Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board, and its views are separate from those of The Herald’s newsroom and the 136th Editorial Board, which leads the paper. A majority of the editorial page board voted in favor of this piece. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.
On Sept. 9, Providence voters will select their democratic nominee for mayor, choosing between incumbent Mayor Brett Smiley and state Rep. David Morales MPA’19 (D-Providence). The members of the editorial page board hold a range of views on the issues at stake in this race, but we agree on who is best equipped to lead the operation of the city. Four years in, Smiley has shown his ability to grapple with the unglamorous realities of local government — municipal responsibilities like zoning regulations, public infrastructure management and garbage collection — that make up the bulk of the mayor’s job. And while some members of the editorial page board were drawn to Morales’ espoused platform, when we looked at the candidates’ plans to address the city’s most urgent needs, we found that Smiley is best equipped to deliver actual relief rather than mere promises. We urge the city to once again put its trust in Mayor Smiley.
The most important issue in this election is housing affordability. Providence was ranked the least affordable American city for renters last year. Rents in the state have increased by 60% since 2018, and the state’s homeless population has doubled since 2020. It is clear that real reform is needed. In April, the City Council passed a rent stabilization ordinance, but Smiley vetoed the measure, citing past examples of rent control’s failure. Morales has made this a central issue of his campaign. He has attacked the mayor for vetoing the ordinance and promises to set a 4% cap on annual rent increases if he is elected mayor.
The editorial page board has shared its differing opinions on whether rent stabilization is the correct solution to this problem. But even many of us who disagree with the mayor on rent stabilization support his current comprehensive housing policy. In March, Smiley proposed the Rental and Essential Needs Transition Fund, which would provide households at risk of housing loss with emergency grants of up to $3,000 for rent, utilities and housing expenses. This emergency relief fund was initially backed by 14 out of 15 city councilors until it was held up by some of Morales’ supporters on the City Council. Morales himself has criticized the relief fund, claiming that it does not provide enough protection for renters. In a July press conference, Smiley called out the council’s sudden policy shift as a “baseless political ploy aimed at obstructing progress during an election year.” We are inclined to agree with Smiley. The RENT Fund is an effective solution to address the immediate concerns of rising rents.
Despite opposition, Smiley has made impressive strides in affordable housing development, investing millions of dollars in new apartment buildings across the city. Along with legislation passed at the state level, these policies address the roots of Providence’s — and Rhode Island’s — housing shortages. While affordable housing remains an issue, the mayor has developed robust strategies that address the short and long term needs of the city.
Throughout the election, Morales has attacked the mayor for a lack of action while in office. But this criticism ignores significant improvements in the city over the last four years. For example, Smiley has made safety a priority, and under his leadership, crime in Providence has decreased. In 2025, there were four homicides in the city compared to 11 in 2024, and violent and property crimes decreased by 8% and 12%, respectively, in that same time span. Police Chief Oscar Perez attributed this success to Smiley’s investments in new crime prevention technology and staffing increases. Smiley also signed three executive orders to protect undocumented members of our community from the federal government’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Beyond public safety, he deserves credit for preparing the city to take back control of the Providence Public School District and for pushing the plan through in 2026 after the takeover had been extended to 2027 — a testament to his ability to mediate between stakeholders.
Morales has also promised to take on Brown and other private colleges in the city. Brown, the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence College and Johnson and Wales University contribute voluntary payments — totaling at least $177 million — to help fund the city despite their tax-exempt status. The current Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT, agreement was signed by the four colleges in 2023 under Smiley’s leadership and is set to last until 2043. The PILOT agreement more than doubled the colleges’ contributions to Providence. However, Morales has attacked the agreement, pledging to obtain a better deal for the city. This is misleading. The PILOT agreement requires that, so long as the colleges are upholding their end of the deal, both the city and the colleges must agree to terminate or negotiate a new deal, meaning Morales cannot force Brown and the other schools to upend the payments. The current agreement pledges that, if the colleges continue to make their payments, “the city shall agree to refrain from incremental requests for additional Voluntary Payments,” and that the city will not challenge the tax exemptions of these colleges. It seems like Providence has no leverage to enact a new deal. Regardless of your opinion of the PILOT agreement, it is clear that Morales is once again making promises he cannot keep.
Morales is yet another young challenger to the mainstream Democratic party and a member of the increasingly popular Democratic Socialists of America. Across the country, young DSA members are successfully ousting establishment Democrats from public office. Providence’s mayoral primary has been framed as a microcosm of that national party infighting, where Morales is attempting to bring the DSA wave to the Ocean State.
Morales has fueled this narrative by associating with anti-establishment politicians and adopting DSA-styled campaign messages. Speaking at a Morales campaign fundraiser, Daniel Denvir, a left-wing podcaster and organizer, said that Morales would turn Providence into “a laboratory for municipal socialism.” But the progressives who feel inclined to support Morales because of his association with a national push for change ought to reckon with his insufficient policy details. In interviews, he has failed to provide adequate plans for recycling reform and addressing crime. Providence residents deserve a mayor with concrete policies to make their lives easier — not someone who will experiment with the city. Though the members of the editorial page board hold different perspectives on the Democratic party’s national reckoning, we all agree that Smiley is the right pick for Providence.
Providence faces real challenges, and our leaders must work hard to make the city more livable for its residents. Although Morales has implied that a vote for Smiley is a vote against change, the latter’s track record shows real progress on our most pressing issues. With another term, Smiley can continue to build a better Providence.
