Politics

Jorge Elorza

"One Providence"

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Jorge Elorza has staked out the theme of “One Providence” because he believes that the “City’s future rests on the recognition that your success is my success. For Providence to succeed, we must all rise and succeed together,” he says.

One Providence involves revitalizing the economy and creating jobs. “Our schools should be the pride of their neighborhoods and the buildings should encourage and promote learning rather than create barriers.”

Elorza wants to increase opportunity for youths by offering the support they need to achieve their potential through creating safe and vibrant neighborhoods where people come together to create and build their community. To do that we need to make the transportation system centered around people, not cars. He wants to bring all stakeholders to the table, from, “Olneyville to the East Side, from Washington Park to the North End. It means each of these pieces coming together, but at its core, it means collaboration and community.”


“Everyone should know a police officer and new officers should be incentivized to live in the city. All of my department heads will have to live in the city. And, there will be more diversity and women,” he adds. “Perception is reality and we have a ways to go,” he explains. “People need to feel safe in the city.”

As a success story of the importance of public education himself, Elorza is fully committed to the creating a culture of excellence in all of our schools throughout the city. In addition, he wants to put added focus on the port and reverse the “brain drain” by creating new economic engines, possibly in industrial design.

There will be a 311 number for texting, calling or emailing any city problem, a “customer service” desk in City Hall, an economic development concierge (an advocate) to streamline projects and navigate minefields and a Chief Innovation Officer to work on creating new business opportunities.

Jorge believes that with his base and given the diversity of the city, he can win the primary and is the best candidate to stop Buddy in the general election. “I’m the only candidate that’s as comfortable speaking in South Providence as I am on the East Side,” he argues.

Jorge Elorza, 37, grew up on the West Side, the son of Guatemalan immigrants. Today, he lives in Silver Lake. He is the product of public schools, CCRI, URI with a degree in accounting. He was an auditor before returning to Providence after a friend was murdered and then attended Harvard Law School. He was a staff attorney for RI Legal Services. He is on the faculty of Roger Williams Law School and became a Housing Court Judge in 2010, where he became nationally known for holding major national banks accountable for their mishandled loans.

Elorza has served on the board of The Rhode Island Foundation, The Miriam Hospital and the Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University.

politics, rhode island, providence, mayor, mayoral, mayoral race, democrat, Michael solomon, brett smiley, jorge elorza, race

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