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Next Steps for Mayor-Elect Elorza in Providence

Thursday, November 06, 2014

Kate Nagle, GoLocal Contributor

Providence Mayor-elect Jorge Elorza, outside LaSalle Bakery on Smith Street on Wednesday.

Providence Mayor-elect Jorge Elorza might just off a historic win on Tuesday after defeating two-time former Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci to become the city's second Latino Mayor, but all eyes are on the new Mayor to see what his next moves will be not just when he takes office, but in the coming weeks.

On Wednesday, Elorza met with customers at LaSalle Bakery -- and supporters including former opponent, City Council President Michael Solomon, where he spoke with GoLocal about his plans in the days and ahead.

"Next Monday announcing his transition plan and specific personal decisions will be made moving forward," said Elorza.

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When asked what his top priority would be, Elorza laughed and said, "I've got ten first priorities."

"We will be reviewing all the departments and talking with department heads , analyzing all of their strengths to figure out strengths for what the plan will be coming in on day one to hit the ground running, to see what the first month, the first year will look like."

Solomon did not confirm if we could be a member of the transition team or new administration. "You'd have to talk with him," said Solomon, referring to Elorza, who deflecting the question to speak to the broad plan outlined above.

Transition Team

Michael Solomon and Jorge Elorza at LaSalle Bakery on Wednesday.

"I think the first part is I'm interested to see what his transition team will look like," said City Council member -- and potential City Council president -- Luis Aponte. "Who he puts on his team is likely an indicator of what the administration will look like. Does he make Brett Smiley the head of the team?"

Former Democratic opponent Smiley famously dropped out of the primary race just weeks before the election to back Elorza in a public effort to defeat Solomon.

"The other part will be to see what Mayor Taveras' transition notes will be, what will his advice be," said Aponte, who noted he had chatted with Elorza "very briefly" so far. "When you look at the map the voter turnout from this election, there's some insecurity it different parts of the city as to what [the new administration] look like."

"If you ask me, we're not "One Providence," said Aponte, of Elorza's campaign theme. "We're one city with different neighborhoods with different needs with different challenges. When folks on the affluent East Side, they don't worry as much about jobs, they don't need them like other parts of the city. South Side, Silver Lake, [jobs] are a daily concern. We're a group of neighborhoods with different challenges, and people will be looking to see if [Elorza] puts together a team that reflects that."

State Representative -- and former interim Mayor -- John Lombardi offered his thoughts on the process on Wednesdays.

"[Elorza] needs a transition team that is truly "One Providence," said Lombardi. "We'll see who he reaches out to across the table. Cianci? Harrop? The black communities? Southeast Asian communities? It has to be more than just one section of the city. Providence is a "minority-majority" city, with great leaders in those communities."

"He will be defined in his first fifteen days," said Lombardi, of Elorza's decisions in the next two weeks.

Tackling Existing Issues

Community leaders outside the Davey Lopes pool, which was reopened this past summer.

Former State Representative and Deputy Secretary of State Ray Rickman -- who is the former head of the RI Black Heritage Society -- weighed in on some issues in particular that will be facing Elorza as he takes office.

"Elorza needs to double the budget for recreation," said Rickman. "The City Council wants to do it, he needs to join them. It's gang diversion. It's team activities, networking, all those things, but above all else, it's gang diversion."

"I had a parolee one time at one of my first hearings on the parole board tell me, "I had gangs offer me memberships twenty times...but not once did a Y offer me a reduced membership," noted Rickman. "There's swimming at Brown University four weeks of the year for the community. When I was younger, it was fifty weeks a year. I'd like to see him work with Brown and make that 12 weeks a year, in the summer."

Rickman said he would be interested to see more detailed proposals for Mayor-elect Elorza's education plan.

"He talked about community schools, keeping them open after school, but what about during the day? He needs to focus on core education. All of our high schools are failing except Classical," said Rickman. "Our schools should be modeled after the good schools out there. We need people coming in to talk with the students more. Viola Davis should be here once a year, in five schools, saying, "You too, can excel."

Related Slideshow: Elorza Donors - See 25 Interesting Donors

The election for Mayor of Providence is less than four weeks away. Jorge Elorza raised nearly $200,000 in the latest filing. See 25 of the most interesting donors to his campaign -- the rich, influential and infamous.

Chafee & Cicilline Aide

Deb Brayton

$600

Former top aide to Lincoln Chafee and David Cicilline is a big Elorza supporter (following Smiley's exit) and was part of the core group of the failed Anybody But Cianci effort.

She worked for Chafee in DC and came back to RI to serve as Chief of Staff for Cicilline during his tenure that created the City of Providence's fiscal meltdown.

Developer

Alfred Carpionato

$500

Carpionato is the mega developer who is one of the finalists to develop the 195 parcels -- and is the owner of the still yet-to-be developed Fruit and Produce warehouse site in Providence.

He ranks 17th on GoLocal's list of RI's Richest and Most Influential.

Widow of Kim Chace

Elizabeth Chace

$2,000

The founder of Residential Properties, Liz Chace has been active on reforming John Hope Settlement House - she was a former Board member.

Chace is the widow of billionaire Malcolm 'Kim' Chace III.

Director

Michael Corrente

$1,000

Corrente is a film director. His films include Shot at Glory, American Buffalo, Outside Providence, Brooklyn Rules and Federal Hill.

He was one of the early organizers in the anti-Buddy Cianci group.

Corrente is being sued for $5 million.

Son of Governor

Dennis DiPrete

$250

DiPrete is the son of former Governor Edward DiPrete. His brother Tom has donated to Cianci.

Dennis is one of the state's most successful engineers and developers.

PR

Patricia Doyle

$1,000

Doyle's clients include Twin River Casino, Frank Caprio and the Airport Corporation. She was formerly a partner in RDW Group for a couple of decades.

Adrain's Campaign Manager

William Foulkes

$1000

Foulkes was the campaign manager for Lorne Adrain and a member of the ill-fated Anybody But Cianci group. Foulkes' wife, Helena, is a top executive at CVS and was recently named one of the top women in business in the US by Fortune magazine.

Developer

Aram Garabedian

$1000

Garabedian made millions with the malls in Warwick and downtown real estate like the former Amica building.

He was the biggest opponent of the development of the Providence Place Mall.

Gilbane

Nancy Gilbane

$1000

While William Gilbane of the mega-wealthy construction family is doanting and betting on Cianci, Nancy is going for Elorza. The family Gilbane has an estimated wealth of $1.4 billion.

Former Top Cicilline Aide

Carol Grant

$1000

Former Chief Operating Officer for then-Providence Mayor David Cicilline, Grant was the go-to person in City Hall.

Previously, she had been an executive with Verizon, Textron and now she is with Second Wind.

Thomas Guerra

$500

While Tom donated to Elorza, his father and visionary behind the transformation of the former Brown & Sharpe complex into the leading live-work environment in the City of Providence - now the Foundry office complex and the Promenade apartments -- donated to Cianci.

His family made GoLocal's Richest and Most Influential.

Former Hosp. President

Constance Howes

$500

The former President of Women and Infants Hospital is now an executive with Care New England. Her husband Kelly Sheridan has ben a lobbyist for everything from the Providence Chamber to big tobacco.

#19 on GoLocal's ranking of the Richest and Most Influential.

Waterfront

Chris Hunter

$500

Hunter is lead consultant for the Working Waterfront in Providence - the group is at the forefront of the battle between the pro-industrial users like Sims Metals (Elorza) and the mixed use plans of Cianci. This week the two Mayoral campaigns made charges and counter charges about what is the right plan for Allens Avenue and the Port of Providence.

Founder of BIF

Saul Kaplan

$500

Saul Kaplan is emerging as the biggest thought leader in RI. His BIF Summit attracts many of the country and world's biggest thought leaders in business.

His Business Innovation Factory is a business think tank and consulting firm. He is the former EDC director and a business MINDSETTER™ to GoLocalProv.

Real Estate Mogul

Sally Lapides

$750

Lapides is the CEO at Residential Properties and was one of the organizers of the anti-Cianci group. She is recognized as a leader in the community and a major East Side influencer.

Set Designer

Eugene Lee

$750

Lee is a Tony Award winning theater designer. He started at Trinity and has designed TV sets for Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

He has designed many of Trinity's Reps' most elaborate sets.

Union Leader

Karen McAninch

$250

While police, fire, teachers, Teamsters and city workers' unions have gone with Cianci, McAnnich is one union leader to sign on with Elorza.

She is with the United Service and Allied Workers of RI.

Beer Distributor

Timothy Moran

$500

Moran's beer distribution company - McLaughlin & Moran - is one of the largest in the region. He has now relocated to Florida.

Taveras' Lawyer

Thomas Moses

$1000

Moses is the boss of the firm Moses & Alfonso - one of the top political firms in the City. Recently, the firm paid a $4.4 million settlement for the firms involvement with 38 Studios.

The firm has been a strong supporter of sitting Providence Mayor Angel Taveras.

Former Fleet Bank CEO

J. Terrence and Suzanne Murray

$2000

The former CEO of Fleet Bank built the bank into one of the largest in America before selling to Bank of America. The bank has the tenant at the now vacant Superman Building. Murray now lives in Palm Beach, Florida.

While the Murrays lives outside of RI for most of the year, they still ranked #36 in GoLocal's Richest and Most Influential.

Former GOP Leader

Lila Sapinsley

$500

Once the Minority Leader of the Senate Republicans in the 1980s, Sapinsley has been a leader in the moderate wing of the GOP in RI for years.

She was a regular guest on A Lively Experiment for more than a decade.

Former BankRI CEO

Merril Sherman

$1000

The former BANKRI CEO was once rumored to be a candidate for Mayor of Providence. Sherman has been active in politics and the community.

She is now a special master in resolving the federal forclosure crisis. She ranks #23 on GoLocal's Richest and Most Influential.

Former Brown VP

Richard Spies

$120

Spies came to Brown from Princeton and served as the #2 for Ruth Simmons for a decade. He drove the negotiations with Cicilline and Taveras.

Spies continues to live in Providence.

Former Hasbro

Alfred Verrechia

$500

Verrechia was the longtime executive and ultimately CEO of Hasbro.

Today, Verrecchia serves on the boards of Iron Mountain, FM Global and Lifespan -- and previously, RIEDC and CVS.

He ranks #20 on GoLocal's Richest and Most Influential.

Super Lobbyist

Christopher Vitale

$1000

Vitale is a big time lobbyist up at the State House and close ally to former Speaker Gordon Fox. His Capitol City Group represents healthcare and energy clients.

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