Rhode Islanders are fortunate to have three highly capable Democratic candidates from which to choose a general election candidate for governor. State Representative Antonio Pires has a well-deserved reputation for integrity. Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse boasts an impressive commitment to public service. And Myrth York has long championed the concerns of neglected constituencies while also offering a compelling vision for the state. Although each of these candidates could do an effective job as governor, we're sticking with York after having backed her in 1994 and 1998. The Phoenix endorses Myrth York.

Pires, Whitehouse, and York have much in common, particularly government experience -- Pires and York in the General Assembly, and Whitehouse at the executive level -- and a commitment to the traditional Democratic philosophy of helping the less fortunate. Whitehouse has a particularly strong resume, having served as an aide to Bruce Sundlun, director of the state Department of Business Regulation, US attorney, and attorney general, and we consider him honorable and intelligent.

Of the three Democrats, however, we believe York would be the most inclusive while also striving to help all Rhode Islanders by emphasizing, among other things, strengthening education, enhancing government ethics and efficiency, and promoting small business. With a strong environmental record, she was an early opponent of a sprawling port at Quonset Point and, like Pires, opposed the related $1.5 million environmental impact study.

A longtime advocate for gay civil rights, she has expanded her previous position to also support gay marriage. As a state senator, York demonstrated similar values, fiercely criticizing then-governor Sundlun for cutting thousands of residents from General Public Assistance. She demonstrated keen judgment in speaking against a bailout bill for American Power Conversion of South Kingstown that would have offered a special advantage for senior management employees. And in state where cronyism is more often the rule than the exception, she's stalwart in her support for a robust state Ethics Commission.

Lincoln Almond will leave the State House in January after presiding over two scandal-free terms. It's sad to say it's a mark of accomplishment that a chief executive can make such an exit with no criminal investigations into his term. That Almond was clean goes without saying, however, he was a less than vigorous governor. Rhode Island needs leadership from the governor's office to challenge the excesses of the General Assembly and seek progress on a variety of other issues. In Almond's case, the governor sometimes seemed to give up before the battle began.

Initially dismissed by some as a two-time loser (although she came very close to winning in 1994, when Cool Moose candidate Robert Healey snared nine percent of the general election vote, most likely costing her the election), York has made another strong campaign this time around. If copious amounts of her money have played a vital role, there's little doubt that women still face double-standards and other disadvantages in politics. Although York would make history as Rhode Island's first woman governor, we believe the quality of her leadership would prove to be even more significant.

We believe a vote for Myrth York is a vote for inspired and intelligent government.

Paolino for mayor

The next mayor of Providence faces staggering challenges. He will have to find the means to continue the downtown revival in the midst of a national economic downturn. He will have to minister to neglected neighborhoods and marshal the civic passion needed to serve a citizenry that is increasingly poor and foreign-born. He is going to have to restore public confidence in city government at large and in the police force in particular. The odds are that the next mayor is going to have to deliver more to the people of Providence with even less resources at his disposal. It's a daunting challenge, but former mayor Joe Paolino is up to the task.

Paolino cut his teeth on the City Council before becoming mayor at age 29. As mayor, Paolino became active in national politics. During the Sundlun administration, he served in the high-profile position of director of economic development. President Clinton later tapped Paolino to serve as US ambassador to Malta, a strategic Mediterranean posting which is home to significant military installations. Few candidates for municipal office anywhere in the United States can boast of having experience at the grassroots, statewide, national, and international levels.

The field of candidates running for mayor is brimming with energy and passion. Keven McKenna and state Senator David Igliozzi clearly have fire in their bellies. And state Representative David Cicilline had the courage to tackle the long odds and announce his candidacy when public opinion suggested that Mayor Cianci would triumph over his Plunder Dome inquisitors. Cicilline is a rock-solid progressive who throughout his legislative career has championed good government. But at this point in time, his lack of executive management experience tilts the scales not against him, but in favor of another.

The moment calls for Paolino. He has the experience to enter City Hall tomorrow and hit the ground running. Experience is clearly Paolino's trump. But his track record in surrounding himself with top-notch people is just as important. His plan to have former New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton recommend reforms for the Providence police, and his intention to name Robert Stutman, a Providence-born federal-criminal-justice bigwig, as public-safety commissioner show just how serious he is about remaking city government. It's rare indeed for a politician to make good on a promise even before he is elected.

From time to time, some have questioned Paolino's political judgments -- that is to be expected -- but never his integrity. His reputation is above reproach. The US Senate, after all, doesn't approve the appointment of ambassadors with skeletons in their closets. If in his final days as mayor and in his unsuccessful bid for Congress he did make some decisions and take some stands that he has come to regret, he has been man enough to say so.

In this age of pre-packaged and pre-tested politicians Joe Paolino is unique: He's long on ideas, but short on charisma. He's the man who can keep Providence moving ahead. A vote for Paolino in the Democratic primary is a vote for a sound future.

Brown for secretary of state

To listen to his critics, you'd think that Secretary of State Edward S. Inman III is responsible for all that's wrong with state government. That's not a fair shake. Inman, who has worked energetically since the General Assembly elevated him to fill the remaining term of his predecessor, James R. Langevin, has some genuine accomplishments to his credit. Nonetheless, because there are important distinctions between Inman and his Democratic challenger, the Phoenix endorses Matt Brown.

Although the controversies that dogged Inman's office last spring may have been more a function of realpolitik on Smith Hill than his own judgment, they nonetheless suggest his ties as a longtime former representative and past member of Speaker John B. Harwood's leadership team. Brown, by contrast, is removed from the culture of the General Assembly and more likely to exercise political independence as secretary of state. Brown has also demonstrated his commitment to civic idealism through his work with City Year and the Democracy Compact.

A signal difference between Brown and Inman can be seen in how they view the usual frenetic rush to pass hundreds of bills during the closing days of the legislative session. Inman, who feels the opportunity for public oversight is more than adequate, doesn't discern a problem. But in a view shared by proponents of good government, Brown believes the last-minute frenzy is hardly in the best interests of the public and presents a strong potential for mischief. Whether a secretary of state could make a meaningful difference on this issue may remain uncertain, but we'd sure like to see Brown take on such challenges.

Issue Date: September 6 - 12, 2002