Elorza’s Providence Comes Unraveled, New Survey Ranks City As One of the Worst in U.S.

In November of 2018, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza swept to re-election winning with 63 percent of the vote and was on the shortlist of leading Democratic candidates to run for Governor in 2022.

Now, just seven months later the city is facing a plethora of challenges and national embarrassment. One former top elected official and Elorza supporter is questioning if Elorza should resign and one sitting Providence City Councilman is calling the Mayor's administration “incompetent.”

The latest blow to for the Elorza administration is a new national survey that ranks Providence 147 for financial stability out of 150 major U.S. cities measured.

In addition, the same study finds Providence’s quality of city services is ranked 130th of 150 cities. In contrast, Huntington Beach, California is ranked first in the United States and Detroit is ranked 150.

This latest ranking comes on the heels of Johns Hopkins University researchers dubbing Providence as having among the worst school systems in America.

On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal featured an editorial that named Providence “an education horror show — a case study in public school failure and lack of accountability.”

While Hopkins researchers were flagging an endless string of horrors, Elorza, in contrast, gave Providence schools a grade of “C."

The Elorza administration is now struggling with an endless number of challenges — city budget, tax structure, violence, schools, corruption, and ability to deliver city services.

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Councilman Jim Taylor said the Elorza administration is simply “incompetent.”

“I don’t think they know where to start. They are not capable,” said Taylor who has been a critic of the Elorza administration’s management of public safety. Providence has not had a fire chief in four years.

In September of 2014, Senator Juan Pichardo was endorsing Elorza. “I am proud to stand with my friend and support his vision and plans to create One Providence, where we can all participate, contribute, and thrive,” said Pichardo. “I am confident that Judge Elorza will lead our city to new heights with integrity and honesty.”

Last week, at a public community meeting about Providence Schools, Pichardo in a statement during the comment period said, “Mayor...you came up short. Mayor, have you thought of resigning?”

“You must have struggled with that...I am sure it is hard to sit there and hear how things are coming undone,” said Pichardo.

“Are you prepared to step aside?” asked Pichardo.

At the same meeting, State Senator Ana Quezada stepped up, pointed in Elorza’s face, and said, “You have had five years. You are responsible for this mess.”

Elorza seemed caught off guard by Quezada’s verbal attack and immediately raised his voice. “This is not the time. This is not the moment,” said Elorza, who recently returned from Hawaii where he traveled to a Mayors' conference just two days after the release of the report conducted by Johns Hopkins University deeming Providence schools among the worst in the United States.

Quezada did not back down. “You act like you have nothing to do with it. Cut it out," she said.

Elorza scurried away from Quezada.

Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan, told GoLocal, “I can’t speak to [Elorza’s] goals or objectives, but we need to be focused on the challenges. The council has been prudent in its review as it pertains to all things as they matter to finances — I think we did a good job of crafting this budget, in keeping mind our long-term pension obligations.”

“We need to tighten our belts, we need to live within our means, and the City of Providence is a wonderful place, however, we need good stewards to manage its future," said Ryan.

The city’s fragile finances sparked a major political battle between the Providence City Council in June.

“We collectively — all of us — have no choice but to focus on the school issue and the pension issue," ” said Council Finance Chair John Igliozzi. "As for the school issue, I think the first thing we can do collectively is be sure starting in September is that all the classrooms are properly cleaned and ready to go. Any classrooms not inhabitable — close down. Secondly, what we can do for the schools right now is implement a security plan to make sure our schools are safe. The third thing is we need to make sure that policies are implemented to ensure discipline in the classroom."

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While the Providence Police cite improved crime statistics, a series of high profile incidents have shocked and undermined the sense of community.

Just ten days ago, Stephen Cabral was attacked and beaten and stabbed to death on Federal Hill.

Two individuals connected to the vicious attack were arraigned on Monday in Providence.

Daniel Garcia, 29, and Dayquon Stevens, 27, were charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Cabral on June 30.

They were ordered held without bail, with bail hearings scheduled for July 22. The Providence Police are still searching for an additional six suspects.

See video of the attack here.

This comes weeks after gunshots were fired at the City’s PVDFest sending hundreds running.

The next week GoLocal learned that a shooting was reported at a Providence home -- just two houses away from Elorza’s Providence home.

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