EDITORIAL: Defund Elorza

EDITORIAL: Defund Elorza

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza has served in office for nearly 6 years. It has been a long 6 years.

In this period of time, Providence has failed to make progress in tackling the challenges the city faces and, in fact, has lost ground on nearly every one. 

Elorza’s responses to critical issues of safety and homelessness have been to call a gunman in a shooting at a mall a “knucklehead” and address the issues of mental health, drug trade on the streets, and panhandling with orange “Giving Meters.” Meters that cost more than they collected. The Elorza meters were not only ineffective, but insulting to the gravity of the situation. 

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This is the man that in the midst of a budget crisis left the city and used third party funds to take his family to a convention for mayors in Hawaii.

The Elorza narrative would be comical, if not so sad — it has been a hodgepodge of word salad and failure. 

But, the reality for Providence is that under Elorza, most of his years in time in office have been under a period of economic growth — and the city’s schools, public safety, financial management, long-term debt, public parks, and city management have decayed.

Here is the Elorza legacy:

EDUCATION Providence Schools were taken over by the State of Rhode Island and were characterized by education experts at Johns Hopkins University as one of the worst school systems in America. While the assessment was being conducted, Elorza gave the Providence schools a grade of C. The Wall Street Journal called Providence's system “an education horror show.”

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The critical powers of the city over the 195 Commission land were stripped away by the Rhode Island General Assembly due to the Elorza administration’s inability to make decisions and work cooperatively.

 

CRIME: Elorza’s laissez-faire approach to street crime -- graffiti, drug trade, illegal ATVs and the rest -- has created an atmosphere in which Providence residents and visitors no longer feel safe. Accused murderers make music videos, rioters destroy businesses and burn police vehicles, and five murders take place in two weeks before the Mayor uttered a word. The police have voted no confidence in the Mayor.

 

$2 BILLION UNFUNDED OBLIGATIONS Unfunded pension obligations and long-term obligations for health benefits for city retirees have seen no functional improvement despite a period of unprecedented Wall Street gains. Combined unfunded pension and OPEB obligations top $2 billion.

 

FAILED INITIATIVES From the rollout of bike lanes that were then ripped up within weeks due to lack of public input at a cost of nearly $100,000 to the bumbling launch of the school traffic cameras — the Elorza administration has consistently demonstrated it is incapable to implement new programs.

 

It is difficult to see how Elorza has added any significant value. Now, Providence residents are frustrated and fearful.

The one area that the city saw progress in economic development was all led by the state -- the city’s role in its own economic development fate has never been more marginalized. Today, as restaurants, theaters, and hotels are closed Elorza, has issued hardly a word on the economic challenges facing small and large businesses.

Providence is a special city. A city that combines a remarkable diversity of artists, thinkers, learners, doers, and it could be so much more.

It is now at a crossroads — cities face critical challenges and need leadership. Elorza has offered silly talk.

The city council with amendments to a few ordinances has the power to defund the Mayor’s office — try defunding Elorza.