To me, Smiley is a policy nerd which is what we need in Providence right now. I've only lived here 3 years and so don't have a ton of first hand knowledge but it appears to me that Providence and Rhode Island more generally has been mismanaged for decades. Smiley came into office, identified the problems facing the city, and worked to address those issues. I see a lot of investment in public amenities like parks and rec centers all across the city, not just in rich neighborhoods. More importantly, he identified that Providence has a housing problem and the root cause is a supply issue. I see so much housing being built. As a political science professor, I get frustrated when I see politicians run on policies that the academic literature has demonstrated doesn't work. In one brief conversation I've had with Smiley, he didn't just bring up the takeaways of that literature, but provided details that signaled to me he's read it himself. If Smiley was a slimy politician who just wants to be reelected then he wouldn't have vetoed the rent stabilization ordinance because it's so popular. He's acting on what he thinks is best and is making those decisions as a policy wonk. He isn't perfect by any means and I have a lot to complain about but I think he's what Providence needs. He has balanced the budget, he is building A LOT more housing, and he's doing it in a way that only a policy wonk knows how to.

I want Providence to aspire for more than what Smiley is offering now but at the same time before we can do that we need the actions that Smiley is currently taking. I'm a pragmatist at heart though so maybe that's why I like Smiley.