With just a few weeks remaining until Rhode Island’s primary elections, the Democratic candidates for mayor of Providence are trying to win over voters. The primary election could be decisive in a city where Democrats dominate.
As he seeks a second term in office, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley is facing a stiff challenge from his primary opponent, State Rep. David Morales. Making matters more difficult is the fact that former Providence mayor Jorge Elorza, whom Smiley endorsed after dropping out of the city’s mayoral race in 2014, is endorsing Morales.
Both candidates sat down with Ocean State Media political reporter Ian Donnis to discuss their priorities for Providence.
Interview highlights
On what’s at stake in the Providence mayoral election
David Morales: Right now, our city is becoming unaffordable for so many working people all across Providence. When I'm speaking with renters, I'm hearing about their stories, about the fact that they're watching the rent go up by $ 400 to $600 at a time. When I speak with homeowners, they've had to face two property tax increases in just the last three years. It is clear there's so much more that our city can and should be doing to support working people who want to continue calling our city home, which is why I support capping rent hikes at 4% a year, while at the same time also diversifying revenue in the ways that we're able to make investments in our city. So what's at stake is the question: can you continue to call Providence home and afford to do so?
On his lack of professional working experience
Morales: I'm proud of my experience. I'm the child of a single immigrant mom and a lifelong renter, and I understand a lot of the struggles and hardships that so many working families in Providence today are facing. And those are the issues that I'm often advocating for, making sure that we are protecting working people that are (otherwise) in a position where they can no longer afford to continue calling our city home; making sure our immigrant community is being prioritized and taken care of.
I've been able to leverage those experiences directly at the State House in order to deliver real results for working people. And that has been the result of guaranteeing healthcare coverage to every child in our state regardless of immigration status. It's been about establishing a program for neighbors in Providence to get their lead pipes replaced for free. And that all took and required collaboration, not just with fellow legislators, but also state agencies. So I have the experience of working directly within the bureaucracy as well to make sure that we're delivering real, tangible results for our neighbors.
That is why I will be adamant about having qualified department heads. The approach of governing and having qualified staff members will allow us to make sure that we're properly managing our $630 million-plus budget, while at the same time delivering the quality services our neighbors deserve.
On his plan to make Providence a more affordable place to live
Morales: The last four years (have) failed to deliver for our neighbors in Providence. Right now, we have watched as rents continue to increase. And for that reason, I will be working directly with our city council so we cap rent hikes on an annual basis, so our neighbors don't have to worry that their rent's going to go up by more than 4%. Because unlike the mayor, I will not be vetoing that legislation. It's about making sure that we're capping rent hikes in the immediate (term), but also having a vision on building new housing. That's why I'm excited that we're going to adopt a public developer model where we can acquire vacant lots and empty buildings and transform them into what could otherwise be mixed-income affordable homes.
On his prior support for defunding the Providence Police Department
Morales: So at 21, as a candidate for state representative, like many neighbors, I felt very frustrated by what we were observing across the country, but also in our backyard, where we had cases of police misconduct and there (were) no layers of accountability. I made a reference to defunding the police, and it is a stance that I have not held or a belief that I've had for the last six years. You look at my track record as a state representative; I have voted on six state budgets that have fully funded public safety.
As mayor, I'm going to make sure all of our neighbors feel safe calling our city home, which is why we're going to have stability within our police and fire department and also take a comprehensive approach to making sure that some of our most vulnerable – including our unhoused neighbors – have the support and services that they need because every neighbor deserves to feel safe, especially when they step outside their home.
