New Blood vs. Old Guard in Providence City Council Majority Leader Race
GoLocalProv News Team
New Blood vs. Old Guard in Providence City Council Majority Leader Race
In April, veteran Councilman John Igliozzi was elected as the new City Council President — and freshman Councilman Pedro Espinal rose quickly through the ranks to be elected President Pro-Tem.
Now, the battle for Majority Leader heats up.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTCouncilman Jim Taylor, who represents Ward 8, first landed on the council when he defeated incumbent Wilbur Jennings in the 2018 Democratic primary, is running for the post — as is Councilman David Salvatore, who previously had served as Council President — and is term-limited.
“I’m running, I’m out there making phone calls, having people sign the paperwork,” Taylor told GoLocal on Monday. “I figured it’s a year a half left [in this term] and I plan on coming back [in 2022], it was time for me to put my name in the ring.”
Old vs. New
Taylor, a former firefighter, has been vocal during his tenure on the council about Pubic Safety Commissioner Steven Pare’s unwillingness to appoint a new Fire Chief.
For Taylor, that unfulfilled position — and the city’s budget overall — are among the biggest issues facing the council.
“[We’ve budgeted] $170,000 for a Fire Chief for 8 years in a row. We don’t have a fire chief or that $1.2 million,” said Taylor. “I don’t think people fully understand that, but some of my colleagues are starting to. If Pare retires — does he get a pension as [acting] Fire Chief or Public Safety Commissioner? Instead of [a pension for Commissioner on a salary of] $128,000, he’ll get it based it on $160,000 as acting fire chief.”
Taylor spoke to the city’s unfunded pension liability — and noted that Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza didn’t mention it once in his Fiscal Year 2022 budget address in April.
“We need to see what the city has for assets — we have Camp Cronin, two fire stations that are sitting empty,” said Taylor. “We need to get the nonprofits to contribute more.”
Taylor said the recent Police contract — which saw pay raises for law enforcement but also required an additional pension contribution — as a possible model for a new fire contract.
“The Mayor says he’s not going to raise taxes because he’s in an election cycle,” said Taylor. “Look, I’m willing to take the reins and help move the city forward.”
Salvatore, who was first elected to the Council in 2010, served as President in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, a number of women -- including several Councilwomen -- accuse him of bullying and being abusive.
“He was already President, he has a year and a half left,” said Taylor, of Salvatore's term limit.
Salvatore did not respond to request for comment.