Quality of Life

Efficient city services and operations

To be a world-class city, Providence needs to have both a strong financial footing and efficient, effective operations. Gonzalo served more than a decade in leadership roles under two past Mayors. He knows how the city works, and he knows the pain points for residents and businesses. To improve city services and operations, he will bring technology and public sector best practices to Providence. And he will foster a culture of pride, buy-in, and community commitment among city employees. Gonzalo will bring his experience managing people and engaging broad and diverse teams to City Hall, in order to:

Create a citywide public works response team to expedite response to reports of broken bins, missed pick-ups, illegal dumping, dumping hotspots, and other challenges.
Build upon the existing 3-1-1 response system to increase transparency and accountability through the expanded use of technology and project management best practices.
Crack down on mattress, tire, and trash dumping, institute or expand monthly free mattress removal services, and better regulate mattress vendors and junk/trash removal providers.
Implement monthly street sweeping of every street in every neighborhood.
Expand upon the City’s senior temporary employment program (as well as similar programs offered by Amos House, for example), to significantly expand litter clean-up efforts in the neighborhoods.
Double down on the Mayor’s Graffiti Task Force, providing more staff and equipment to remove graffiti as soon as it shows up.
Include funding for long-neglected facilities maintenance priorities in our capital improvement planning; including our recreation centers and neighborhood fire stations.

Expand upon senior programming offered by our Office of Senior Services in partnership with the City's Healthy Communities Office and the RI Office of Healthy Aging to ensure that seniors have access to a wide variety of services.
Commission an assessment of our sewer system, roads, and sidewalks to map assets, understand current conditions, identify risks, and prioritize future investments.
Simplify and reduce fees associated with online payment of taxes and other fees.
Name an experienced Chief Technology Officer to oversee technology-based innovations for city services, cybersecurity, and data management.
Expand internal capacity for collecting, analyzing, and using data to inform day-to-day decisions and policies across city departments – modeled after the New Urban Mechanics team in Boston.
Engage professional project managers in the Mayor’s Office to increase accountability and efficiency in shepherding multi-department projects and initiatives.
Implement and expand professional development training opportunities for all City personnel around customer service and project management, as applicable.

Gonzalo believes in social infrastructure, the institutions, and places that bring people together. Public parks and libraries are for everyone. They reduce polarization and isolation, build a sense of belonging and community ownership, and provide free and equal access to important services. As Mayor, Gonzalo will leverage our public parks and libraries to advance his educational, economic, and civic priorities. He will:

Exceptional parks and libraries

Build upon current efforts to improve and maintain our remarkable network of neighborhood parks. Gonzalo will ensure communication and engagement with neighbors when capital improvements are being planned and implemented.
Expand the programs offered at parks and recreation centers to serve everyone, not just children who are interested in sports.
Develop a plan to illuminate all our outdoor sports fields within three years to increase usable hours for youth and adult athletic programs across the city.

Invest in the city’s Forestry Division capacity to ensure that trees are trimmed and cared for on an ongoing neighborhood rotation.
Sponsor a series of neighborhood parks-, recreation center-, and library-centered local gatherings, cookouts, and concerts during the spring and summer months, in partnership with local friends-of groups and neighborhood associations, to foster a sense of community around shared public assets.

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