Longtime Newport Councilor Napolitano Retires, Talks Local Political Ecosystem (this episode is in partnership with Newport This Week)

In this episode, Jean-Marie Napolitano shares insights from her extensive career in Newport politics, candidly discussing the current state of local governance, community issues, and the importance of dialogue in a polarized era. Her experience offers a valuable lens on how local leadership can adapt to complex societal shifts.

Key topics:

• The impact of national polarization on municipal politics
• Challenges of effective communication among city council members
• Strategies for addressing housing and affordability issues
• Lessons learned from school and community development projects
• The importance of volunteer-driven community efforts
• The evolving landscape of Newport’s neighborhoods and local identity

Timestamps:
00:00 - Newport politics update and Napolitano’s retirement

00:48 - Increasing polarization and its impact on local governance

01:41 - The importance of direct communication among council members

02:40 - Barriers to collaboration and consensus-building in local councils

04:06 - The significance of pre-meeting negotiations and relationship management

04:46 - Housing challenges in Newport and strategies for fair taxation

05:12 - Addressing Airbnb’s impact and efforts to regulate second homes

06:55 - Incentivizing year-round residency through tax policies

07:24 - The state of Newport’s schools and regionalization efforts

08:33 - Successes and ongoing challenges in school infrastructure projects

10:07 - Recalling key community service initiatives and volunteer efforts

11:57 - The importance of healthcare and social services in community care

12:28 - The community's spirit and preserving Newport’s unique character

13:19 - Addressing homelessness and societal issues on Broadway

14:44 - The role of volunteers in maintaining Newport's charm

15:11 - Napolitano's reflections on her career and future engagement

Transcript

Bill Bartholomew 0:00

Well, big news in Newport politics over the last week or so. Jean Marie Napolitano, you've been a counselor, you've been a mayor on a sub Rosa level, you've been involved in a whole lot of stuff for a long time. You're retiring. Why now?

Jeanne-Marie Napolitano 0:14

Um, for me, I think it's the right time. Uh things have been a bit rocky, but uh people will work it out. And I have really been committed for many, many years. And I will continue to work in the community. Uh, however, I just think it's the right move for me.

Bill Bartholomew 0:37

When you say things have been rocky, do you mean in terms of issues and uh that are happening on the ground? Or is that what do you mean by rocky?

Speaker 1 0:47

Um, some of the issues certainly are difficult, more difficult than they were in the past. And um understanding um both sides has become a little bit more, you know, complicated, more complex, just like it's happening nationally. You know, you you hear um people talking about, you know, they believe in this and they don't believe in that. I mean, it's become so polarized, which is unfortunate, because I really think uh over the years, and we'll come out of it, but I think over the years it has become very polarized, and hopefully we can all come back and start listening instead of doing all the talking.

Bill Bartholomew 1:41

Those are powerful words because at the municipal level, especially where there is a a service factor that is so intimate, right? Right. You're you're describing something that I think a lot of people feel in national politics, and they feel it even in state politics, particularly if you live in a place that is uh more politically diverse than maybe Newport or Rhode Island. But at the municipal level, do you feel like that is seeping into a lane where you, as somebody who has been an arbiter at times, be it as a mayor, be it on background, is it becoming more and more difficult? Am I hearing you say this? It's becoming more difficult to be an arbiter and bring ideas together, even at the municipal level, in a place like Newport where there are nonpartisan elections, everyone's independent. You're saying that is a challenge and it's something that is that concerns you and you don't necessarily want to be a part of anymore?

Speaker 1 2:40

Um, yeah, yeah you're pretty much on target with that. I, you know, and of course, I I hear um a lot of the things that are going on nationally. Um however, there always needs to be a discussion. And I'm finding that uh by and large, I feel that it's really lacking um on the part of some of the council members or participants uh rather than pick up the phone. I I'm more old school, more old school than you can believe. When I get a phone call or an email message, um, you know, I respond. Uh but I don't believe in, you know, uh after a meeting, that's fine. We can express our opinions and it and where we're coming from. However, prior to a meeting and trying to set up a different scenario, I think it's creating issues. It just is, you know, and it's polarizing the council before we've even had a chance to discuss it. I know any time in the past when I put in something, um, I I make it a point to to call council members and let them know. I tell Laura if if I have a resolution, if they want to sign on or they need to talk to me, call me individually. Um, because I really think that's the right thing to do.

Bill Bartholomew 4:17

It does seem speaking from even here in Providence, where I'm broadcasting from right now, we see issues like the rent stabilization ordinance that was on the one hand, there was ample room for a vibrant discussion on this issue of broadly speaking affordability and rent specifically. How do we understand how to best regulate? But what ended up happening was you had two camps that would not budge. So in fact, nothing got done, and you didn't even really come away from it with much of a lane for how to move forward. And so you have problems like that, and then you look at Newport, where housing is an unbelievable challenge. Do you think the Newport Council can take on issues like housing, can take on issues like understanding the needs of and meeting the needs of people in real time in a way that is able to listen to the community from different perspectives? Are they capable of that?

Speaker 1 5:11

Um, I would hope so, but as of yet, have they come together on it? Probably not. And certain things we have. We have long stated that we wanted some sort of um uh principle out there that there would be a reduction or a um, you know, easement in taxes on year-round residents. And I noticed when I first came into office back in 1990, um it was funny because I went to the point neighborhood and I was first bored only. I wasn't at large. And so many empty houses. And then I started hearing about it, about people moving in. Now that's prior to Airbnb. And once we got hit with Airbnb, you know, um, and because our assessments are so high, you know, that makes us a very attractive place to purchase a second homes, you know. So we did tackle that one finally, and I was glad. Um, and of course, you want to be fair about it. I realize people are buying second homes here. Um, unfortunately, a lot of this, or even the larger homes that used to be three apartments, are now a single-family home part-time. Yeah. So we made that differential on the taxes. And I was glad we did that. And that that took years, years, literally.

Bill Bartholomew 6:55

Yeah, it's interesting that it's a model where incentivization for a year-round residency was the approach versus, so to speak, we hear a lot of talk about the millionaires' tax or things like or Taylor Swift more accurately. For you know, you can look at things from a different lane of how to get to the finish line. It requires conversation. It requires moderate behavior in politics. I'm I I'm I'm worried that the the council is is when you look at issues like schools, are you are what's your take on? Are you do you feel that the city's in a good place right now as you retire?

Speaker 1 7:38

Not really. We have schools coming up tonight on our docket. Um, I have always supported the schools in education, including, including when they wanted to combine the five schools, the elementary schools into one. And um, my good friend Joey Vegaines was school committee chair. And let me tell you, we got into some rousing discussions. I said, you've got to be kidding me. Are you kidding me? People from here, there, or everywhere would say, I don't want my kids up in that neighborhood. Um we finally had a meeting of the minds, and she badgered me. And I love Joe Eva. She um she knew what she was talking about, and she explained to me, wait a minute, if we combine all these schools, all five schools, she said it would cost us less money to build one school and have all of our uh teachers and paraprofessionals in that one school to do all the services we need rather than have these five schools. And guess what? She was right. She was absolutely right. Um, the cost to rehab five schools, and they all needed it, um was phenomenal. It would it was really off the charts. And what I'd like to say is as far as Pell School goes, it was built according to uh the the money that we took out or the money that we charge to the taxpayers, um on time, on schedule, and on budget. And that has happened both times uh with Pell School. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case with other schools. Um and I have been working still and hoping the regionalization process could potentially take place because kids need every bit of quality education they can get, and council needs the money to be able to provide the schools with the teachers and the pair of professionals they need. Yeah.

Bill Bartholomew 12:30

Yeah, that is the one of the great questions, no doubt, that we will wait and see. But the school bonds and the the the general treasurer's office in tandem with the work on the grassroots level, on the council level, when you look at Pell, when you look at the Pell School, yeah, there's a lot that went into that. It wasn't it it's a way of thinking about how to manage a community, quite frankly. What are you gonna miss the most about being on the council?

Speaker 1 12:58

Probably a lot, you know, probably uh being super involved. However, uh, even when I lost the election and I did lose the election back in '95, and um because I went at large, um, I continued to work on the things that I felt needed working on. And uh at that time I was um Bob Healy had a conversation with me about uh New Visions, which is now called EdCap. And I basically he wanted me to lead the organization. I was on the board for years, and he said, we really need to become bigger. There's more needs in Newport. And uh what we did is combined with East Providence, and we qualified for bigger grants so that we could take care of more people that uh perhaps, you know, found themselves without certain services, without food, without housing, without health care. Health care is so important uh to people these days, even the the ones that have it. I know some of them have actually said, gee, I've had this health insurance for so long, and now they won't cover this, that, or the other thing. It's a problem. It's a problem. So, you know, I I certainly think I'll continue to be interested and also interested in the schools and education. Um and I have five grandchildren, four children, um, just a lot, uh, and seven brothers and sisters. So a lot to take care of.

Bill Bartholomew 14:50

Right. You'll be busy, no doubt about that.

Speaker 1 14:52

Yeah.

Bill Bartholomew 14:53

Last question as we as you kind of look to uh the state of the the the intangible aspects of Newport. Right now, I feel like there's a lot of talk still of uh you see Broadway has changed so much. Uh, you see, like you had mentioned, so many houses that used to have three or four families in them. Now there's maybe a half a family in there, so to speak, or a quarter of a family. So just from but there's a magic to Newport that I think everyone who loves it, has lived there, visits there, knows exists, and that that is still there. So, what do you say to the community to just try to zero in on that feeling and kind of get back to some of the roots that we hear so many people talking about they miss?

Speaker 1 15:41

Yeah. You know, actually, we had a total re renovation of Broadway, and that took years. Um, my concern right now, uh, and and they've got some great businesses on Broadway, but we seem to be somewhat in dated by people that are living on the street, and it has caused a problem. Um, and when I checked into it, I was really surprised to find out that a good number of them are from Providence. And the reason they come down here, and and uh believe me, I have talked to the individuals that work with them, is because they have a free bus pass, they get three square meals a day, depending on who's doing what, and many times they can get housing at night, but that doesn't solve our problem. It really doesn't. Um, and we do need to address it in a different way. I'm not sure how. Newport has so many different organizations that fill the voids, and they do fill the voids. Every single church, every single um uh, you know, uh things that come to mind, beautification programs in the city of Newport, all the uh people think that it just happens, but it doesn't. It happens because there are hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers in the city of Newport making us what we are. And I think it's been a tremendous success in a lot of ways, but we still have some issues that we have to solve.

Bill Bartholomew 17:32

Jean-Marie Napolitano, retiring from official public life, no doubt, will still be out there in a lot of capacities. Thanks for your time today.

Speaker 1 17:41

Okay, thank you so much. I appreciate it. And could I just say first, uh, well, I wanted to thank um uh the people throughout the city for giving me the honor and the privilege of serving you for the last 31 years. I also want to thank the former mayors and counselors that I've served with. I've learned so much. So um this this is uh bittersweet, but I'm not gone.

Bill Bartholomew 18:11

It's a small island, so it's difficult to hide.

Speaker 1 18:13

It is. Okay, thank you.

Bill Bartholomew 18:16

Thank you.