Ten months after city officials approved a spending plan for a $10 million racial reparations program championed by former Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, only a fraction of the money has been given out.
Advocates of the program are understandably frustrated. That includes some Providence Municipal Reparations Commission members who spent countless hours at public meetings drawing up plans for how the money should be spent.
Mayor Brett P. Smiley’s office says the delay is tied to a review to ensure the money will get to the community groups that need it most.
It’s an approach that seemingly dismisses the vetting and approvals of the previous administration, which was eager to get the money into the community as quickly as possible.
Perhaps the Elorza administration in its waning months did move too quickly in advancing the program.
But as this week’s cover story reports, the slow pace of spending to date – just $270,000 – has some advocates questioning the new administration’s commitment to the program.
“That money needed to be spent yesterday,” commission member Jim Vincent told PBN. “There is no need for a review.”
If the Smiley administration’s review produces better-targeted and -managed spending initiatives broadly supported by affected community groups, then the delay will be justified.
But it is time for the mayor’s office and City Council to reprioritize the program and make public the new timetable to spend money in the community.