Robert J. Ferri (Mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island, candidate 2024)

Robert J. Ferri

Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!

---

Democratic Party

Candidate, Mayor of Cranston

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Classical High School

Bachelor's

University of Rhode Island, 1978

Graduate

Johnson and Wales University, 2003

Personal

Profession

Retired

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Robert J. Ferri (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Mayor of Cranston in Rhode Island. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.^[source]

Ferri completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Robert J. Ferri provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 8, 2024:

• High school: Classical High School
• Bachelor's: University of Rhode Island, 1978
• Graduate: Johnson and Wales University, 2003
• Gender: Male
• Profession: Retired
• Prior offices held:
  • Cranston City-Wide Councilman (2021-2024)
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign slogan: A City That Works for You
• Campaign website
• Campaign Facebook
• Campaign Instagram
• Campaign Twitter

Elections

General election

General election for Mayor of Cranston

Robert J. Ferri and Kenneth J. Hopkins ran in the general election for Mayor of Cranston on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Robert J. Ferri (D)
	Submit photo	Kenneth J. Hopkins (R)

---

	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Mayor of Cranston

Barbara Ann Fenton Fung and Kenneth J. Hopkins ran in the Republican primary for Mayor of Cranston on September 10, 2024.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Barbara Ann Fenton Fung
	Submit photo	Kenneth J. Hopkins

---

	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Ferri in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Robert J. Ferri completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ferri's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Robert Ferri and I am the Democratic candidate running for Mayor of Cranston. I am running for mayor because we need a leader who will make our city work for its residents.

Simply put, if I thought things were working well in our city, I wouldn’t be running.

First, let me tell you a little bit about myself:

I have been (successfully) married to my wife Denise for 44 years. I feel it is one of my greatest accomplishments in life.

We have 2 children that we raised in Cranston and attended Cranston public schools from grades K thru 12. Sending our children to good schools is the reason we moved to Cranston. I consider our schools one of the city’s greatest assets. We were recently blessed with our 4th grandchild.

The qualifications I bring to the Mayor’s race include two terms as a City-Wide Council Member and 20 years experience owning a small business - a bowling alley, Town Hall Lanes in Johnston.

I hope to meet you and learn more about the issues that matter to you as I speak to people across Cranston in the coming months. I hope I can earn your support. If you have a question or want to get involved in our people-powered campaign, please contact me at Robert@ferriforcranston.com or Ferriforcranston.com.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I have a real plan for addressing Cranston’s Budget Deficit. When I am Mayor, we will audit every city department and the budget, work with business and community leaders to identify new opportunities for generating revenue in the city and develop a real plan to grow the city’s commercial tax base so we can keep taxes down.
• I will make the city work for all of us by listening and telling the truth. I have a clear track record of bringing people of different viewpoints together to make policy that improves lives. I will work beyond the political fighting to bring people together to improve the quality of life for everyone. I want everyone, not just some to be proud to call Cranston their home. I promise to always listen to you and tell the truth about how I stand on any issue. I will remain accountable to you before and after I am elected.
• We need to ensure that Cranston is prepared for the future by: Investing in our schools. Improving our parks and infrastructure. Eliminating wasteful spending. Tackling our environmental challenges from flooding to energy to responsible development.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Eliminating wasteful spending.

Tackling our environmental challenges from flooding to energy to responsible development.
Work to bring down housing costs and keep our neighborhoods safe.
Keep Cranston affordable and support our small businesses.
Build our tax base by supporting responsible and realistic economic development.
Invest in our schools, parks and recreational facilities, and infrastructure.
Protect the rural character of Western Cranston.

Tackle flooding and other environmental challenges, and look for ways to reduce energy costs.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Sen. Jack Reed. He always does what's best for the people regardless of their party.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

The Cranston Budget and City Council minutes. I am into knowing the details. We have had too many Mayors who don't really know what's happening under the hood at City Hall.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity and honesty.
Competence, and an ability to attract and retain talented people.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I believe that I have the qualifications to improve City Hall. I have served two terms as a City-Wide Council Member. I have over 25 years experience owning small businesses, including Town Hall Lanes in Johnston for 20 years, and a property management company for 5 years. I know how to make a payroll, balance a checkbook, and build and manage a great team.

I have a great track record of responding to and getting constituent problems solved. I have developed a Council Newsletter that now has over 6,500 subscribers that I publish every month. I will continue this as Mayor and make it available to all constituents and businesses.

I will make the city work for all of us by listening and telling the truth. I will work beyond the political fighting to bring people together to improve the quality of life for everyone. I promise to always be honest.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Bring together the best people possible and trying to govern in a way that meets the needs of as many of our residents as possible. I should help lead the city to solutions, by convening the right people and brining solutions to reality when presented with problems.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want Cranston to be on better financial footing than when I started, for us our schools to have the resources they needs and for some of our most aging schools to be rebuilt or renovated, for the city to maintain and improve its public safety, and for us to have successfully grown the city's commercial tax base so homeowners and renters don't keep getting stuck with the bill of operating the city.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

After graduation in 1978, I accepted a position at Imperial Knife in Providence as a management trainee. I trained one month in every department from pushing a broom to being the CEO’s assistant. It was a great experience because I was able to see every aspect of the operation. I got to know the workers. I worked side by side with them and they respected me once they got to know me, and likewise I respected and learned from them.

A mayor is a leader in his or her city. What does that mean to you?

To listen and take action when needed, but to always do so in a way that puts the needs of residents first and foremost ahead of my own or any friend of mine. Unfortunately that is all our current Mayor seems to be interested in.

If the mayor in your city is a member of the city council and there's a city manager appointed to handle the day-to-day administration of the city government, what do you believe should be the mayor's top priority in office?

That is not the case in Cranston. The Mayor is the Chief Executive of Cranston.

If the mayor in your city is not a member of the city council and oversees the day-to-day administration of the city government, what do you believe is the ideal relationship between the mayor and city council?

Collaborative. The City Council should to the extent it is possible always have the same information as the Mayor. Right now the council is often left in the dark by Mayor Hopkins.

What do you love most about your city?

It's people and our culture! What's not to love?!?

What do you perceive to be your city's greatest challenges over the next decade?

The city is facing an impending financial cliff, as our revenue has not kept pace with the increased spending under Mayor Hopkins. When federal COVID-19 funds (ARPA) run out next year, the city will truly start to feel the affects of this structural deficit. So we need a plan tomorrow to grow our city's economy so those expenses do not fall solely on the shoulders of homeowners and renters.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the state government?

Partnership, and one in which we get a lot more funding from them when I am Mayor. Right now the City of Cranston leaves so much money on the table for lack of trying or asking.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between your city and the federal government?

Again Partnership. I have excellent relationships with our entire congressional delegations and again as it stands currently, the City of Cranston leaves so much money on the table for lack of trying or asking. I will not just ask, I am certain we can win $ millions, if not tens of $ millions, more in federal grants to Cranston if I become Mayor.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the mayor's office and law enforcement?

Trust and collaboration. I think we have great law enforcement in Cranston, and I plan to support them as Mayor so it stays that way.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Cranston Teachers Alliance (Teachers Union), IUPAT (Painter Union), Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate of Distinction (not an endorsement), and Cranston Forward

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

We desperately need more of it in Cranston, and I want to bring real daylight into the city. I will remain accountable to the voters now and after I am elected, and we need to put way more of our city's data and information online. So they public can look for themselves and have confidence in what their government is doing on their behalf.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2024 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Mayor of Cranston

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram