Witman For Mayor

Every vote and every voice matters. I’m so thankful to have met so many of the great people of our city during this campaign. Today I took the time to visit old and new friends and to stop in at some of the businesses that shape our city. Thank you to each of you for your kindness and support!

Dear Voter,

I’m Dianne “Dee Dee” Witman and I respectfully ask for your vote on Tuesday, November 6th to be your next Mayor of Providence. I love this city. I was born in Providence, attended Providence public schools, raised my three children in our city, and my 97 year old mother still lives here. It has been frustrating to watch the city decline over these past four years because of a lack of leadership in City Hall.

Several years ago, tragedy struck my family on a picture perfect day at Narragansett Town Beach. While in the water, my hat blew off my head and when my husband Gary bent down to pick it up, he was hit by a rogue wave and became paralyzed from the neck down. When he became a quadriplegic, our lives changed in an instant, and we had no choice but to fight for his life and adapt. Shortly after the accident, Gary was fired from his job, and we lost our health insurance and pension.

The doctors gave him two years, at best, to live. I became his primary caregiver at home and, with the help and prayers of family, friends and neighbors, Gary lived for eight years before passing away in April. I will be forever grateful that he was able to see our daughters, Amanda and Samantha, get married and meet three of our four grandchildren. Although this was an extraordinarily challenging time in our lives, Gary and I managed to smile every single day.

Fortunately, I had many years of success as a political and non-profit fundraiser to help support my family. Mayor Elorza is criticizing me for working with some politicians he doesn’t like, but I am proud that I was able to step in and solely support my family when needed.

I always knew I was a strong woman but when unexpected tragedy struck, I found strength and resilience I never knew I had. Like many of you, I know what it’s like to be fearful for my family - emotionally and financially. As your Mayor, I assure you that every decision I make will be in your best interest.

Many of you have asked for my solutions to some of the the problems that we all see in Providence. As Mayor, I would:

1. Return to neighborhood schools. Studies have shown that children perform better and parents become more involved. Students would be far less affected by transportation loss, such as the recent bus strike, and we would save millions of dollars.

2. Bring the police department to a full complement by adding more officers. The Mayor recently said the idea that police officers reduce crime is “antiquated”, but I believe most of us feel safer knowing there are police officers on our streets.

3. Hire a permanent fire chief.

4. Address quality of life issues such as cleaning our streets, eliminating potholes, and thoroughly plowing during a snowstorm.

5. Find an innovative way to address the billion dollar unfunded pension liability and the fiscal crisis that threatens the future of our city, including bringing the non-profits to the table to help solve the problem.

Governor Sundlun once said that you spend the first third of your life learning, the next third earning, and the last third serving. I want to serve as your next Mayor, and I believe I have the determination and common sense leadership skills that will work for all of Providence. I don’t have any future political aspirations so will be free to make the tough decisions that a leader must make in order for the city to thrive.

I know that I have the right ideas to bring new leadership to our city and to create a better Providence, but I can’t do it without you.

Please support me by casting your ballot on Tuesday, November 6th for Dianne “Dee Dee” Witman, the Independent Woman.

Thank you,

Dee Dee