Providence’s Mayor Jorge Elorza Visits CCK

On June 13, 2018, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza visited CCK to discuss his administration’s priorities for the city and hear from CCK team members. Mayor Elorza spent the morning talking with CCK about the growth Providence has experienced under his administration as well as how he plans to continue that growth and better address the needs of Providence residents.

Mayor Elorza’s Plan for Providence

During his visit, Mayor Elorza discussed the four initiatives that his administration has focused on since he assumed office in 2015. He also took questions from CCK team members, many of whom are Providence residents, regarding the initiatives and his plans for the city.

Getting the City’s Finances in Order

Mayor Elorza discussed how one of his administrations priorities is to get Providence’s finances in order so the city can continue to grow and thrive. When he came into office in 2015, the city of Providence had a deficit of $13 million. Mayor Elorza spend the past three years working to reduce that deficit and has not only been successful in doing just that, but has also been able to establish a rainy day fund for the city.

Early Childhood Education

Mayor Elorza and his administration believe that the best way to invest in a city’s future is to invest in education for Providence’s youth. Mayor Elorza discussed with CCK staff how his administration is offering summer programs to Providence residents so that their learning can continue outside of the classroom this summer. Additionally, Mayor Elorza believes that all children should have access to technology in the classroom, and his administration aims to allow every student in Providence schools to have access to their own tablet or computer in the classroom.

Infrastructure

With growth and innovation comes a need to revitalize the city’s aging infrastructure, and Mayor Elorza has made it a priority to invest and get ahead of the city’s infrastructure problems. This not only includes sidewalks and roads, but also public parks.

Bringing Technology and Innovation to City Hall

The final initiative of Mayor Elorza’s administration is to bring technology and innovation to Providence City Hall as a means of making city service more accessible to residents. Part of this initiative includes PVD311, a hotline and mobile phone app that allows residents to submit complaints directly to City Hall. Through PVD311, over 25,000 constituent cases have been addressed.