To the Editor,

At this month’s Herald mayoral debate, Ken Hopkins failed to clearly explain two important issues: 1) The story behind Hopkins taking a sports car without paying the owner. Why did he drive away without paying and without a title? Did he direct city employees to try to settle the dispute?

Hopkins brushed off the car question at the debate saying it would be resolved in the pending law suit. Voters have a right to know if our mayor is a car thief.

2) Why isn’t the city hiring a lawyer to defend the Cranston

Plan Commission’s decision to bar a giant solar power plant proposed for western Cranston?

Hopkins claimed he had little control over the Plan Commission. That is odd because he appoints seven of the nine members and two the seven are department directors who he hired. A more likely explanation is that Hopkins’ campaign manager, Robert Murray, is the lawyer for the solar company behind the project.

Our mayor has some major ethical problems.

Steven Stycos, of Cranston

Editor’s Note: Steven Stycos is a former member of the Cranston City Council.