2020 Election Profile: Leonardo Cioe, RI State Senate District 4
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Meet Leonardo Cioe who is running for election in Senate District 4 (Providence). He is taking on Senate President Dominick Ruggerio.
Read what he has to say about why he is running for office.
This is part of an ongoing series by GoLocal featuring each of the candidates for House and Senate.
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1. What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign season in Rhode Island?
Healthcare. Rhode Island needs to move from the unsustainable corporate model to single-payer healthcare. The pandemic has made it even more clear that healthcare cannot be tied to employment. As more and more people lose their jobs across the state, they also lose access to medical care. That must change. Right now, 60% of our state’s Medicaid budget goes to the private companies that manage it, rather than those who are covered by it. We cannot waste these resources. Instead, we must expand them and manage them on the state level. Single-payer healthcare is an Investment in every Rhode Islander, and one that we can make through fair tax reform.
2. What do we need to do to improve Rhode Island's economy?
Rhode Island needs a fair tax system for small businesses and a living wage. Right now, small businesses are taxed like larger corporate entities, which stifles their ability to grow. That must change. We must also provide economic incentive for a living wage. The minimum wage is Rhode Island is far too low for workers to be able to afford safe housing, food, and childcare. And right now, we only have a plan to raise it to $11.50 in the next year, with no long-term plan or goal. We must commit to raising the minimum wage to at least $15. More spending power for everyday Rhode Islanders would stimulate local economies.
3. What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state?
On the surface, the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island is COVID-19. But this pandemic is exposing underlying issues with our state that we must resolve. Right now, Rhode Island cannot guarantee healthcare, quality education, or other basic needs for its people. For the first time, we’re calling “essential” the workers who were always just that. But they’ve always been underpaid. What we need to do at this moment is recognize the value of each other, and choose to invest in our health and wellbeing. The greatest challenge is to not despair in the ways our state has failed us, but to acknowledge our weaknesses, plan for change, and rebuild Rhode Island to be the equitable state we want it to be.
4. Why are you running for office? What makes you uniquely qualified?
My reason for running is simple. I want to help the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders. I went back to college at a later age to become a nurse. After losing far too many of my friends to AIDS, I realized our healthcare system needs people like me in it -- people who will prioritize the most vulnerable, not abandon them in their time of need. But that help can only go so far. I can’t treat a patient who refuses to come in because she’s afraid of the bill waiting on the other side of her visit. I realized that helping Rhode Islanders means stepping outside of the hospital and advocating for policy changes like single-payer healthcare, a liveable wage, and bold action against climate change. I am uniquely qualified because of the skills I have learned as a registered nurse. When presented with a problem, I always follow the same steps. I assess the situation, delegate tasks to myself and my coworkers, reassess with those tasks completed, and then move forward. We always work as a team, because that is how progress is made. That is how I will make progress as an elected official, too. Plus, I have in spades the biggest thing missing from too many members of the General Assembly: empathy.
5. Who is your inspiration?
First and foremost, I am inspired by my mother and father. My father, a schoolteacher, taught me the value of education. When I was growing up, he made sure I was constantly learning about the world around me. Together we visited presidential libraries, landmarks, national parks, and museums. He and my mother made sure that I knew that the world around me can change, and that I can be a part of that change. They always fought for a better future for their communities, and taught me to do the same. In my adult life, I am inspired every day by my husband, Mike. He inspires me to be better and reach higher. I am inspired by his vision of the man that I can become. Finally, I am inspired by the many civic leaders and advocates for progressive change that came before me. I admire Eleanor Roosevelt and the work she did for the New Deal. I am inspired by Lyndon B. Johnson and his willingness to sacrifice his political career to do the right thing and advocate for civil rights. I am inspired by Bobby Kennedy and the organizing work he did throughout his life. And I’m inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., who bridged the divide between poor whites and Black Americans to build community power against the forces that oppress us. I hope to emulate these advocates for change in my own political career.
Biography: I am an accomplished nurse who understands the power of listening and empathy. I am also the son of an educator and union leader and have always known the value of strong schools and good jobs. In 2013, my partner of 28 years and I were married. Now, I am running for Senate in District 4 Providence / North Providence to fight for a system that works for all Rhode Islanders, not just the wealthy and well-connected.
Contact info: lennyforri.com, facebook.com/lennyforri, twitter.com/lennyforri
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