Providence Special Election Today: Who will Win Ward 9?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
One Democrat and one Republican will square off to represent Providence’s ninth ward on the City Council in a special election today.
The candidates, Carmen Castillo (D) and Christian Chirino (R), are polar opposites; Castillo a union activist who helped lead the Westin Hotel workers’ boycott last year and Chirino a 20 year old who served in the Navy and now attends the Community College of Rhode Island.
The two are seeking to win the seat previously held by popular Councilman Miguel Luna, who died following a massive heart attack in August.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWard 9 spans the Elmwood and Washington Park neighborhoods that run between Broad St. and Elmwood Ave. all the way to the Cranston line. It was the first ward in the United States to have a Dominican-American Councilman, State Representative and State Senator.
Democratic Party Chairperson: Castillo Will Be Strong Voice
Castillo won a close six-way Democratic primary earlier this month and is widely considered to be the favorite in today’s election. She has earned the support of several prominent Democrats and received an endorsement from the SEIU.
Providence Democratic Party Chairperson Lauren Nocera said Castillo will be a strong voice on the City Council.
"Democrats, Republicans and Unaffiliated voters will come together on Tuesday to elect our nominee, Carmen Castillo, to the Ward 9 Council seat," Nocera said. "Carmen has spent her entire career fighting for living wage jobs and fairness in the workplace. She will be a strong voice on the City Council for jobs, housing, public education and other issues facing working families. I look forward to her joining the Providence Democratic delegation."
Republican Party Chair: Time For A Republican to Win
But the city’s GOP chairperson Tara Pinsky said that because one party has controlled the city for so long (every member of the Council is a Democrat), there has been little opportunity for debate.
Pinsky blames the city’s financial problems on the Democrats.
“With the one-party rule of the Democrats, we the residents of Providence have been left with a two year, $180 Million budget deficit,” she said. This is the clear result of one-party politics and cronyism, and it has lead to higher property taxes, elimination of the auto tax's $6,000 exemption, and now ProCAP's possible loss of million to assist those most in need – just to name a few things that City residents are rightfully and understandably very upset about.”
If he wins, Pinsky said Chirino may help begin to balance party politics in the city.
“We need another voice on the City Council to represent the taxpayer,” she said. “Our Mayor has had to go to the state to seek assistance for our $2.5 billion unfunded pension liability because there is no council person at the table to help him that isn't tied to the unions. With the present race in Ward 9, electing another Democrat will only solidify the continued one party rule for another 3 years! Voting for a Republican is the only way to yield real and overdue change in our beloved city as ideas need to come from both sides.”
If you valued this article, please LIKE GoLocalProv.com on Facebook by clicking HERE.
