Bethany White 1:33:45
Introduces her family’s varied East Providence school experiences, her decade with Scout Troop 55, her professional experience, and her belief that decisions should be based on data and budgets should reflect community values.
1. Open the recordingUse the official link above.
2. Choose a questionTopics are listed in debate order.
3. Use the timestampMove the video to each candidate’s time.
Opening statements
The candidates introduce themselves and explain why they are seeking the Ward 1 seat.
Frank Rego 1:34:54
Highlights his Council record, including the police station, fire coverage, community center, playgrounds, school funding, taxes, endorsements, and attendance at community events.
Jonathan Jacobs 1:36:01
Discusses growing up in Rumford, returning to raise his family, public service and union work, local boards and organizations, and his view that the city is at a crossroads.
1. What must be accomplished?
Question begins at 1:37:46. What priorities would be a personal disappointment if they were not completed during the next term?
Bethany White 1:38:02
Names increased school funding and restoration of special-education spending as her first priority. Compares East Providence’s school share and student results with peer communities.
Frank Rego 1:39:10
Prioritizes waterfront development, economic growth, a stronger tax base, housing, ADUs and row houses.
Jonathan Jacobs 1:40:31
Prioritizes housing, transportation, economic development and government accountability, with emphasis on housing mobility for younger families and older residents.
Bethany White rebuttal · 1:41:36
Responds to Rego’s school-funding claim with figures on special-education spending, the cumulative allocation gap, teaching positions and starting teacher pay.
Responds to Rego’s school-funding claim with figures on special-education spending, the cumulative allocation gap, teaching positions and starting teacher pay.
2. City finances and the school shortfall
Question begins at 1:42:27. How healthy are the city’s finances, and why should taxpayers trust each candidate with the city’s budget?
Frank Rego 1:42:57
Says the Council has maximized school funding and directs concerns about school-budget management to the School Committee. Points to recent budgets, tax increases and city services.
Jonathan Jacobs 1:44:02
Calls for long-term expansion of the tax base and housing for economically mobile residents. Describes the budget as a moral document reflecting priorities.
Bethany White 1:45:09
Explains that she has already analyzed six city budgets, compared East Providence with other cities and published the work. Connects that work to her experience managing a large CVS profit-and-loss statement.
3. Development and neighborhood character
Question begins at 1:46:24. Is East Providence developing too much, too little or enough? How should the city balance housing demand and neighborhood concerns?
Jonathan Jacobs 1:46:55
Supports smart growth on the waterfront, commercial corridors and underused properties while considering traffic, infrastructure, parking and green space.
Bethany White 1:48:01
Proposes ward-by-ward planning because neighborhoods and streets have different needs. Calls for residents to identify desired housing and amenities, followed by deliberate development and better communication.
Frank Rego 1:49:10
Supports waterfront housing and redevelopment of vacant properties, including mixed-use development on Newport Avenue, ADUs and row houses that fit the community.
4. Flock cameras and civil liberties
Question begins at 1:50:42. Should the city end, continue or expand its use of Flock cameras, and what safeguards are necessary?
Bethany White 1:51:42
Opposes the cameras and argues the Council approved them without sufficient understanding of the contract, data access or limitations. Raises concerns about surveillance, misuse and future federal enforcement.
Frank Rego 1:53:18
Disputes that the Council lacked information, cites the funding source and Police Department policy, and describes cases in which he says the cameras aided law enforcement.
Jonathan Jacobs 1:55:06
Opposes the cameras, distinguishes targeted investigation from recording everyone’s movements, and argues police should obtain a warrant when a vehicle is connected to a crime.
Bethany White rebuttal · 1:56:45
Restates that Council members could not answer key questions about the contract when publicly questioned after approving it.
Restates that Council members could not answer key questions about the contract when publicly questioned after approving it.
5. Working through disagreement
Question begins at 1:57:26. Give an example of working with someone whose politics or views differed from yours and learning from the experience.
Frank Rego 1:57:57
Points to corporate management, owning a business and Council service as settings where people with different views worked toward solutions.
Jonathan Jacobs 1:59:03
Uses a family example and says productive conversations begin with common ground, shared values and meeting people where they are.
Bethany White 2:00:13
Describes negotiating with difficult vendors at CVS in pursuit of a common business goal. Applies the same approach to aligning the city budget with broadly shared community values.
6. Roads and infrastructure
Question begins at 2:01:25. How should the city rank its infrastructure priorities, and how should the work be funded?
Jonathan Jacobs 2:01:53
Calls for transportation improvements and streets that offer alternatives to driving, reduce congestion and connect with appropriately located development.
Bethany White 2:02:58
Argues that state ownership should identify jurisdiction, not excuse prolonged deterioration. Calls for a local response when necessary and emphasizes roads, potholes and accessible curbs near senior housing.
Frank Rego 2:05:01
Welcomes state road work, supports walking and biking improvements, and identifies water lines, sewers and flooding as major infrastructure priorities.
7. Helping Ward 1 seniors
Question begins at 2:06:10. How will each candidate help seniors in Ward 1?
Bethany White 2:06:26
Draws directly from concerns raised at a Rumford Towers town hall: a permanent farmers market, a pool and accessible curbs and exits. Discusses improving fresh-food access for SNAP recipients.
Frank Rego 2:07:36
Discusses time spent at senior towers, emergency-response concerns, the fourth rescue and funding a tower truck.
Jonathan Jacobs 2:08:43
Points to East Providence’s aging population and calls for housing mobility that allows seniors to remain in the city. He also supports a fourth Ward 1 rescue.
Bethany White rebuttal · 2:10:29
Questions whether the call pattern supports another permanent 24-hour rescue operation and argues that engine personnel can begin on-scene emergency care while transport is arranged.
Questions whether the call pattern supports another permanent 24-hour rescue operation and argues that engine personnel can begin on-scene emergency care while transport is arranged.
Frank Rego rebuttal · 2:11:16
Emphasizes that an engine cannot transport a patient and argues that transport time makes the additional rescue necessary.
Emphasizes that an engine cannot transport a patient and argues that transport time makes the additional rescue necessary.
Lightning round: a Rumford data center?
Question begins at 2:12:07. Would the candidates support a billionaire proposing a data center in Rumford?
Frank Rego 2:12:24
Says he would research the proposal and determine what investment and community benefits it would bring.
Jonathan Jacobs 2:13:03
Conditions his support on whether the project would create union jobs.
Bethany White 2:13:14
Says no research is needed because Rumford’s expensive land makes the hypothetical location economically implausible.
Closing statements
Each candidate makes a final case to Ward 1 voters.
Bethany White 2:13:59
Contrasts city spending choices with peer communities, describes her analytical approach and love of the work, and promises preparation, hard questions and accountability.
Frank Rego 2:15:52
Reviews projects completed during his Council term, attendance at community events, taxes and school funding, and asks voters to judge his record.
Jonathan Jacobs 2:18:15
Reviews his public service, labor, board and volunteer experience and describes service as a way to leave greater opportunity to the next generation.
Source: “House District 65 & Ward 1 City Council,” livestreamed August 31, 2026 by the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island. Candidate summaries are paraphrases intended to help viewers navigate the full recording, not substitutes for watching it.