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Connor Blier on Providence Ward 13, rent stabilization and local political trust
Connor Blier joins Bartholomewtown to explain why he entered the open Providence Ward 13 race and how his personal history in Rhode Island shapes his campaign. The conversation centers on rent stabilization, city leadership, and his broader argument that local politics has drifted away from working-class residents.
We discuss Blier’s criticism of insider politics, his belief that the recent rent stabilization effort was used as a political tool, and why he says the city needs representatives who answer the phone, show up in neighborhoods, and write policy from lived experience.
Key topics
- Blier says he entered the Ward 13 race because he sees a repeat of what he experienced in Rhode Island’s cannabis industry, where he believes small operators were squeezed out by corruption and insider access.
- He argues that the original dispensary licensing process hurt local homeowners and small businesses, and says that experience made him wary of how government power can push working people out.
- The discussion turns to Providence rent stabilization, where Blier says he supports meaningful protection for renters and homeowners, but only if the policy is written carefully enough to avoid harming small property owners and neighborhood families.
- He claims the rent stabilization push was used as a political maneuver rather than a sincere effort to pass workable legislation, and says working-class people were being turned against each other for electoral purposes.
- Bill Bartholomew presses Blier on whether the City Council and Mayor Smiley ever had a realistic path to a deal, and Blier responds that the process lacked honesty and clear intent.
- Blier says his campaign is aimed at local representation first: answering calls, helping residents navigate city services, and being physically present in the ward.
- He describes Ward 13 as a working-class district and says the city’s biggest issue is cost of living, especially housing pressure and the risk of homelessness.
- He argues Providence has not built enough housing, has failed to keep pace with population growth, and needs to incentivize development while also protecting people already living there.
- Blier says he is running against the political machine rather than just an opponent, pointing to endorsements, out-of-state money, and establishment ties as signs of a broader insider network.
- He closes by saying the race is a chance to break that system and restore local, working-class voice to Ward 13.
Timestamps
00:00 - Ward 13 special election and why Connor Blier jumped in
00:30 - Cannabis licensing, small business losses, and Blier’s origin story
03:03 - What Blier means by corruption in Rhode Island politics
06:26 - Rent stabilization becomes the central Providence issue
07:24 - Support for tenant protections, but only with real carve outs
09:22 - Why Blier says small homeowners could get caught in bad policy
10:35 - The recording involving Senator Sam Bell and the rent vote
12:45 - Bill challenges the claim that the process was a sham
13:45 - Blier argues the council had the votes to pass it
15:57 - Why Blier says local government should focus on residents first
18:14 - Cost of living, housing pressure, and the working class in Providence
19:37 - Record tax rates, city spending, and frustration with priorities
20:39 - Why Blier says he is running against the political machine
21:29 - Out-of-state money, endorsements, and insider influence
22:54 - The Ward 13 opening and Blier’s case for a local candidate
24:36 - Campaign response, neighborhood reception, and limited resources
27:14 - Blier on mayoral politics, local trust, and neighborhood accountability
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