Providence Mayor Brett Smiley’s FY27 Budget

by Victoria Miele ’28 on April 23, 2026

News

So far in fiscal year 2026, Providence and the nation have faced increasing rates of inflation that have placed an incredible financial strain on families. In his proposed budget for 2027, Providence’s mayor, Brett Smiley, is attempting to unify the community, fight the affordability crisis that the city is facing, increase affordable housing opportunities, and rebuild city-owned infrastructure.

In the proposed budget, Mayor Smiley laid out a rent relief program that would help provide citizens with emergency assistance grants of up to $3,000 per household. This money would help prevent eviction, foreclosure, and other housing losses caused by unexpected financial challenges. This program would specifically assist households earning up to 80 percent of Area Median Income, with priority given to those who are earning at or below 60 percent of AMI. As of right now, the median household income for the city of Providence is about $66,000 to $68,000, based on data from 2024 through 2026.

Housing is a large problem nationwide, and Providence’s struggles are no different. Mayor Smiley stated, “At the heart of our affordability crisis is a shortage of housing that makes renting or owning a home increasingly difficult.” He went on to say that many families struggle with just temporary financial setbacks, which then can lead to eviction. He said, “We are tackling the root cause of the housing crisis by investing in the Providence Housing Trust Fund and working to build more affordable homes across our city.” This is immensely helpful for families in Providence as it provides them with immediate relief.

In addition, Mayor Smiley intends to continue streamlining the development process to accelerate the construction of new housing units, align housing with health and human services, and invest in and incentivize long-term affordable housing options. Currently, Providence is on the way to exceeding Rhode Island’s target housing production and will soon be building more homes per capita than Boston.

An area that Mayor Smiley has been working to strengthen during his time in office is the safety of Providence. In 2025, Providence Police removed a record number of illegal guns from Providence neighborhoods, and 2026 is on track to exceed the number from 2025. The plan is to continue this work in 2027 and invest in equipment for first responders to better protect themselves and citizens in emergency situations. Mayor Smiley stated, “We have brought violent crime in Providence to a 30-year-low,” meaning the lowest since 1990 when the data first started being collected.

Providence is continuing to face high interest rates and issues with infrastructure owned by the city of Providence that are in need of repair, such as pedestrian tunnels and bridges, public school facilities, roads, sidewalks, and water infrastructure. Mayor Smiley was proud to announce that in 2025, Providence filled over 5,000 potholes. This was a much larger number than in previous years, thanks to the purchase of a new asphalt machine. In addition, over 11 miles of road were fixed and 650 sidewalk projects were completed.

Mayor Smiley assured the community that, “Providence is and will remain a safe, welcoming community for all who choose to live, work, or visit our great city. Together, we are building a safer, more resilient and more united Providence.”

The full proposed FY2027 budget can be found at openbudget.providenceri.gov and is still subject to approval by the Providence City Council.

From Political Science Major to the Political Arena: PC Alumnus Announces Candidacy For Massachusetts Governor

by The Cowl Editor on February 25, 2021

Features

Downing is the first individual to announce his gubernatorial candidacy for 2022. photo courtesy of Wikimedia.org.

by Nicole Silverio ’22

News Staff

Ben Downing ’03, a former Democratic Massachusetts state senator and Providence College graduate, announced his candidacy last Monday for governor of Massachusetts. If he wins, he will take Republican Governor Charlie Baker’s position. Downing is the first person to announce his candidacy for the 2022 Massachusetts gubernatorial race.

“I’m excited for this. I really am,” Downing told the WBUR News Service. “The opportunities that are in front of Massachusetts, they’re huge, and the only thing that’s missing is leadership.”

Downing has introduced some issues he is particularly passionate about through his announcement. A native of Pittsfield, MA, Downing has expressed his knowledge of and experience with being surrounded by blue collar workers. He has also discussed how he has witnessed attempts to address the contamination of the Housatonic River, saying, “The legacy of industry that created jobs, but sacrificed our environment and public health, then left us to clean up.” In the Massachusetts State Senate, he expressed his passion for clean energy and climate change.

In recent weeks, Downing has slammed Governor Baker with regard to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, saying, “The vaccine rollout has been fumbled pretty badly, and I think there are surprisingly simple solutions to the position that we’ve found ourselves in, and you see that in other states, you see that in some of our own communities.”

Downing revealed that he, along with other Massachusetts Democrats, are interested in creating a mobile vaccine program and providing free COVID-19 testing in all cities.

He has also commented on Baker’s other policy decisions. On Twitter, Downing wrote, “Focus on the record—Being Governor isn’t just about solving single specific issues at agencies. But even by that limited measurement, @MassGovernor is coming up short.”

Downing will join the race without any money from his previous work as a state senator. He closed his campaign account in 2017, donating the remaining $20,000 to PC in order to create a scholarship fund. Downing was inspired to give the College this scholarship fund after he graduated from PC in 2003 with a degree in political science. Downing also earned a master’s degree in urban and environmental policy from Tufts University in Boston, MA.

He has political experience working for state representatives and senators in Washington, D.C. His most notable job was working for former Rep. John Olver. Downing was also elected to the Massachusetts State Senate at 24 years old and served there for a decade, from January 2007 to January 2017.

This week, Downing released his first campaign video addressing his intentions if elected as governor. “We’ve lost a lot-people close to us, livelihoods, and small businesses,” he said in the video. “Those losses hurt more because they reveal how our leaders failed to build a community and an economy that works for everyone everywhere, that tackles racial justice and climate change. Growing up, my family reminded us that too many people don’t get the opportunities we did, and that we have a responsibility to change that.”

Downing expects that he will not run in the Democratic race unopposed. According to multiple sources, Harvard professor Danielle Allen and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey have hinted at their gubernatorial candidacies, which would give Downing competition in the race. Meanwhile, Governor Baker has not announced whether he will run for a third term. If he does, he will likely face Republican challengers, such as state Rep. Geoff Diehl.

Downing referred to a competitive race as “a good thing for the public.” He added, “Big, messy, fun debates are a good thing.”

The Massachusetts gubernatorial election will be held on Nov. 8, 2022.