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James Diossa

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James Diossa
32ndTreasurer of Rhode Island
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
GovernorDan McKee
Preceded bySeth Magaziner
Mayor ofCentral Falls
In office
January 1, 2013 – January 3, 2021
Preceded byCharles Moreau
Succeeded byMaria Rivera
Personal details
Born1985 (age 38–39)
Central Falls, Rhode Island,U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Domestic partnerSandra Cano
Children2
EducationCommunity College of Rhode Island
Becker College(BA)
Signature

James A. Diossa(born 1985) is an American politician fromRhode Island.A member of theDemocratic Party,he is theRhode Island General Treasurer.He served as a member of thecity counciland as mayor ofCentral Falls, Rhode Island,guiding the city after it declared bankruptcy.

Early life and education[edit]

Diossa's parents were fromMedellín,Colombia.[1]They immigrated to the United States, settling inCentral Falls, Rhode Island,in 1983.[1]He was born there two years later.[1]His father works forOsram Sylvania.His parents separated and his mother returned to Colombia.[2]

Diossa attendedCentral Falls High School,where he played for the school's soccer team and won a state championship.[2]He graduated in 2003 and enrolled atCommunity College of Rhode Island.[3]earned his undergraduate degree in criminal justice fromBecker College[1]in 2009,[4]becoming the first member of his family to graduate from college.[1]He also played soccer at Becker.[5]

Career[edit]

Inspired byBarack Obama's2008 presidential campaignand an undergraduate course on government,[2][4]Diossa interned for U.S. SenatorSheldon Whitehouse.[4]He ran for election to thecity councilof Central Falls in November 2009 and won a seat by 17 votes,[6]becoming the youngest city councilor in Central Falls' history.[1]With a $6 million budget deficit and the city's pension fund underfunded by $80 million, the city went intoreceivershipand filed for bankruptcy in August 2011.[2][7]The city's only public library closed, and Diossa organized members of the community to raise enough funds to have it reopened.[1]When the city's sole post office was in danger of closing, he led a march to protest the closure and met with theUnited States Postmaster General,saving the post office.[1]

The city cut jobs and services to come out of bankruptcy in September 2012.[8]Also in September 2012, Charles Moreau, Central Falls' mayor, resigned and pled guilty to federal charges of fraud.[9]Diossa ran in aspecial electionfor mayor in December 2012, and won. He took office on January 1, 2013, at the age of 27.[1]Diossa hired an administrative and a financial officer for the city in April 2013.[10]Under Diossa's leadership,Moody's Investors Serviceupgraded their rating of Central Falls citybonds.[7]Diossa also guided Central Falls through theCOVID-19 pandemicin 2020.[11]

After serving two terms as mayor, Diossa was prevented from running in the November 2020 election due toterm limits.[11][12]WhenLieutenant GovernorDan McKeewas elevated to governor in 2021, Diossa was a candidate to succeed McKee as lieutenant governor. However, McKee instead selected Providence city councilorSabina Matos.[5]In January 2021, Diossa became a senior advisor at theRhode Island Innovative Policy LabatBrown University.[13]PresidentJoe Bidennominated Diossa to theboard of trusteesfor theJames Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundationin July 2021.[14]

In December 2021, Diossa announced his candidacy forgeneral treasurer of Rhode Islandin the2022 elections,as the incumbent,Seth Magazinercould not run for a third term due to term limits.[15]Diossa defeated Stefan Pryor, the former state secretary of commerce, to win the Democratic Party nomination.[16]He defeated James Lathrop, North Kingstown's finance director, in the general election on November 8.[17]

Personal life[edit]

Diossa's fiance,Sandra Cano,is a member of theRhode Island State Senate.They have two children together.[18]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdefghiO'Berg Figueroa, Michelle (January 23, 2013)."Can a 27-Year-Old Take a City out of Bankruptcy?".ABC News.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  2. ^abcdTaricani, Jim (August 26, 2013)."The Freshman".Rhode Island Monthly.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  3. ^Parker, Paul Edward (August 26, 2022)."James Diossa and Stefan Pryor want to be state treasurer. Here's how they'd do the job".The Providence Journal.RetrievedNovember 18,2022.
  4. ^abc"Rebuilding Public Trust with Mayor James Diossa | Johnson & Wales University".Jwu.edu. September 17, 2018.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  5. ^abFenton, Josh."Diossa Announces Run for RI General Treasurer".GoLocalProv.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  6. ^Cols Azócar, Geraldine (August 8, 2017)."Meet the Young Latino Mayor Who Is Bringing Back His Rhode Island City".NBC News.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  7. ^ab"Rhode Island's Central Falls reeling from underfunded pension".Los Angeles Times.August 3, 2013.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  8. ^"Bankruptcy saves tiny Rhode Island city, but leaves scars".Reuters. September 4, 2012.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  9. ^"Central Falls, RI mayor quits, to plead guilty to fraud".Reuters. September 19, 2012.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  10. ^Malinowski, W. Zachary (April 2, 2013)."Central Falls mayor names administrative and finance officer".Providence Journal.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  11. ^ab"Political Scene: After eight years in City Hall, Diossa looks back and to the future".Providence Journal.December 13, 2020.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  12. ^Hoskins, Amanda (December 24, 2020)."Central Falls mayor reflects as term comes to close".WJAR.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  13. ^"Former Central Falls Mayor James Diossa joins Brown University".The Boston Globe. January 27, 2021.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  14. ^"President Biden Announces 11 Key Nominations | The White House".Whitehouse.gov. July 13, 2021.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  15. ^Sherman, Eli (December 13, 2021)."James Diossa launches bid for RI general treasurer".WPRI.RetrievedNovember 18,2022.
  16. ^"Diossa wins Democratic bid against Pryor to be next Rhode Island general treasurer".September 13, 2022.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  17. ^"RI treasurer race: James Diossa defeats James Lathrop".Wpri. November 8, 2022.RetrievedNovember 10,2022.
  18. ^"NEW: Diossa and Cano Welcome Second Child".

External links[edit]

Political offices
Preceded by Treasurer of Rhode Island
2023–present 		Incumbent
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