Vision for the Future

For several years, prominent national observers acclaimed Providence as a city with great potential. They praised our city’s unique character with its historic charm, lively cultural scene, educated workforce, and natural beauty. Unfortunately, potential wasn’t enough. Investors remained wary of an unpredictable regulatory environment and withheld their capital.

In 2002, Providence residents voted to change that. They gave me and my administration a mandate to bring honesty, predictability, and fiscal responsibility to City Hall. Now, with over $4 billion in new investment underway, we are seeing the results of that change— what I call the“trust dividend.”

But growth brings its own challenges. While it is our obligation to encourage long term, broad-based economic growth, it is also our duty to preserve the character of our city and each neighborhood. We must not only grow, but grow right.

That means doing all the things that make great cities the thriving, livable places that they are. It means:

Building strong neighborhoods
Fulfilling our economic potential
Accelerating school improvement
Preventing crime, and strengthening homeland security and emergency preparedness
Making government leaner, smarter and stronger

We are beginning to fulfill our city’s great potential, and the pieces are in place to achieve that exciting goal. It is up to us to be both thoughtful and bold enough to build a great legacy for generations to come.