Portsmouth Election Profile: Leonard Katzman

PORTSMOUTH, RI — Leonard Katzman is running for a seat on Portsmouth's Town Council. The 61-year-old Democrat serves as the chair of the Portsmouth Democratic Town Committee.

Katzman is a lifelong Portsmouth resident and holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a law degree from Roger Williams University. A business attorney, Katzman currently works as the director of business development at Brown Technology Innovations at Brown University, previously working at a large law firm. Before becoming a lawyer, Katzman spent 15 years as a software engineer and technology developer.

Katzman has been elected to Portsmouth's Town Council for a total of three terms, from 2004 to 2008 and again in 2018, and was twice appointed to the Portsmouth Charter Review Committee.

Campaign website

Why are you seeking elective office?

Like the rest of our nation and state, Portsmouth is facing very difficult challenges now and in the coming term. Some hard decisions will have to be made. The people Portsmouth need and deserve to have calm, civil and rational decision makers to lead through this crisis period. People want the peace of mind that comes with knowing — with everything else that’s going on — that at least the Town of Portsmouth Town Council is well run. I’m running for Town Council because I am dedicated to public service, giving back to my community, and I have a proven record of rational decision-making and civil discourse, always and basing my decisions on two things: analytical thinking based on the best facts and evidence available, and doing what is in the best interests of the resident of Portsmouth.

What do you believe should be done to contain the coronavirus pandemic, and what would you do to lessen its economic impacts?

To contain the pandemic I believe it is crucial to follow the latest guidance from our public health experts. Portsmouth needs to be nimble and flexible, because guidance may change as we learn more about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 disease. At present, this means following the Phase III guidelines of the RI Department of Public Health including their guidelines on mask-wearing, social distancing, sanitation and limits on numbers of people at social gatherings. The question of economic impact from the pandemic is related to how well we adhere to those guidelines. The sooner the coronavirus is contained, the sooner our economy can rebound. I strongly support Portsmouth expanding wherever feasible any savings we can achieve through cooperative efforts at the regional, state and national level — without compromising Portsmouth's autonomy and character. As a guiding principle, the budget process must be founded on a conservative financial projection (worst-case scenarios) for both revenues and expenditures, so we can provide priority for necessary services like education and public safety.

Do you believe systemic racism is a problem in America generally and Rhode Island specifically, and if so, what would you do to combat it?

Yes. Systemic racism is present in America, including Rhode Island and including Portsmouth. No place is immune from the culture of our times which is a culmination of our past, our history. Among the foundational core values that I personally hold, I believe in education. To combat systemic will require education — about what systemic racism is and how it manifests in the lives of our residents. Education alone is not enough, however. We need to work as a nation to change our culture so that endemic racism is understood and eliminated from our culture. I want that to happen today, recognizing that it may take generational change.

Should the words "Providence Plantations" be removed from the state's name?

Yes

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am running as an individual, Len Katzman, and I ask for your vote! But I am also running as a member of a slate of candidates of the Portsmouth Democratic Party. I work hard to help Portsmouth Democrats find great people to run for office. So in fact I share a great many things between me and my fellow Democrats. To identify one element of distinction, perhaps, I’ll point out my professional career which for 20 years has focused on building business opportunities in Rhode Island and expanding the economic landscape for entrepreneurs.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I'm an incumbent.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

I've always said on these candidate questionnaire forms that there is no issue that is the "top" issue because the most important thing is for Portsmouth to have clear-thinking reliable decision makers on the Town Council. This is important because one never knows what the next real issue will be - and nothing highlights that more than the current pandemic. I seek to serve in the best capacity and interests of the people of Portsmouth. I have no agenda but to do good and serve the public. If you have an agenda or issue, that's great! Come talk to me and I'll help you get it done. I'm here to serve.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

The beset "evidence" I can handle the job is my multiple terms of office. Being elected three times shows that the people of Portsmouth have placed their trust in me, time and again. For that I am grateful and humbled. While it rarely makes news, among my accomplishments is my championing of steady prudence in budget matters. I'm also proud of the consistent support I have given to the Portsmouth schools, always ensuring that Portsmouth has good schools for the next generation.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Be present, love life, share joy, and do not be afraid.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I've long been dedicated to a quiet kind of activism. I’m not a march-in-the-streets kind of activist. I’m a quiet-but-persistent activist. I help people. I help build coalitions. I engage in politics under the principle that, “one can do a great deal of good in this world if one does not care who gets the credit for it.” I have learned over the years that it really is possible to get things done through the methodical work of talking to people, one on one, coming to a mutual understanding and building respectful relationships. I work to leverage the voice of one person, maybe your voice, with the voices of many until collectively those voices can no longer be ignored.