POLITICAL SCENE: Issues clear and distinct in Pawtucket House race
PROVIDENCE — Few candidates shine a spotlight on their arrest records.
But Democrat Leonela “Leo” Felix did in a “Dear Neighbor” letter to potential voters.
And doing so did not prevent her from beating state Rep. Raymond Johnston, a retired Pawtucket police detective and 10-year legislative incumbent, in the Sept. 8 Democratic primary.
With 58.7% of the vote to Johnston’s 41.3%, Felix, 32, won the Democratic Party nod to go the next round in the competition for a House seat in Pawtucket, in a district that includes Slater Park.
Felix, the $64,777-a-year Ethics Commission coordinator for the City of Providence — now faces Republican Robert O. Wheelerin the Nov. 3 election in a race that gives voters clear choices on government’s role in crime, punishment and state spending.
They are competing for a seat in a traditional Democratic stronghold that cop-turned-lawyer Peter Kilmartin held for two decades before becoming the state’s attorney general.
Wheeler worked in the financial industry in Boston for 18 years. He was a vice president at State Street investment bank before starting his own dog daycare and boarding business, Friends of Toto.
Felix’sbiggest issues: “Stable housing, living wage jobs and healthy communities.”
She promises to “fight to pass a $15 minimum wage for every worker in Rhode Island. ... Medicare for All, so everyone can have health insurance. ... Dedicated funding to increase the supply of affordable housing.”
Her list goes on: “Move money away from military-style equipment for police. ... Invest [more] in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders. ... Move away from imprisoning people for minor and nonviolent crimes — it ruins their lives and costs far too much.”
“Legalize marijuana, making sure communities [of] color can access the new business opportunities created, and expunge the records of those convicted for marijuana offenses in the past,’’ she states on her website.
Wheeler’s view: “One of the things I appreciate as it relates to my opponent is that, in the grand scheme of things, we want the same things. I want people to have stable housing, livable wages, healthy communities, no injustice, affordable health care, etc.
“Where we disagree is in the details of how we get there,’’ he said in an email exchange with Political Scene.
“My own business is a perfect example: If we raise wages 30%, I would need to raise rates 30% to cover that. Most of my customers are not going to pay those kinds of fees for what is arguably a luxury service.
“I don’t think I’m alone, either.”
“My opponent has talked regularly about her experience working at McDonald’s as a first job. No one will get to have that experience if minimum wages [rise] like that. This is true for the rest of [her] laundry list of spending initiatives [e.g., medicare for all, dedicated funding for affordable housing, etc.]”
Leonela Felix: “My story is a really common one in Pawtucket,’’ she wrote in the ”Dear Neighbor“ letter she posted on her campaign website ahead of the primary.
“I come from an immigrant family. I was born in the United States, and then spent my childhood in the Dominican Republic, my parents’ native home. In 2002, we settled in Rhode Island, and I’ve been here ever since.
“When I was 17, [I] started dating the wrong guy. He was abusive and he was involved with drugs. Because I was involved with him, I got arrested.
“Since I had never been in trouble, the court offered me the chance to go to a diversion program and avoid prison. ... I learned quickly what one mistake can do to your life.
“My record [initially] prevented me from finding a stable job, housing or going to school. But I wasn’t going to let a bad choice define me.
“The diversion program allowed me to start over — I went on to college and to law school. But I know that many people do not get the chance to overcome bad decisions or circumstances.”
Her end goal is not to practice law.
“I realized it wasn’t enough to help one person at a time. So I went to work at Progreso Latino. ... I organized people to demand common sense gun control. I fought for a $15 minimum wage. ... I helped lead the Immigration Coalition of Rhode Island, an alliance of 35 local organizations.
“I served on the state legislative commission for Health Advocacy and Equity. ... I learned that to win change for the people, we need change at the State House ...
“I’ve been an advocate for many years. I’ve seen how the State House works for corporate lobbyists and insiders, but not for families like mine or my neighbors,’’ she said in one of her online postings.
When she was asked about her arrest, Felix told Political Scene: “I was a teenager at the time, so the details of the case have been expunged.”
What happened? “I don’t think the specifics are important, what is important is that our experiences shape our perspectives, and I wanted to be clear from the start that I understood what it means to make mistakes, be subject to our public systems, and to change course. ... I think a lot of people can relate to that.”
Robert Wheeler: When he was asked to describe himself, Wheeler said: “I tend to be a bit introverted and introspective. My passions are my family [I have a husband and 3 dogs] and politics — I love talking about both!
“I’ll discuss politics as long as anyone is willing to do so. My only rule is that there shouldn’t be any name-calling. Respect for others’ point of view is a big deal to me. I’m anxious to hear what other people think and why they think that way.
“I am a Rhode Island native. ... I have lived in this district for the past 24 years. ... I was fortunate enough to start my dream job.
“In many respects, running for office now is an outgrowth of that experience. Being a small business owner in [Rhode Island] is incredibly daunting. The state has made it very clear that businesses are secondary to many other priorities,’’ he told Political Scene.
“Having watched the sausage get made these past few years [a necessity if you want to stay in business], I’ve become extraordinarily bothered by the back-room, know-a-guy way things get done.
“It’s something we all instinctively know being a Rhode Islander, but having seen blatant I-don’t-care politics has motivated me to make a change for the better.“
His example? Watching the lawmakers doom bills to repeal the sales tax on pet services to “further study” year after year. “It didn’t matter that the vast majority of the committee was in favor of the bill. What mattered is that leadership wasn’t.”
“I recognize that it might come across as Pollyanna-ish, but I do believe in a legislature that operates as ‘the People’s House.’ ... I think too much power is centered in leadership, which makes the legislature only work for the very few.“
State spending is high on his list of problems that need fixing: “We’re spending $13,500 per adult per year in [Rhode Island]; $4,000 of that has been piled on in the last 10 years alone. COVID has hurt our budget to be sure, but we had a spending problem way in advance of that.
“The governor has been dutifully trying to keep pace with the extra spending by raising fees [e.g., beach fees, DMV fees, etc.], tolls, and [a personal pet peeve] taxes by targeting smaller, non-centralized industries, which cannot meaningfully fight back for service taxes [e.g., limo drivers, personal protection services, pet care services, etc.].
“I would hold the line on all new spending initiatives and seek to cut those that are not critical.”
Education: “One of the few areas where I think more spending is necessary ... [only] 20% of Pawtucket eighth graders are performing to standards in both math and English language arts. How is that acceptable?
“Something needs to happen now.
“I propose two solutions: a) students in a nonperforming school should have the option of attending a performing school; b) I would call for the implementation of tutoring [and] after-school programs for students who are not performing in core subjects. Some ... should be mandatory in order to participate in ancillary activities.”
When Wheeler was asked where, specifically, he differs from his opponent, Wheeler said: “I do have a particular concern about initiatives to defund the police. I realize that it’s a popular thing to say these days, but I think it is inappropriate to defund our primary line of defense for local crime.
“There’s no doubt that some crime is a function of mental health and substance abuse, but these offenders are still potentially dangerous to themselves and others. We need a well-protected and trained police force to protect us.
“Lastly, while I can support the legalization of marijuana, I am leery of lowering punishment standards for everything ‘minor and nonviolent.’
“I would prefer to let the judiciary have the discretion as to what punishment is appropriate.”
For the record: Felix and her fiancé have dogs as well — Chiquita and Chanel.
kgregg@providencejournal.com
(401) 277-7078
On Twitter:@kathyprojo
