Mayor fires tax assessor placed on leave earlier this year

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The city of Providence has fired its tax assessor.

Democratic Mayor Jorge Elorza’s spokeswoman said Friday that Tax Assessor David Quinn was fired last week. Emily Crowell didn’t say why.

Quinn said Friday he was told he was an “employee at will” and the city is looking to go in a new direction. He says the assessor’s office is in better condition than when he arrived in 2012. Quinn was previously the assessor in Pawtucket.

The city plans to have the deputy tax assessor fill in while it looks for a permanent replacement.

Quinn, who earned $112,000 a year, was placed on paid leave in April, but soon returned.

He declined to discuss that incident Friday and the mayor’s office has similarly declined in the past, describing it as a “personnel issue.”