CLOSING ARGUMENT: Steve Stycos, Democratic Candidate for Mayor of Cranston
GoLocalProv Political Team
CLOSING ARGUMENT: Steve Stycos, Democratic Candidate for Mayor of Cranston
GoLocal asked him the questions and read his closing argument on why he is the best candidate for the office.
1) GoLocal: Why should voters cast their ballot for you in the primary?
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTStycos: We are facing extremely difficult times in Cranston due to COVID-19 and the economic slump. We need a mayor who listens to people and is not afraid to take tough positions that are in the best interests of the city. In my ten years on the school committee and ten years on the city council, I have done that.
In my first years on the school committee, I was the only elected official who warned that the Orchard Farms school construction would go way over budget. Some said I was against the children of western Cranston, but they were silent when the school went over budget and Mayor Laffey was forced to impose a mid-year tax increase to complete the project. We cannot afford to squander our tax money.
We also need to make our city welcoming to all our residents. We should aggressively recruit qualified people of color for open positions and hire people who speak languages other than English spoken in Cranston.
Finally, we need to reduce our carbon footprint. I urge people to support the climate bond that I wrote which, if passed by voters in November, will allow the city to reduce its carbon footprint by improving energy efficiency of schools, libraries, and other city buildings and adding solar panels to the roofs of some buildings, among other measures. It will reduce use of fossil fuels and save the city money which can be then be allocated elsewhere.
2) GoLocal: What is the most important issue facing the city?
Stycos: City finances are the most important issue facing Cranston. Without solid finances, everything else becomes very difficult. I voted against the current budget because revenue projections, especially of state aid, are unrealistically high. Our public schools are particularly vulnerable because they rely so heavily on state aid and the state is broke. The next mayor must work to ensure a balanced budget without damaging the schools.
3) GoLocal: Name three people you will appoint as Mayor?
Stycos: I have not discussed jobs with anyone. It is inappropriate unless I am elected. Any vacancies will be publicly posted so that interested people, especially women and people of color, may apply. Both Republican candidates for mayor voted to appoint a municipal judge who had been arrested for beating his girlfriend, and another who is a Statehouse gun lobbyist. They also supported a candidate for fire chief who, as a deputy chief, went into a fire station and beat up another fireman. I opposed all three and would not consider people with similar records for any appointed position.
4) GoLocal: What is the first action you will take?
Stycos: I will start bringing people together. Serious change takes meeting with people, discussing, and fine-tuning proposals to solve problems. I will begin by talking with residents and the new City Council about how we can work together to improve our city. Above all, I will listen and ask questions; no one starts a new job with all the answers.
5) GoLocal: What differentiates you from all the other candidates?
Stycos: I have more experience in city government than any other candidate. I have a record of accomplishments and of taking tough positions that have made Cranston a better place. I stood up during the Ticketgate scandal and forced reform of our police department, insisting on a state police investigation that revealed corruption in the department. Six or seven years ago, the federal government cut funds for Cranston Head Start by $50,000. As chair of the Finance Committee I worked to find replacement funds in the budget, and, with the support of the Council, Cranston’s Head Start program was kept intact. I have repeatedly sponsored amendments to increase funding for our schools without increasing taxes. I started the universal free school breakfast program. I started the Pawtuxet Village Farmers Market and restarted the Cranston Arts Council. I started community gardens at two schools in lower-income neighborhoods, the city’s only dog park, and a walking trail through woods in western Cranston because we need to increase recreational spaces for residents of all ages. I doubled funding for the emergency Rental Assistance Program which helps provide emergency housing funds for people at risk of homelessness. I sponsored an ordinance to raise the minimum wage for city employees. I have worked to decrease the city’s borrowing by cutting unnecessary capital expenses. I started the Cranston Neighborhood Tree Planting Program. And finally, I fought the destruction of open space in western Cranston, opposing large solar projects from day one and the construction of a cell tower in old-growth forest. I urge you to judge candidates not by their campaign pledges, but by their actions as public officials.