City Councils Across the State See Change

City Councils Across the State See Change

Beyond the budget, pension and education issues many local municipalities will be facing in the coming year, some city and town councils will be experiencing a severe learning curve when new council members are sworn into office next week.

Perhaps no city will ask its council to learn on the job more than Providence. The capital city lost a great deal of institutional and political knowledge when Joe DeLuca, Balbina Young, Peter Mancini, Cliff Wood and John Lombardi decided to retire this year. Along with the five retirees, two current councilmen (Leon Tejada and Josephine DiRuzzo) were not reelected in November.

A fresh face for the city

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After years of failed attempts at running for office, Wilbur Jennings narrowly defeated Tejada in a hotly contested race in Providence’s 8th Ward. The councilman-elect, who will serve as the only African-American on the council, says he is ready to help move the city forward in the coming year.

“I think the new council brings a good fresh face to the city of Providence,” Jennings told GoLocalProv. “It’s a good thing to have the new council members here. “

Jennings said he isn’t worried about overcoming a learning curve because he’s been a city employee for 28 years and has plenty of experience in the community.

An improved relationship with the Mayor

Former school committee member Sam Zurier cruised to victory in November, amassing over 80 percent of the vote in Ward 2. Zurier said the new council members will need some time to learn, but he also thinks the city could benefit having a couple new voices.

“For the last 8 years, the city council hasn’t had a great relationship with the mayor,” Zurier, who supported and worked on mayor-elect Angel Taveras’ campaign, said. “Because of the turnover, there won’t be an institutional clash [between Taveras and the council]. In my own situation, I bring a clean slate, so I’m optimistic."

Not all strangers to the political scene

While it may take some time to learn the in’s and out’s of City Hall, the majority of the new council has at least some experience with Providence politics.

Jennings ran unsuccessfully for office in the past and Zurier has some experience from his time on the school committee. Mike Correia, who will represent the 6th ward, has been a ward committee member for years and was groomed by the retiring DeLuca to be a councilman. Sabina Matos, who defeated DiRuzzo in September’s primary, ran for office in the past. In Ward 14, David Salvatore comes from a family that has always been tied to City Hall in one way or another.

The rest of the state - Cranston, Newport and Pawtucket

Outside of Providence, many cities are bracing for less of a transition phase with their new councils. Cranston elected two councilman at-large (James Donahue and Leslie Ann Luciano) and two more to represent Ward 1 (Steven Stycos) and Ward 6 (Michael Favicchio) respectively. In Newport, Henry Winthrop and Naomi Neville are the new council members. In Pawtucket, Christopher O’Neil is replacing council president Henry Kinch, who retired to make an unsuccessful run at Mayor.