Providence mayoral candidates spar over education, redevelopment

THE THREE DEMOCRATS VYING for to be Providence mayor sparred over education, redevelopment and safety at a debate at Rochambeau Library on Thursday. Pictured from left are candidates Brett Smiley, Gonzalo Cuervo and Nirva LaFortune /SCREENSHOT

PROVIDENCE – With less than two weeks until the primary election, the claws have started to come out in the three-way city mayoral race.

Candidates sparred over education, safety and redevelopment at a debate at Rochambeau Library Thursday night hosted by The Community Libraries of Providence and the League of Women Voters of Providence.

Candidates Gonzalo Cuervo, Nirva LaFortune and Brett Smiley, all Democrats, have largely refrained from personal jabs for most of their campaigns. But on Thursday, LaFortune, a city councilwoman who has focused on her personal and professional experience in education, accused both Cuervo and Smiley of failing to address the teacher retention and recruitment problems in Providence. 

Both of you that have been in positions of power and done nothing to change it,” LaFortune said.

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Cuervo, who has had leadership roles at the city under former mayor Angel Taveras and the R.I. Secretary of State, fired back.

“Neither of us have been a councilperson for five years,” he said.

Earlier in the discussion, Cuervo and LaFortune had another moment of tension when discussing the affordable housing component of the “Superman” building redevelopment. While both stressed the importance of ensuring the affordable portion of the 285 new housing units are actually set at prices that working class people – teachers, librarians, city employees – can afford, they disputed the number of units in question.

Cuervo referenced an interview with the head of the Housing Network of Rhode Island, who told WPRI-TV CBS 12 that she only considered the 14 units restricted to people who earn 80% of the area median income to be truly affordable. LaFortune quickly retorted that based on the 20% of 285 total units which developers have said will be income-restricted, there would be “far more than 14.”

Smiley, a top aide to former Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, managed to steer clear of these two points of contention, though he has come under attack in mailers from Cuervo’s team attacking him for “insider politics” and the fine he paid to the R.I. Ethics Commission early in his campaign for taking money from state vendors while still working at Department of Administration.

Smiley framed his experience in city and state management, as a benefit, not a hindrance to his campaign, insisting he was the only candidate with the expertise to navigate complex issues including the city pension crisis and renegotiated tax agreements with universities, hospitals and other major nonprofits who do not pay property taxes. LaFortune, meanwhile, ended on a personal note, explaining how her upbringing as a Black, undocumented city resident, lead poison survivor and public school graduate makes her better understand the challenges being faced by city residents.

Cuervo stressed the “coalition of support” he has garnered, which includes outgoing Mayor Jorge O. Elorza.

The debate was the second in a series of three question-and-answer sessions hosted by the Communities Libraries of Providence and the League of Women Voters of Providence. A third debate will be held Sept. 7 at the South Providence Library and streamed on the Community Libraries’ YouTube page.

The primary is Sept. 13. Whoever wins the Democratic mayoral primary will be the only name to appear on the ballot in the November general election.

Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Lavin@PBN.com.

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