Candidates Take Shots at Providence Mayoral Forum

Candidates Take Shots at Providence Mayoral Forum

The candidates for Mayor of Providence explained their policy positions -- and took shots at each other -- at a debate at Laurelmead in Providence on Wednesday.  

Addressing a packed room of nearly all senior citizens, former Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci, Democrat Jorge Elorza, and Republican Dan Harrop sparred over their positions, and each other. 

In a debate where Elorza called Cianci an "embarrassment" to Providence, and Cianci hit back asking why Elorza asked him to lunch last year to ask for his support, the question-and-answer session turned heated at times as the candidates were allowed to ask each other direct questions at the end of the session.  

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Bringing up the Past

The debate started with Cianci being asked if he still believed, as he'd once stated, that "every politician has to do the wrong thing" at points in order to "get the right thing done."

Speaking to a crowd of mostly retirees, Cianci spoke of bending the rules during his tenure in office to allow an elderly couple who had missed their tax bill due to hospitalization to not have to pay it all in full, as would have been required by law. 

In his opening remarks, Elorza stated that in addition to running on a platform of bringing opportunities and jobs back to the city, he wanted to change the culture of corruption at City Hall.  Cianci later responded to Elorza's accusations of City Hall corruption by saying he hasn't been in office in twelve years.  

"Are you saying that City Hall has had a culture of corruption for the past 12 years? You're saying it's pay-to-play? Who's doing all this stuff?" quipped Cianci.  

Education Focus

Elorza stated in the debate that he "believed in full service community schools," and was looking to Cincinnati, Ohio as an example of what could be done in Providence.  

Elorza stated his plan would entail "bringing services from the community into the schools," and allow for such programs as "sports, music, and financial literacy."  

Republican Harrop quipped that he "liked Elorza's plan" -- but that Elorza could be Mayor "after my plan, that's the only way he'd have the money" to do it.   During the debate, Harrop said he would take no salary as Mayor, and serve only one term if elected.

Elorza said that Providence currently has only one grant writer in the school department, and pointed to the success of Central Falls in using grants to fund school programs as an ideal Providence should replicate.

Bankruptcy, Job Development

Cianci hit out at Harrop to ask him what would happen to property values if the city went into receivership, a move which Harrop is strongly advocating.  

Harrop acknowledged that in the short term, property values could go down.  "After 3, 4, 5 years, it comes back, " said Harrop.  

Cianci said during the debate that he would be announcing his plan for the Port of Providence in the coming week, and that was a cornerstone of his economic policy.

In the forum's final segment, Harrop quipped, "If it stays this fun, I may just stay in until Election Day," hitting upon speculation he might not stay in the race through the end. 

Harrop then went on to chastise Cianci for bringing up Elorza's shoplifting arrrest, as well as the question of Elorza's religion, into the conversation.