Cranston Mayor’s Race is the Biggest Election in RI in 2016

Friday, March 11, 2016

Russ Moore, GoLocalProv Contributor

 

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Cranston Mayor Allan Fung

Cranston Mayor Allan Fung crafted a solid image of a nice guy who exudes competent leadership in his first several years in office. 
That reputation vaulted him into a competitive run for Governor in 2014. And if it weren’t for the fact that Bob Healey ran, he might be  governor today.

Fung received 36.2 percent of the vote in the 2014 general election. Governor Gina Raimondo got 40.7 percent. Fung lost the race by 14,471 votes. But Healey grabbed 69,278 votes. It’s not hard to imagine the bulk of those, anti-establishment votes, going Fung’s way.

The Landscape

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Yet just a little more than one year since that defeat, Fung finds himself the target of a spirited challenge on his own turf, and for his current job—Mayor of Cranston.
“I think people are tired of Fung and that they want someone new in the position,” said Michael Sepe, the Democrat who is challenging Fung, during a recent interview at his Garfield Street office.

Sepe hit home on what will be the themes of his campaign as Fung's challenger for the job. The mayor, he said, mishandled the management of the city police department, left rank-and-file employees demoralized, and only moved to rectify the situation once the Democrat-controlled city council forced his hand.

It’s an obvious line of attack. Fung’s good government image was damaged by the State Police report of the Cranston police department that, at times, chided him for mismanagement and even interfering in the investigation. The department was divided by an in crowd and an out crowd, the report states, and the administration did nothing to rectify the issue.

Running on His Record

Fung’s aides didn’t make the mayor available for comment for this story.

Robert Coupe, the mayor’s Director of Administration, however, said that the Mayor fixed the problem in the police department. The problems in the police department, he said, lingered for decades. The mayor, he said, regrets not uncovering the issues sooner, but once it became apparent, brought in the state police to fix the problem.
“It’s another example of the mayor addressing a problem and fixing it,” said Coupe.

Sepe begs to differ, saying Fung looked the other way because he had the support of the police union leadership in 2008 when he won the election.
“The mayor keeps saying that he brought in the state police to clear up the problem. But what he’s not telling us is that he only did that two hours before the city council was going to pass a resolution calling for that,” said Sepe.

The narratives are different, but one thing is clear: both candidates are running on Fung's record.

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Democrat Michael Sepe

Sepe Is Ready

Sepe, 69-years-old, is the current Democrat City Chairman. Sepe has been involved in city politics for decades. He served on the city council from 1984 until 1995. He was council President in 1993 and 1994. He ran for mayor in 1994, but came up short.

Sepe has strong roots in Cranston. His father was also a long-time state representative from the city.
Sepe is backed by statewide Democratic Political insiders like House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, who represents western portions of the city. He regularly talks with Cranston state representative Charlene Lima, and Warwick State Senator Michael McCaffrey.

But are his state house and party leadership connections an asset, or a liability?

Asset or Liability?
“I guess we’ll find that out in November,” Sepe said.

For Fung’s part, he will stress his competence as mayor as evidence to make the case for reelection. During his campaign kickoff a few weeks ago, Fung pointed out that he the city has had only one minor tax hike in the last four years. He said city spending has been controlled.

Coupe touts the progress in the city over the last several years. During his lunch break on Wednesday afternoon, Coupe described a city that was facing severe financial problems when Fung got involved with city government in 2004. Since then, the Mayor has moved to solve those problems, he said. And the city is on much better financial footing as a result, he believes.

“Look at the progress in the city over the last seven years that Mayor Fung has been in office. Look at the growth, the economic development, the fiscal responsibility, the increase in the bond rating, the new jobs, the new retail, restaurants, all these businesses moving into the city,” said Coupe. “How many other cities and towns in Rhode Island can say that they went three straight years without a tax increase?”

Sepe disagrees.

“Fung hasn’t raised taxes, but he had more revenue to work with thanks to a revaluation. He leaves that part out", said Sepe. “I’ve also noticed that he goes to every business opening but I never hear him say anything when a business closes.”

An Uphill Battle

Sepe said that if he's elected, he would do things different. He would cut costs in administration. He would bring in new economic development. And he would cut costs throughout the city through attrition. As an accountant, he would use his financial expertise to improve city finances, he said.

The results of the Governor's race point to an uphill battle for Sepe.

Fung crushed Raimondo in Cranston in 2014. Fung received 55 percent of the vote. Raimondo got 30 percent. 

"Riding A Tiger"

Sepe said that he will look to raise and spend at least $150,000 on the race this year. But when Michael Napolitano bested Fung in the 2006 election, he spent almost $300,000. 

"Napolitano wasn't as well-known as me. And that was before Fung had a scandal on his record," said Sepe. 

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Maureen Moakley, a political science professor at the University of Rhode Island, gave credence to Sepe. She said the race might be competitive.

“Fung has been riding a tiger. Clearly, he’s been connected to, and supported by, the police,” said Moakley. “And to the extent that the voters think that it’s OK, he’s managed to survive. I find it curious that there hasn’t been much push back.”

Money Matters

Like all races, so much depends on Sepe’s ability to bring energy and passion to the race, Moakley said.

“It will be interesting to see if he can survive. I do think an energetic opposition can underscore some of these problems,” said Moakley.

Expect Fung to grab the lead on the issue of pension liabilities. Fung will remind voters that he was the first public official in the state to move public sector employees into 401-K style retirement plans. The reform affected new hires in the city of Cranston and will reduce liabilities over the long term.

Rebuilding The Brand

Wendy Schiller, the Chair of the Brown University Political Science Department, also said the race will be interesting. Schiller is impressed by how Fung has handled the controversy over the police department.

“I think Mayor Fung has done a good job of rebuilding his image and bouncing back after the Governor’s race,” said Schiller.

Fung will enjoy the contrast between union relations in Cranston and Providence, she said. Despite the problems, the relationship between management and the unions in Cranston isn’t grabbing negative headlines like the relationship between Elorza and the Fire Department. That contrast bodes well for Fung.

The Wildcard

The wild card in the race, Schiller points out, is the fact that this is a Presidential election year. At this point, it’s looking like Donald Trump will be the standard bearer of the Republican Party.  Fung was endorsed, and campaigned heavily with Chris Christie during Fung’s 2014 race for Governor. Christie now backs Trump.

“What’s interesting to me, in 2016, is how much a relatively small mayoral race in Rhode Island could be impacted by the national presidential election,” said Schiller. “The national election scene will very much impact turnout in Rhode Island.”

That could become a liability for Fung’s reelection chances. It will almost certainly affect his margins.

Did Sepe Dismiss Fung?

​But Fung was never a dyed in the wool Republican anyways. Ironically, he approached Sepe about running for the city council as a Democrat.

The way Fung has told the story in the past, he was asked not to run.

Sepe, however, tells it differently. Sepe points out that in 2004, all the city-wide seats on the council were held by Democrats. Sepe told Fung he wouldn’t be an endorsed Democrat if he ran, he said.  

“I would never ask someone not to run,” said Sepe. "I did suggest he run for school committee."

Sensing an opportunity, Republican Mayor Stephen Laffey approached Fung. It didn't take much to talk him into running as a Republican. Laffey liked Fung’s talent. And he also saw Fung as a chance to make the local GOP more inclusive. He liked to pointed out that the Democrats rejected an Asian American.

A Forgiving People?

The two were always cordial. But the relationship was never more than a convenient political relationship for either.

Fung’s actual friend, quasi-political mentor, and neighbor to the south, Scott Avedisian, always wins elections during Presidential years. Avedisian hasn't suffered the level of bad press that Fung has over the last year, though.

Several Republicans who asked to not be quoted said that Fung is hoping run up a huge margin of victory in this year's race. Then, he plans to use that momentum to catapult his way into a run for higher office. Fung could run for the open Attorney General Seat in 2018, or challenge Raimondo once again for Governor. It’s plausible, but Sepe stands in the way.

“Rhode Islanders are a forgiving kind of people. We’ve seen that over and over again when it comes to politicians here,” said Schiller. “That bodes well for Allan Fung.”
 

 

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