Questions Michael Solomon Needs to Answer to be Providence’s Next Mayor
Saturday, July 05, 2014
The field for the Providence Mayor's race is set and the early heavyweight in the race - Providence City Council President Michael Solomon -- has lost his early momentum.
First and most importantly, Vincent "Buddy" Cianci, Jr. entered the race for Mayor of Providence. Cianci and Solomon have a similar political base.
Second, since Cianci's announcement, challenger and former political fundraiser Brett Smiley has stepped forward and taken on Cianci, leaving the rest of the field in the rearview mirror. Smiley has looked bold. Solomon has been invisible.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTSolomon has served on the Providence City Council since 2006 and then pulled together a coalition in 2010 to take the Council Presidency.
He has endorsed Providence Mayor Angel Taveras for Governor in the Democratic primary, but Taveras has refused to return the favor.
Background - Political Family
Solomon comes from an old school Democratic machine family. His father, Anthony Solomon, served as General Treasurer and in the state legislature for more than two decades. Solomon's political career ended when he ran for Governor and won a venom-dripping primary against then Warwick Mayor and now Projo lobbyist Joe Walsh. The senior Solomon then was beaten in the General Election by then Cranston Mayor Ed DiPrete.
Big Questions
Solomon is going to have to answer questions about his loans from the Providence Economic Development Partnership and problems with his business including a catering company which, as GoLocal previously unveiled, has significant health code violations.
Each week for the next six weeks - GoLocal will look at the key questions each Mayoral candidates will need to answer to win the Capital City's top spot.
Related Slideshow: Questions Michael Solomon Needs to Answer to be Providence’s Next Mayor
To be the next Mayor of the City of Providence - Michael Solomon is going to need to answer some important questions about his record, his experience and his vision for Providence.
Solomon need to win a three-way primary against Brett Smiley and Jorge Elorza. If successful in the Democratic primary, then he will face GOP candidate Dan Harrop, independent Lorne Adrain, and the 800-pound gorilla -- Buddy Cianci.
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