Openly gay small-business owner Brett Smiley has formally announced he’s running for mayor of Providence, R.I., according to The Providence Journal.
Smiley, 34, announced his bid to succeed gubernatorial candidate Mayor Angel Taveras. During the news conference, Smiley said a statewide supplemental tax on guns and ammunition should be established to pay for nonviolence programs.
He grew up outside of Chicago, moving to Rhode Island in 2006.
Windy City Times covered a fundraiser for Smiley back in September that was held at the home of Eric Nelson and his husband, Jess Jose. (See windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Out-RI-mayoral-candidate-has-fundraiser-in-Chicago/44389.html.)