To the Editor:

Thank you for the attention you have paid to the upcoming mayoral election. I watched the debate on Facebook and thought I’d make a couple of points regarding the three candidates. I certainly have seen the many signs in the city supporting either Maria Bucci or Steve Stycos. I hadn’t realized that there was a third candidate until I saw Adam Carbone at the podium, last night.

There was something awkward about the set-up of the debate probably because of the COVID restrictions, but despite that, there were good questions asked and the candidates were fairly succinct and clear with their answers, with the exception of Mr. Carbone who may have had a reason for his distracting appearance and his sometimes flat jokes. I agree that we need to listen to the concerns of the younger generation of people, many of whom have provided courageous leadership during the recent racial strife, but it was not until his final statement that his most reasonable suggestions were made.

I have lived in the Edgewood section of Cranston for over 35 years so I know what contributions Steve Stycos has made to his local community over his tenure as both a member of the school committee and city council. Often politicians are criticized for their ambition to run for a higher office. Not Steve. I don’t know many people who are as committed to his city as he is. I’ll admit I find state and national politics more compelling, but I realize that it is people like Steve, whose commitment is not to personal power and prestige, but to doing the hard, back-breaking work to make his neighborhood, his community, his city a place where parents are eager to have their children go to great schools, where older citizens who have brought their children up want to continue to live here into their old age and where there are open spaces to hike, walk and jog for everyone in between.

Maria Bucci expresses some of the same policies as Steve, but having watched the careful, conscientious attention that Steve has paid to the City of Cranston over the years leads me to believe that Steve at the helm of the city, will be totally committed to making the City of Cranston the envy of our neighboring cities.

Carol Reagan Shelton

Cranston