Mayors and local leaders from at least half a dozen cities and town are meeting with the governor this morning to discuss his plans to cut more than $74 million in local aid including the entire $55 million in general revenue sharing, as he tries to close the state's budget deficit.

Cranston Mayor Allan Fung and Scott Avedisian, mayor of Warwick, were among those who arrived at the State House this morning unsure what to expect in their sit down with Carcieri.

Dan Beardsley, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, said the governor requested to meet with the league's executive committee to discuss the proposal. "We haven't had any contact with him since the budget went in," Beardsley said.

For local communities, Carcieri's mid-year budget-repair bill is something of a mixed bag. On one hand, it proposes relieving cities and towns from a host of mandates including minimum manning hours and certain contractual requirements.

But in wiping out millions in funding with just five months left in the fiscal year, the budget is also expected to cause more immediate cash crunches in Rhode Island's communities.

The closed-door meeting began just after 11a.m. Updates will follow.