Candidates Are Starting to Line Up to Take on Elorza for Mayor of Providence in 2018

Monday, January 11, 2016

GoLocalProv News Team and Kate Nagle

 

View Larger +

It is unprecedented for such a large number of high level profile politicians to begin to make noise gearing up for a Mayoral run -- three years ahead of the election. It is hard to remember another election cycle in the City of Providence that candidates were lining up so early. Actually, it has never happened.

Mayor Jorge Elorza is just one year into his four-year term and already, one member of his own staff is making noise, a former Mayor has announced he is contemplating a run, the outgoing School board President has said he is interested, and five others are making noise about a run.

On Friday, State Representative John Lombardi functionally threw his hat into a ring that doesn't actually form for three years.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

As Lombardi said, "Mayor [Jorge] Elorza is not communicating well, not getting his message across. I'm considering running in the next election."

Lombardi, who served as the Acting Mayor for Providence as City Council President when then-Mayor Buddy Cianci went to jail in 2002 until David Cicilline took office in 2003, ran for the city's top post in 2010, finishing second in the Democratic primary to Angel Taveras. 

Elorza, whose campaign and inauguration speech talked of creating a “One Providence” has been besieged by problems almost since entering office. Elorza in his inauguration promised, “The people who live, work and visit Providence deserve a government that is transparent, ethical, accountable and easy to navigate.” Despite promised change, the Elorza Administration has had a series of stumbles that have undermined his good will and begun to alienate his political base.

When asked what he thought about Lombardi's announcement, Providence City Council President Luis Aponte told GoLocal, "It's not surprising, but the Mayor only has one year in. [Elorza] has had a rough year, for a whole bunch of reasons, but one year doesn't define a whole term.'

View Larger +

The Stumbles

Elorza's response to last winter's storms showed a lack of experience and comprehension that blocking and tackling on basic city services is really job one for a mayor.

Then, his top 12 appointments to high level positions in his Administration are all white and most living in the East Side of Providence. 

For months into his term he had yet to appoint any African-Americans or Hispanics to a key positions and finally appointed an African-American as Recreation Director - who also referees hundreds of NCAA basketball games a year. 

In the spring and summer the East Side of Providence, Elorza’s political base, was hit by hundreds of break-ins and the City’s response was perceived to be slow and disinterested. 

The Mayor’s effort to manage the costs of the Fire Department has turned into an ugly political and legal battle in which the Elorza Administration has lost each court effort so far to implement a new staffing structure.

His political naivete and poor staff work was demonstrated when he traveled to his native Guatemala. As GoLocal reported:

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza is on a trade trip to create a sister city program with Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina, while Molina's administration has been under investigation for months.  His Vice President was forced to resign over a kickback scheme for imports, a corruption ring was being run by the Vice President’s private secretary, and the President's son-in-law was arrested in July for drug trafficking. The Guatemalan President has also been tied to war crimes - alleged murders during the country's civil war. The President resigned from office shortly after Elorza's visit.

View Larger +

More recently, the Elorza Administration's effort to put speed bumps on Blackstone Boulevard helped to further alienate East Siders and progressive Democrats released a video showing that Elorza had flip-flopped on his promise to control special tax breaks for major developers.

In addition, the City’s audit unveils that Providence is running a cumulative deficit in excess of $11 million and with fire costs spiraling the City’s finances may hemorrhage in 2016. This is only one of a number of financial missteps. GoLocal MINDSETTER™ Mike Riley revealed the City's attempt to skip a $60 plus million pension payment. As Riley unveiled:

Last Tuesday April 28, 2015 the Providence City Council Finance committee received the news that Providence had improperly included an asset of approximately $62 million in the Pension Plan. Councilmen were informed that this coming June 30th statements will show $62 million missing from the Pension Fund on the reported statement. The report was provided by the Auditor Segal Co. The presentation was made both orally and in print.
Neither the Councilmen nor the Mayor has yet informed the Fire and Police Unions that these assets are gone and really never existed. Taxpayers have not been informed of a jump in unfunded liability and a reduction in pensions Funded ratio to 27% making it the worst in the country? Importantly Bondholders have not been informed as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

View Larger +

The Bright Side

Elorza does deserve credit as he teamed with FirstWorks to create a first class event in his first year in office - the Providence International Arts Festival. The event drew hundreds of thousands in the midst of the summer and bolstered the City’s reputation for the arts and drove business to restaurants and hotels in the midst of the summer. As the Mayor said at the announcement:

The first ever Providence International Arts Festival will showcase all that Providence has to offer using the city as a stage. We are the Creative Capital and this festival is an opportunity to celebrate the arts and to support our artists. I invite everyone to join us," said Mayor Elorza. The event featured 500 artists, 30 public art installations, 15 stages, 18 participating venues, six outdoor bars and more.

The saving grace for Elorza could be a revival in the local economy. If the 195 Commission ever begins to pick up momentum and cranes are seen in Providence, Elorza could benefit from a Providence resurgence.  

 

Related Slideshow: Who is Looking to Run for Mayor of Providence in 2018

Jorge Elorza may have three more years in his term as Mayor, but the early bumps and loss of support from the East side of Providence has impacted his ability to lead. The Mayor is facing a large group of potential competitors.

View Larger +
Prev Next

#1

John Lombardi — The former Mayor, President of the City Council, and presently both a Municipal Court Judge and a State Representative is very popular in his District. He finshed second when he ran for Mayor in 2010, losing in the Democratic Primary to Angel Taveras, but finishing ahead of Steven Costantino.

Strengths: Lombardi would start a Mayor’s race with a number of competitive edges. He has an organization, raised money and has name awareness. In addition, he has the deepest experience and not only knows the issues, but know the neighborhoods and the community leaders.

Weaknesses: Lombardi has a lot of experience, but also has to take responsibility for the economic condition of the City of Providence. In addition, he has taken not one, not two, but three publicly funded pensions. 

View Larger +
Prev Next

#2

Sabina Matos — The Council Majority Leader has a office to run from and is the highest ranking elected female official in Providence.

Strengths: A leader in the Hispanic community, she would be formidable from the onset. As a highly credible female candidate, she would most likely garner the support of Governor Gina Raimondo and Nellie Gorbea — who repeatedly have called for more women candidates.

Weaknesses: She has no real fundraising base, but if she could tap groups like EMILY’s List and other pro-female candidate fundraising groups it could make her a top-tier candidate from the onset.

View Larger +
Prev Next

#3

Brett Smiley — On December 31, 2015, Elorza's former opponent-turned-COO sent out an email from his own political email account that barely mentioned Mayor Elorza, but outlined the successes achieved. For a staff member, who was a previous political rival, to send out a personal political email, was perceived as a political announcement by Smiley. 

Strengths: As a former political consultant and fundraiser, Smiley can raise money. Many insiders identify Smiley as the person to “go-to” to get anything done in City Hall.  And if he has Myrth York's blessing, she delivers the East Side.

Weaknesses: His ties to Congressman David Cicilline and now his role as an architect of Elorza policies could be used against him. His statement urging Providence residents to park their cars in the suburbs during a snow storm will make a great 30 second commercial against Smiley.

View Larger +
Prev Next

#4

Luis Aponte — The City Council veteran now is City Council President is considered extremely smart and has done a strong job creating a unified majority in the Council and now maybe emerging as a political foil to Elorza.

Strengths: He is seen as a strong consensus builder and has a solid Hispanic base.

Weaknesses: For years Aponte has owed tens of thousands of dollars in fines for failing to file campaign reports. And, his well publicized legal battles with State Representative Greg Costantino are both blights on his reputation that will be tough to overcome.

View Larger +
Prev Next

#5

Michael Solomon — The former City Council President lost the Democratic Mayoral primary to Jorge Elorza in 2014 — Elorza got 49% to Solomon's 43%. He is the owner of Wes’ Rib House and comes from a long-time political family.

Strengths: Has support from across the City except in the all powerful East Side. As Council President he was able to raise money.

Weaknesses: Because of his long tenure on the City Council he is tagged as “owning” the City’s problems. A GoLocal investigation led to Solomon being fined by the Ethics Commission. His catering company has been repeatedly been cited by the Department of Health for code violations.  He has been out of the "game" - and public eye -- since his defeat, but that hasn't stopped the chatter.

View Larger +
Prev Next

#6

David Salvatore: The City Councilman just took a job with the Realtors and is getting very active with policy proposals and new ideas.

Strengths: Serves in the minority faction of the City Council and has used that opportunity to call for reforms including criticizing former City Councilwoman Balbina Young and the policies that allow pension spiking. 

Weaknesses: Little name recognition and a limited base outside of his ward. He supported the trolley project.

View Larger +
Prev Next

#7

Jeff Padwa: Former Providence City Solicitor and now Chief of Staff to General Treasurer Seth Magaziner is an experienced and well-respected behind-the-scenes staffer.

Strengths: Well-liked, he would enter the race with a East Side base, which proved the King-maker in '14. 

Weaknesses: His ties to Angel Taveras and his policies could easily be used against him.

View Larger +
Prev Next

#8

Keith Oliveira — Formerly a top staffer at the RI Department of Education and Chair of the Providence School Committee. He is widely respected and politically could connect the neighborhood dots.

Strengths: He grew up in Fox Point, has supporters on the East Side and could pull well in the Southside, West End, and Olneyville. He is one candidate who could potentially put together the magical coalition of the East Side and the South Side. 

Weaknesses: Oliveira has never run for office and does not have an established organization. While he was a reformer while Chair of the School Committee he also, de facto, owns the poor results of the Providence School Department.

 

Related Articles

 

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

 
 

Sign Up for the Daily Eblast

I want to follow on Twitter

I want to Like on Facebook