A bold vision and solid path towards
opportunity, resilience, and pride.
Providence faces a choice in the 2022 Mayoral Election.
We can attempt to build a future by recycling policies and practices that downplay the persistent economic hardship and widening opportunity gap directly afflicting many of our neighborhoods - and indirectly impacting every Providence resident and business owner. Or, we can build a truly vibrant and dynamic city by leveraging our diversity and talent to lift more families into the middle class, grow our tax base, and achieve our full potential together. A city we can all be proud of.
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To succeed, we must realign our priorities and efforts. We can be a city where seniors grow old securely, young people want to live, and families can send their children to quality public schools. A city that closes the racial and economic opportunity gaps that stubbornly persist across our neighborhoods; in test scores, wages, green space, crime rates, arrest rates, transportation access, and much more.
Providence has a proud but complex history, and many of the challenges we face today are generations in the making. Despite the rhetoric that gets tossed around during election season, these are complex issues. They’re made more complicated by the ways they intersect in our daily lives, calcified by disillusionment and broken promises.
None of these challenges have simple solutions, but I'm not interested in simple. I plan to get my hands dirty, starting from day one. I know Providence. I have worked and walked among Providence residents for decades, and I understand your concerns, struggles, and dreams for your children. And I know how to get things done in government and in the neighborhoods.
I believe in Providence’s potential, its people, and our collective capacity to make our city stronger. As Mayor, I will set the bar high, demanding that Providence become the city we all know it to be at heart.
Economic Development
Providence’s economy has long been in transition, and we must focus on strategies that align with our strengths and promise a high return. Quality of place and economic vitality are inextricably linked. In order to build wealth in our neighborhoods, we will leverage our assets, collective talent, and connections to other communities.
Public Safety
Public safety is public health. Everyone must feel safe living, working, and visiting our city. We will move beyond failed approaches to fighting crime by addressing current safety concerns effectively, building comprehensive strategies that prevent crime at its source, and providing safety in all neighborhoods. The people of Providence widely support responsive, accountable policing. Our approach to public safety will be structured around mutual trust, innovative approaches to policing, and investments in our communities and youth to address the underlying conditions that lead people to crime.
Housing
Every day, more people want to live and invest in Providence. As a result, demand exceeds supply, and not enough new homes on the affordable spectrum are being built. Beyond the cost to individuals and families, housing unaffordability and displacement negatively impact every neighborhood and sector of the economy. Gonzalo will leverage and invest resources to create homes that are actually affordable and long-term investments in new and rehab housing construction.
Education
For generations, access to education has translated directly into opportunity. Yet Providence’s schools are not structured, staffed, or resourced in ways that allow them to meet the needs of students. Families are leaving Providence because of the quality of our public schools, and students who don’t have choices are suffering as a result of their experience in our schools. We will take immediate and decisive action to improve the quality of our children's education.
Quality of Life
To be a world-class city, Providence needs to have both a strong financial footing and efficient, effective operations. Gonzalo served in leadership roles under two past Mayors. He knows how the city works, and he knows the pain points for residents and businesses. As Mayor, he will foster a culture of pride, buy-in, and community commitment among city employees. Gonzalo will leverage his vast experience managing people and engaging broad and diverse teams.
Arts & Culture
The convergence of cultures in Providence through its remarkably diverse population, world class artists, cultural institutions and restaurants, and a premier art school makes our city unique and attractive. Our arts and culture organizations are a major economic driver, and the city benefits from a vibrant and diverse night time economy and live music scene. We will build upon and invest in our city's collective creative energy and talent. With his diverse background in graphic design, music, and theater, Gonzalo understands the important role that this sector plays in making Providence a vibrant and world-class city.
Climate, Health, & Sustainability
Providence is threatened by flooding exacerbated by climate change, and the impact plays out differently in different parts of the city. Neighborhoods like Washington Park exhibit unacceptably high asthma rates and other poor health indicators exacerbated by environmental conditions. We will act now to safeguard Providence for future generations. Investments in our environment reap returns for our people, place, and economy. Change must happen globally, but there’s much we can do at the local and household levels, too.
Transportation & Mobility
Providence is a human-scale city where people can easily move about in a variety of ways. We can create an environment that allows people to move safely and easily, whether they are walking, biking, riding a bus, using mobility assistance devices, or driving a car. Gonzalo will build upon existing transportation options that improve safety, equity, health, and quality-of-life in our city.