EDITORIAL: Mayor Elorza Can’t Find Potholes? Has He Tried Driving on Any Providence Street?

The latest feel-good public policy gimmick from Mayor Jorge Elorza is a “cute little contest” in which folks can report potholes on an app to win prizes.

There are a few problems with the cute-a-thon.

First, Mayor Elorza, who is driven around in a $70,000 city-funded SUV by a crew of Providence Police officers at cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, might want to rethink the cutesy contest.

Why? Because there is not a street in Providence that does not have a pothole—literally.

Instead of wasting everyone’s time, Elorza should buy a car himself— drive it on Providence streets, and whenever he hits a pothole and bends a rim, ruins a tire, or un-aligns his front end — the Mayor can pull over and write down the address. He, of course, will need a warning sticker on the back of his car that reads "this car makes frequent stops."

Second, a real competitive contest might be, challenge Providence residents and other super sleuths to find a street without a pothole — a contest that might require folks from out of the city to travel to Providence to compete in the challenge.

Finding a street without a pothole contest would attract super sleuths like Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew and Sam Spade.

It would be exciting to have Columbo, Magnum PI, and maybe…just maybe Charlie’s Angels in Providence using their investigative powers and talents to try and find the street without a pothole.

But, most Providence residents will agree — none of these gumshoes will be able to find a street — a single street without a pothole.

Let the contest begin — winner gets free tickets to PVDFest.

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