Last week, the candidates for governor of Rhode Island came to campus for a debate. On Thursday night, the campaign will return to Brown as Democrat Angel Taveras and independent Jon Scott, candidates for mayor of Providence, debate in MacMillan 117 at 7 p.m.
Once again, we applaud the Taubman Center for Public Policy on bringing such an important event to Brown. The winner of the election on Nov. 2 will run Providence for four years and will undoubtedly significantly affect the University.
Without question, the most pressing issue facing the City of Providence — as with the state and nearly every other government in the country — is its budget deficit. In this year alone, the city will likely have to borrow almost $50 million to cover its expenses. As last year's student tax proposal illustrates, the city's shortfalls have the potential to directly impact students.
What's more, the state occasionally balances its budget by cutting aid to cities and towns, meaning that next year's financial straits might be even worse than anticipated. Both candidates are skeptical of increased taxes. So our first question is: What, specifically, would the candidates be willing to cut to balance the budget?
The next mayor will also need to help get the city's economy growing again. Brown has worked closely with city government to develop the "knowledge economy" in the downtown Jewelry District around the Alpert Medical School's new building. What specific plans do the candidates have to promote development in this area?
Many in Providence remember that under Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci Jr. Providence was one of the most corrupt cities in the country. We expect that things will never be as bad as they were under his watch, but corruption remains a problem. What are the candidates' plans to fight corruption at City Hall? Will they prioritize efforts to clean Providence up?
During last week's gubernatorial debate, the candidates discussed the possibility of consolidation of local services as a way to save money. We're curious to hear where the candidates stand on this issue. Can consolidation save money without jeopardizing quality of services?
On a slightly different note, we saw that both candidates' websites promised to look into ways to get tax-exempt institutions like Brown to contribute more to the city's bottom line. In 2003, Brown and other Providence schools signed a memorandum of understanding with the city, promising $50 million in voluntary payments to the city over 20 years. While Brown has a meaningful role to play in helping to improve Providence, viewing the University as an untapped well of tax revenue would be counterproductive and damaging to both Brown and the city. Where do the candidates stand on the issue of Brown's tax status, and on the student tax that was proposed last year?
Our final question is a simple one: What role do the candidates see Brown playing in the larger Providence community? How do the students fit in as temporary citizens of Providence?
We're grateful that the candidates decided to hold their debate on campus, and we hope students take advantage of this opportunity to take part in their city's election. We hope the next mayor will work with the University to ensure a cooperative relationship between Brown and the city government.
Editorials are written by The Herald's editorial page board. Send comments to editorials (at) browndailyherald.com.
