Councilman Says Elorza Is “Playing Politics” With Summer Jobs Over Providence Budget Fight

Councilman Says Elorza Is “Playing Politics” With Summer Jobs Over Providence Budget Fight

Providence City Councilman Michael Correia charges that Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza is playing politics with the summer job program for kids as retribution against those not supporting the Mayor’s budget. The controversy sparks memories of Providence Mayor Angel Taveras closing the Davey Lopes pool as political pay-back.

In a Facebook message posted Tuesday morning, Correia criticized Elorza’s tactics.

“To all parents & city youth, I know many of you have applied for a summer job with the Department of Recreation and haven’t heard if you have been hired," wrote the Councilman.

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“Unfortunately these jobs are out of our control [City Council]. The Mayor and his administration is playing politics with these jobs, using our city youth to get a budget passed. ‘Shame on you Mayor.’”

The effort to coerce members on a budget vote harkens back to Elorza’s predecessor Taveras who closed the Davey Lopes pool in South Providence as punishment against then-councilman Davian Sanchez who represented the area but would not support Taveras’ budget.

A GoLocal series on the issue led to the ultimate reopening of the pool. Taveras lost in a three-way Democratic primary for governor in 2014 and lost Providence.

The GoLocal series won a number of awards including from the Providence Chapter of the NAACP and the Michael Metcalf Award.

In one of the articles, Taveras faced charges of racism and political retribution.

A leading civil rights leader says the motivation is racist, two Providence City Council members say the decision is political and national studies show the issue is a critical one of public safety.

A GoLocalProv investigation found that the recent decision by Mayor Angel Taveras to close the Davey Lopes Recreation Center’s pool is being seen by some as a step in limiting opportunities for Providence’s children to have access to public pools -- and the chance to learn how to swim.

According to a study issued by USA Swimming Foundation, African American children, depending on their age, are two-to-three times more likely to drown than white children of the same age.  

“This is a class issue and a race issue. I'm angry and I've been this way for years. This administration (Taveras) is making it worse. We have them turning all the pools into what they're calling "safe pools," three and four feet deep--a swimmer can no longer use them,” said former State Representative Ray Rickman.