Helena Foulkes and David Morales MPA’19 made their first public statements as governor-elect and mayor-elect at the Rhode Island Democratic Party’s election night reception, following their sweeping victories Tuesday night.
During separate press gaggles at the reception, both Foulkes and Morales said they see potential to tighten Brown’s relationship with Providence.
“I love Providence, and I love Brown,” Foulkes told The Herald. “I think that there are … ways that we can leverage not just the financial strength of Brown, but the expertise and the sense of caring.”
She added that the University could contribute its “expertise” to the state in regards to workforce development. “I want to know: What does Brown know about what’s working, what’s not,” Foulkes said.
Morales disclosed a more concrete action he would pursue: amending the agreement between Brown and Providence that governs how much the University gives the city each year in place of paying property taxes.
Characterizing the Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement as “far too underwhelming in terms of the contributions that are shared with the city,” Morales said he would work with University administrators to re-negotiate Brown’s contributions — a move that could mirror Yale’s recent increases to its payment plan with New Haven.
“My ultimate goal is to have more financial support going towards our Providence public schools,” Morales added.
In a statement to The Herald, University spokesperson Brian Clark wrote that the University is looking forward to meeting with Foulkes and Morales to discuss their priorities upon taking office.
“Brown has remained committed to investing in the success of Providence and Rhode Island through voluntary financial payments as well as community contributions in the form of teaching, research and engagement that supports K-12 education, access to health care, workforce development and other local priorities,” Clark wrote.
Morales also discussed his vision for public safety in Providence. After Mayor Brett Smiley took office in 2023, he hired Providence Chief of Police Oscar Perez. When asked if Perez would remain in his role, Morales said that would be his expectation, adding that he has had “relatively positive” conversations with Perez.
In a statement, Kristy dosReis, Providence chief public information officer for public safety, wrote that Perez did not wish to publicly speculate whether he would remain in his position.
“While (Perez) appreciates the confidence and support expressed by the incoming administration, he believes it is important (to) take the opportunity to understand the priorities and direction of the new administration before making any decisions regarding his future,” dosReis wrote.
Morales also told The Herald he was “committed to ending our current contract with Flock,” referring to the controversial Flock Safety cameras the Providence Police Department operates across the city.
In a statement to The Herald, a Flock spokesperson wrote that the camera system “has alerted to 36 missing people and more than 2,000 stolen plates (and) vehicles” across Rhode Island in 2026.
Morales did not share whether he had any plans regarding Providence’s Real Time Crime Center, a surveillance hub that allows police to monitor different parts of the city in aims of solving crimes more quickly, according to the Providence Police Department website. The RTCC has faced criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, and later from several students and faculty members at Brown after it was announced that the University was considering joining the RTCC, a development Morales said he was unaware of.
“I will likely be having a tour of the Real Time Crime Center over the next several weeks, which I believe will better inform my perspective,” Morales said.
While Morales and Foulkes are both Democrats, the two come from different wings of the party. Morales, a staunch progressive, campaigned on a democratic socialist platform, while Foulkes, a former CVS executive, campaigned on a more moderate platform.
Despite their differences, Foulkes said she views Morales as “very practical.”
“I think we’re going to do great together for the people of Providence and Rhode Island,” she said, adding that the two care about many of the same issues, such as housing and education.
Morales, who campaigned with a focus on housing issues, defeated the incumbent Smiley, who had promised to veto the City Council’s rent stabilization ordinance, in the September primary. He told reporters that in his first 100 days in office, he plans to pass the ordinance, which would lead to the creation of a board to enforce stabilization.
When asked by The Herald which affordability issues young people could expect her to address during her first 100 days of office, Foulkes said protecting tenants would be “the most powerful thing (she) can do in the short term.”
“There are many good landlords, but there are some very bad landlords, and those are the ones we need to go after to make sure that people don’t get kicked out of their apartment,” Foulkes said.
Morales did not share a final timeline for enforcing the voter-approved ballot Question 7, which calls for divesting city money from countries carrying out human rights violations. He said he plans to prioritize doing it “correctly” by working with the Board of Investment “to ensure that we promulgate the proper rules and regulations when it comes to divestment.”
“We want to be mindful in terms of how we ultimately enforce this new city law,” he said, adding he plans to implement “checks and balances along the way” and work with “various stakeholders.”
“It’s clear: Our neighbors demonstrated they were ready to see how our city’s investments reflect our moral values,” he said, noting the measure passed by a wide margin.
James Libresco is a senior staff writer covering staff & student labor. He is a sophomore from Alexandria, Va. studying political science and contemplative studies. In his free time, he can be found playing basketball, meditating, or losing in Among Us.
