On April 22, four declared Providence mayoral candidates — incumbent Brett Smiley, state Rep. David Morales MPA’19 (D-Providence), Michael English and Allen Waters — met at the Salomon Center at a community forum.
The forum, which was organized by Brown Votes, was open to pre-registered members of the public and livestreamed. Over the two hours, candidates discussed their views on housing affordability, federal immigration enforcement, public transportation and more.
The room erupted in applause several times for Morales, with Smiley receiving a fair share of support as well — while the other two challengers were often met with silence from the audience.
During the first phase of the debate, student moderators asked candidates a series of prepared questions, followed by audience-generated questions randomly selected from a jar.
Much of the discussion revolved around Providence’s housing crisis, following Smiley’s veto of the rent stabilization ordinance passed by the City Council that would have capped rent increases at 4% annually.
In relation to rent control, Smiley said that a fellow mayor told him “when the problem is complex, be wary of simple solutions.” Instead of stabilizing rent increases, his platform includes building more housing, preserving existing housing and protecting tenants. He cited his administration’s creation of 2,000 new housing units.
But challenger Morales argued that this measure is not sufficient, as for many working families, a rent increase equates to “an eviction notice.” He recounted his own childhood experience of couch-surfing in between expensive leases.
“I find it absolutely shameful that during this time of need, we have a mayor that would veto such a measure,” Morales added. He emphasized that he also supports developing affordable housing units.
English proposed restructuring Providence public high schools into a centralized campus to turn other buildings into new affordable housing. Waters — the sole independent candidate running against three Democrats— proposed a greater emphasis on cooperative housing. He also argued that residents lacking permanent legal status contribute to increased demand and pressure on the limited housing supply.
All candidates except Waters, condemned the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Waters described himself as “America first” and emphasized his support for “law and order.”
“What makes Providence so great is that we have so many immigrants,” English said. “I’m not into the whole ICE thing.”
Smiley emphasized that “Providence is a city that welcomes everyone, and we mean everyone.” He noted his Jan. 20 executive order which prohibited ICE activities on city property.
For Morales, the topic was personal. “As the son of a single immigrant mom, I am terrified by what is happening in our community,” with “fascist ICE agents” showing up across Providence, he said.
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“In Providence, we care for our immigrant communities,” Morales said both in Spanish and English, to a long round of applause. He also said that he would direct the City Solicitor’s Office to collaborate with grassroots frontline immigrant defense organizations, like the Deportation Defense Network.
Tensions with the federal government also came up during the candidates’ discussion of food insecurity. In November 2025, approximately 23% of Providence residents were enrolled in the federal food assistance initiative Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. SNAP’s funding has been threatened by national cutbacks.
Waters asserted, “I’m not at war with Donald Trump.” He argued that Providence will not receive federal funding “if we keep fighting the man that’s got the main desk right now.”
Smiley responded by stating that an estimated 16,000 children in Providence have had their food benefits cut. “When the federal government cuts aid to the children in Providence, we are at war with the federal government,” he said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A rare moment of agreement arrived during a discussion about public transportation. All candidates underscored the importance of public transportation to Providence, with Smiley voicing vocal opposition to Rhode Island Public Transit Authority cuts by the state and Morales advocating for “a city where connectivity is our strength.”
A spokesperson for Gov. Dan McKee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Waters consistently drew the most polarized reactions from the audience. In response to a question about the city’s relationship with Brown, Waters stated that “Brown University is one of the most anti-American institutions in the United States,” to which attendees responded with laughter.
The University could not immediately be reached for comment.
To conclude the forum, Morales emphasized his support for affordability. “Together, we’re going to build a Providence for all,” he said. “In Providence, we don’t ask for much. We just want to afford a life in the city we love.”
English closed by pitching his plan for building “the largest casino in the world, at 1.4 million square feet” in Providence, in order to generate jobs and community engagement. He also acknowledged his criminal record — English served time for a child molestation conviction in the late 1990s.
Waters said that Providence is “a minority-majority city and so many people who are adrift with no hope and no future” and that it needs “leaders that actually can get into the heads and the hearts of the people.”
Smiley finished by emphasizing his track record of experience as mayor. “This is a hard job. I've spent three and a half years balancing difficult budgets, responding to crises and leaving this city, and I’m confident that for the next four years, we can bring our city to even greater heights,” he said.
Leslie Price, who attended the forum, said that “some of these people running for office are very detached from reality,” specifically regarding the “needs of the people in low-income housing.”
Jill Davidson ’89, a Providence City Council member for Ward 2 who also attended, said that she “appreciated that there was a wide range of opinions expressed tonight.”
“We don’t often hear that in Providence politics,” she said.
