Providence Mayor's Race: Interview With Mayor Jorge Elorza

PROVIDENCE, RI — The race for Providence mayor is a three-way contest, with two independents running against the incumbent. The incumbent is Democrat Mayor Jorge Elorza; the challengers are Dianne "Dee Dee" Witman and Jeffrey Lemire.

Lemire is a concrete construction worker. This campaign is his first time on the ballot. Witman also has not run for elected office before, but she served 20 years on the Providence Building Authority and is well known as a fundraiser for charities, non-profit organizations and political campaigns. Elorza is finishing his first term as mayor. He defeated the colorful Buddy Cianci, who ran as an Independent.

Elorza, 41, grew up on Providence's West Side, the son of Guatemalan immigrants. He graduated from Classical High. In his campaign biography, he recalls his struggles at Classical, said he almost didn't graduate, and was rejected by all the colleges where he applied. After high school went to Community College of Rhode Island. From there, he managed to continue his education at a four-year college, transferring to the University of Rhode Island. He landed a Wall Street job but returned to Providence after a childhood friend was murdered. He became committed to social justice, he said. Elorza went on to Harvard Law and a professorship at Roger University. He is married and a father.

Patch asked all three candidates for interviews. Here are Mayor Elorza's comments.

He is running again because he wants Providence to become known as the best and most flourishing mid-size city in the U.S. So far, he said all the signs show "a city on the rise," but he's not satisfied.

Among his top achievements as mayor, he listed stabilizing the city's finances, investing more in children and cutting crime.

"Four years ago, there was still talk about bankruptcy," he said. "There's a lot we've done." Elorza said he is the first mayor in 75 years to go through his term without raising taxes. Meanwhile, Providence has amassed "record surpluses," he said, and has one again deposited money in the Rainy Day Fund.

"First time in years," he said, referencing the contribution to the Rainy Day Fund.

The "investment in kids" shows up in the money that's been spent on the schools. He increased the school department's funding, and that' the first time that's happened since 2011, he said. In addition, every child in the Providence schools has a computer. The City also offers summer camps, so parents can take advantage of daycare for an affordable $5 a week, and Providence has expanded the jobs program for teens.

"They can stay on track and stay out of trouble," he said.

On crime, he pointed to statistics that say murders are down; shootings are down; and crime overall is down.

"Theres no one such strategy," he said to cut crime but believes the City is on the right track with a "commitment to community policing." He believes "our community partnerships" have made a difference, too, but "the reality is, we do have violent criminals." The key is to get the guns away from them. It's the difference between a fist fight and a shooting.

On the plus side, Elorza said Providence has more economic development now.

"There's more money going into construction" than anytime over the past 10 or 20 years. Property values are up, and that's a citywide improvement, not just on the East Side.

The City has also invested in parks and made efforts to improve the residents' quality of life, he said.

Providence does still face some financial challenges, and looming large among them are pensions. The City owes $1 billion in unfunded pension liability, he said.

"We need a massive solution," he said. "Otherwise, Providence will die a slow and painful death." Elorza has suggested "leasing out our management and operation rights" to the Providence Water Authority as a way to collect revenues.

"I've never suggested selling it," he said when asked about his plan. He said the City has an 160-page report on the options, and they're all similar to ones past mayors David Cicilline and Angel Taveras considered.

"Our options are pretty limited," he said.

Asked if he was surprised, the race has attracted so much attention, the mayor said the attention doesn't really matter.

"So, we've from the very beginning been running our race," Elorza said and added as an incumbent, he's running on his record. "We've had great success over the past four years," he said, and Providence made progress. That's been the campaign theme.

"We haven't deviated," he said.

Photo Courtesy Mayor Elorza's Campaign