Former State Senator Pichardo Running for Providence City Council
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Juan Pichardo — who served as Rhode Island State Senator from 2003 to 2017 — is running for Providence City Council, GoLocal has confirmed.
Pichardo is running in Ward 9, the seat now held by term-limited Councilwoman Carmen Castillo.
On Tuesday, Pichardo told GoLocal why he is running.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“I’ve always been committed to public service in the district,” said Pichardo. “Now that my kids are older, and Councilwoman Castillo is no longer running, it’s an opportunity to improve the wellbeing of our community.”
Pichardo said that public education — and affordable housing — are two of the biggest concerns he hears from residents of the ward.
“It’s a larger conversation,” said Pichardo, who said he plans to formally announce his run shortly.
Warred With Elorza
In 2017, Pichardo stepped down from his seat on the City of Providence Board of Licenses, claiming Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza had “bent to the pressure of self-serving interest" during an election cycle.
“In a highly politicized move, Mayor Elorza engineered my removal from the position of Chair while taking credit for the very accomplishments that I, our Board and Staff had put in place during my leadership,” said Pichardo at the time. “I regret the uncomfortable position the mayor placed my colleagues in pushing for a vote to remove me as Chair.”
In 2019, in a community forum on education, Pichardo joined a chorus of community members asking Elorza if he thought he should resign from the city's top spot due to his handling of the city's schools.
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