Biography of Mayor David N. Cicilline
Mayor David N. Cicilline was born in the South Side of Providence and then moved with his family to Narragansett, Rhode Island. He graduated Brown University magna cum laude and went on to earn a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. He served as a public defender in Washington, D.C. before returning home to open a practice in criminal defense and civil rights law.
Cicilline began his political life serving four terms as state representative from Providence’s East Side. He earned a reputation as a fierce champion of political reform and gun safety, and his dedication to ethics in government won him Common Cause’s #1 ranking.
In 2002, when the City of Providence was buckling under a $59 million deficit, an archaic administrative infrastructure, and the legacy of decades of corruption, David Cicilline announced his candidacy for Mayor. He pledged to restore public confidence in City Hall and to revitalize the city’s neighborhoods. The message resounded. Cicilline swept a four-way primary election and went on to easily win the general election.
Since taking office, Mayor Cicilline has produced unprecedented results. “Something remarkable is happening here. A city long renowned for the rackets and graft is being cleaned up by a reform-minded mayor. For Providence, it really is a new day,” observed David Broder of the Washington Post.
City government is in the process of a comprehensive transformation. Innovative tracking technology monitors the efficiency of service delivery. 14% of management positions have been eliminated. Providence has dropped to 17th in the state for per-capita property tax, and has earned A’s from all three major bond rating agencies.
By restoring trust in city government, Mayor Cicilline has ushered in $3 billion in new investment in the Providence. Downtown is both a powerhouse business district and an urbane and exciting place to live. Providence’s reputation as one of the great boutique cities for fine art and fine dining is growing around the world. The Wall Street Journal recently called Providence one of the top ten up-and-coming global tourist destinations.
Activity in Providence’s 25 neighborhoods has reawakened. Under Mayor Cicilline’s leadership, Providence has seen crime drop to its lowest rate in 30 years, bucking the national trend. Mayor Cicilline’s vision for a robust after-school system to rival those of wealthy suburban communities is now a reality. Affordable housing is being developed at six times the rate of the 1990s.
Since the onset of a state budget crisis and the national recession, Cicilline has fought relentlessly to protect the gains for which Providence labored so hard. He has worked himself to the top of national organizations to give Providence a voice in the most influential policy discussions. He has advocated persuasively for structural reforms at the state level. He has held a firm line in demanding public employee contracts that are fair to taxpayers and to City employees. All the while he has marshaled City Departments to assume new roles in protecting the most vulnerable.
David Cicilline believes Providence has boundless potential, and he continues to bring the same energy, optimism and enthusiasm to City Hall as on his first day as Mayor.
City Hall Contact Information & Hours
Providence City Hall
Phone: (401) 421-7740 · TDD (401) 751-0203
25 Dorrance Street, Providence, RI 02903
Hours *
Monday thru Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm
Summer Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:30am to 4:00pm
* Special early closing times to service the last customer apply to certain Departments. To ensure that you're not disappointed, please call ahead or arrive before 4:00pm.
