay for an employee that she works what is, in the private sector, a standard workday!

Beyond all questions of double-dealing and corruption, the most direct evidence that something is very, very wrong in RI government is that a mayor can be so out of touch that he even thought to raise this point in Vallee’s defense.