Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE) Christmas Carols PVD City Councilmember John Goncalves
DARE wants Councilmember Goncalves to support rent stabilization. Goncalves retorts (incorrectly) that the group's protest tactics are possible violations of campaign finance law.
Over a dozen people gathered outside the apartment of Providence City Councilmember John Goncalves (Ward 1) on Thursday night to sing him a Christmas Carol, a rewritten version of the Twelve Days of Christmas1 calling on the legislator to support DARE’s rent stabilization bill. How did we get here?
“We’re here to support rent stabilization, and to push John Goncalves, who is progressive, to support rent stabilization,” said Direct Action for Rights and Equality (DARE)’s Kinverly Dicupe before the singing started. “We know the rents are too high. We're also here to make a statement about sly legal threats against our community organization. DARE has been around for decades. We know how to protest and we know how to protest legally. We're not going to stand for John saying that we can't canvas a neighborhood simply because he doesn't want to be pushed on this issue, so we're going to do a Christmas Carol. We hope that John understands that this isn't going to go away. There are too many people on the street, and it's cold. We've been out here for 10 minutes. My hands already hurt. So let's go.”
“DARE has mobilized to pass rent stabilization within Providence and has engaged with City Councilmembers and their respective constituencies,” wrote DARE in a press release. “Principally among them has been City Councilmember John Goncalves who we’ve been pressuring to support this critical policy. Unfortunately, Councilmember Goncalves has declined to support rent stabilization and has not taken well to any form of pressure coming from Providence residents. Recently, he slyly threatened to report us for campaign finance violations simply for canvassing his ward with a flyer calling on his constituents to email their representative.”
Here’s the flyer:
In response to the flyer and to DARE showing up at a meeting Councilmember Concalves was holding with Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE), Councilmember Goncalves wrote an email to DARE:
“While I remain open to dialogue and exploring ways to address community concerns, I want to express my deep disappointment with the recent actions taken by DARE, particularly the distribution of negative flyers in my neighborhood. Such tactics do not foster collaboration or build the trust necessary to create effective, lasting solutions.
“As I mentioned during our meeting, I offered to provide a platform at a community meeting for you to share your perspectives openly and engage with Ward 1 residents directly. Unfortunately, these recent actions undermine that spirit of cooperation and trust.
“While I cannot make commitments on legislation that is not yet introduced, I remain committed to open and respectful dialogue. I encourage us to move forward in a way that prioritizes constructive engagement and mutual respect, which these negative tactics undermine. Engaging in these kinds of tactics does not help the cause.”
DARE’s Kinverly Dicupe and DARE’s Tenant and Homeowner Association (THA) responded:
“While we do value an open and collaborative relationship with you, our task is to help keep Providence affordable by controlling the wild-west rental market via passage of rent stabilization. That is why we met with you in the first place, and let me remind you that the only reason DARE got to meet with you last week is because we showed up to a meeting you had agreed to with HOPE [Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere]. Before then you had refused to meet with us even though we had contacted you multiple times over this past year.
“It is true that a rent stabilization ordinance has yet to be introduced, but DARE has had an ordinance written and ready to go for years. The ordinance has also been passed along to multiple of your colleagues and city staff. It is no secret that your council president declared the passage of a rent stabilization ordinance to be one of her priorities. For whatever reason, you have not engaged on this idea despite it being easily accessible to you. Regardless, you have supported bold ideas in the past that did not yet have legislation introduced on behalf of it within the Providence City Council. The Green New Deal being the principal one.
“Putting that aside, when we met with you, you refused to unequivocally support the passage of a rent stabilization ordinance even while decrying rising rents/gentrification and the on-going impacts of that reality, which you outlined as being responsible for destroying the historical black neighborhoods in your ward. We told you in that meeting that your answer was unacceptable in a time where we have record breaking numbers of unhoused folks and eviction cases, much of them stemming from the astronomical increases in rent that Providence residents have had to endure over the last few years. Furthermore, we warned you in that same meeting that our organizing efforts would continue if you did not change your tune. We get you may be offended by the character of the flyer but everything on that flyer is true. You even confirmed a part of the flyer by admitting that you do in fact take money from out-of-state developers. We are not hiding our motivations or actions. In contrast, we have been very open with you. The flyer, after all, has our logo on it front and center. There is not much we can do if you have chosen to be offended by the truth. If you would like our oppositional organizing efforts to cease, you can always do what many of your colleagues have already done: commit to passing a rent stabilization ordinance so working people aren't ending up on the street in record numbers.
“In spite of all that has been said above, we hope you do allow us to present further down the road at one of your townhalls, and don't attempt to use it as a carrot stick to control our organizing efforts, as it appears you're threatening to do now. This is not personal, Councilman Goncalves. This is about peoples' ability to survive, many who live in your ward. We want you on-board this fight and many of your constituents do as well. You should do what is right and support rent stabilization. If you refuse, then you've left us no option but to continue our efforts against your inexplicable opposition to critical, life-saving legislation.”
Councilmember Goncalves responded, and I’ve emphasized what I would consider to be the problematic paragraph:
“As I mentioned, I don't sign on to legislation that has not been vetted by our city staff and legal team. Once they do so and something concrete is introduced, I would be happy to let you know my position upon reviewing the language that the policy team drafts (not an outside group, as our policy/legal staff does its due diligence before introduction, and they haven't introduced anything yet.) Coercion, intimidation, and political tactics such as these do not build trust/collaboration, nor do they make me more inclined to support legislation, especially if discussion, discourse and dialogue of the legislation is not done in good faith. There are 14 other members of the Council, are you doing this to them?
“I've shared with you repeatedly that when there is something concrete, I'd be happy to discuss and think that collaborative dialogue is the way forward. However, I've been met with hostility.
“Additionally, in Rhode Island, political flyers and similar campaign materials are subject to specific disclosure requirements to ensure transparency in political communications. Via state law, any person, business entity, or political action committee making independent expenditures must report such expenditures must report such expenditures. Additionally, these communications must include disclaimers identifying the sponsor of the advertisement or political messaging. I have a copy of the flyer (that a constituent sent me), and I don't see this disclosure from DARE listed.
“My support for the Green New Deal was post the introduction of a resolution in the House of Representatives (which is a concrete piece of legislation).
“When something is about to be introduced before the Council, I'm happy to chat more, and I look forward to working together towards an effective policy that increases affordability, helps our unhoused neighbours who desperately need our help and more.”
The not-so-subtle threat expressed in the above emphasized paragraph is alarming. DARE is not running an electoral campaign. They are a local advocacy group pushing for a legal reform, lobbying an elected member of Providence’s legislature. This is completely legal, normal, and not in any way a violation of Rhode Island’s campaign finance laws. I asked the Councilmember about this. This appears to be an attempt to silence by intimidation.
“I was simply reminding them of the disclosure and disclaimer requirements identifying the sponsor of the advertisement or political messaging,” said Councilmember Goncalves in a statement. “I can't speak to whether or not this is a violation, it was just something that some of my constituents brought to my attention.”
Despite Councilmember Goncalves words, DARE was undeterred, as evidence by their Christmas Caroling.
“This is unacceptable behavior for a public servant,” wrote DARE. “DARE has been around for decades, helping low-income Rhode Islanders. Since Councilmember Goncalves is not running a re-election campaign, the flyer does not call for him to be ousted, and we have not spent over the $1,000 limit, unfounded legal threats will not cow us. All Rhode Islanders deserve to have their voices heard, particularly around what is a life or death issue for many of our people. To combat our rental crisis and Councilor Goncalves’ obtuse, uninformed threats, we have organized this action.”
The lyrics:
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
Twelve years of planning,
Eleven orgs endorsing,
Ten councilors voting,
Nine wards a-cheering,
Eight committees meeting,
Seven hours flyering,
Just cause protections,
Five free lawyers,
Four percent cap,
Three rent boards,
Two evictions stopped,
And John G supporting our bill!
Bravo, DARE!!!
Goncalves is taking the wrong path on this issue times two because he is attacking DARE. Not smart.