Allan Fung has turned Cranston around in his years as mayor, making it one of 50 best cities to live in the country with a good business climate, safe neighborhoods, and a good school system. That’s why we endorse Mayor Fung as the next governor of Rhode Island.

When someone is a mayor of a city, especially one that just became the second-largest city in the state, for roughly a decade, their record speaks for itself. Fung’s financial record does that. He has brought the city from a dire financial position to having consistent surpluses and a “rainy day” fund now more than $20 million.

The City of Cranston just ended yet another fiscal year with a budget surplus – around $173,000 for FY2018 – due to a dedication to city finances by Mayor Fung that is unmatched by other politicians in the state. He’s carefully managed the city’s investment portfolio, earning $300,000 more in interest than what was expected in this past year alone. Fung and his team have garnered national awards for their work on the budget.

He drafts a budget that properly funds the city. He put $4 million in this past budget to continue repaving the roads, found $600,000 for the school district’s operating budget, and even put in $100,000 for police details to help keep schools safer. He did all this while not increasing taxes.

Fung’s decision-making when it comes to city personnel also shines light on his ability to lead. He appointed Colonel Michael Winquist as Chief of Police in 2014, and since then the department has been nationally accredited for its work in three straight years. He also has a finance director, Robert Strom, who has won awards for his work and keeps the city in check. The school department also reflects the Mayor’s leadership, as they’ve now had budget surpluses for consecutive years because of how Superintendent Jeannine Nota has run it.

As Governor, Fung would appoint personnel who know Rhode Island and who will make sure money is spent smartly and with the taxpayer’s in mind. He has said he’ll appoint an inspector general to oversee government spending, so that there’s not another debacle like the misused 911 funds, which Gov. Gina Raimondo had been “scooping” out and putting into the general fund to make up for other bad decisions.

Mayor Fung’s dedication to keep Cranston’s budgets balanced, spend taxpayer money in smart ways, and appoint the right people to make key decisions is contrary to what Raimondo has done in office – which is why the state’s budget has ballooned to a whopping $9 billion, with an average tax-bite for each taxpayer at $8,700, which is much higher than the national average of $6,700.

Fung’s record on finances is his strongest calling card in the election.

Yes, Fung has been hammered by the political left for his stance on immigrants in the country – supporting a crackdown on immigrants here illegally. He’s aligned himself with President Donald Trump in that way, and in some others as well. He has his shortcomings when it comes to some social issues and sometimes being too tight with taxpayer money.

But Allan Fung’s focus is not on national politics. His focus is on Rhode Island and its people. He wants to see the $250 million school construction bond approved – so long as it’s evenly distributed throughout the state. He wants to manage the state’s finances so that decisions made by the current administration, like Raimondo’s pension reforms (which cost teachers and seniors alike) and the UHIP disaster, which has run a cost of over $650 million, don’t happen again.

More than anything, Fung wants what’s best for Rhode Island. Fung puts the taxpayer first, plain and simple.

If Rhode Islanders want a Governor who will keep his eye on the purse strings and help bring new business into the state as he has done at Chapel View and Garden City in Cranston, they should vote for Allan Fung.