10/22/2026
CANDIDATE SPOTLIGHT: Rep. Paul Santucci, Experience That Works for District 53
After spending nearly six decades in Smithfield, Representative Paul Santucci has a personal stake in the future of District 53, which includes Smithfield and Glocester. His goal as a state representative is to help preserve the qualities that make local communities desirable places to live while addressing the rising costs and policy decisions affecting Rhode Island families.
Santucci and his wife, Liz, have two children. When he is away from his work as a financial advisor or his legislative responsibilities, he enjoys gardening, landscaping, and boating on Waterman Lake. His long-standing ties to Smithfield have shaped his interest in local government and his desire to ensure that younger generations can establish their lives and raise families in Rhode Island.
His experience spans both the private and public sectors. Santucci led the Smithfield Town Council as president in 2017 and 2018 and served on the Smithfield Water Supply Board Advisory Commission and the town’s Charter Review Commission in 2020. That background has given him experience with municipal priorities and the financial decisions that influence a community’s future.
Santucci has worked as a financial advisor since 1992. House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale recently shared, “I've known Paul for more than 40 years, and his election to the House brought something desperately needed to the State House: more than three decades of professional experience in the financial sector. In a legislature responsible for spending more than $15B of your money every year, having someone who has spent his professional life thinking about money, investment, risk and long-term consequences matters. Paul consistently asks a very simple question: Does this policy allow Rhode Islanders to keep more of what they earn?”
THE COST OF LIVING COMES FIRST
Santucci identifies the cost of everyday necessities as a central concern for Rhode Islanders. Electricity bills, healthcare expenses, and the broader pressure on household budgets are issues he believes state lawmakers must confront.
He wants state government to take a closer look at its own operations before asking taxpayers to shoulder additional costs. His approach includes examining government programs for inefficiencies, addressing improper spending, and using the findings of the Office of the Inspector General to inform future budget decisions. In his view, identifying savings should lead to meaningful adjustments in departmental spending, not simply leave existing budgets untouched.
He also sees economic development as essential to improving household finances. Santucci supports creating conditions that help Rhode Island businesses expand and attract new investment. He believes reducing tax burdens and unnecessary regulatory requirements would give employers more room to grow and help make the state more competitive.
KEEPING COMMUNITIES IN CHARGE OF THEIR FUTURE
For Santucci, decisions about development are best made with a clear understanding of local circumstances. He has raised concerns about state housing and land-use policies that limit the discretion of municipalities.
Smithfield and Glocester have their own needs, priorities, and development considerations. Santucci wants local officials to retain the ability to evaluate proposals through their planning and zoning processes, rather than having their choices dictated by uniform statewide requirements.
He believes municipal decisionmakers should have the flexibility to weigh new development against infrastructure capacity and the long-term interests of residents.
ENERGY POLICY MUST WORK FOR RATEPAYERS
Santucci wants Rhode Island to reassess how its energy goals under The Act on Climate are carried out, with greater attention to the impact on electricity customers.
He supports restoring policy options that he believes would give the state more flexibility to pursue affordable electricity and modifying the timetable for implementing energy initiatives. His position is that environmental objectives should be pursued alongside the practical needs of households and businesses that depend on reliable, reasonably priced power.
STRENGTHENING HEALTHCARE ACCESS
Maintaining access to healthcare is another priority for Santucci. He believes Rhode Island needs to do more to recruit and retain medical professionals, particularly when neighboring states compete for the same workforce.
Among the measures he favors are more competitive reimbursement rates, financial assistance for practitioners facing student debt, and a review of insurance regulations that he believes create unnecessary administrative burdens.
ADDRESSING LOCAL NEEDS
Santucci has also emphasized the importance of securing practical support for local communities. Working with fellow members of the legislative delegation, he has pursued road improvements affecting the district, with some work progressing and further repairs anticipated.
In Glocester, he was able to procure $45K from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the Police Department for essential infrastructure. He hopes to extend similar efforts to other local needs, including those of the Harmony Fire Department, while continuing to advocate for improvements in Smithfield.
He also places importance on helping older residents remain in the communities where they have spent their lives. His municipal experience reinforced for him the value of cooperation between local and state officials in making that possible.
LOOKING AHEAD
Santucci’s priorities reflect a belief that state government should be judged by its practical results: whether families can afford to live here, whether communities retain a meaningful voice in their own development, and whether public resources are being used responsibly.
Paul explained, “If we want to see RI businesses thrive, we need an economic culture that goes beyond platitudes. By lowering taxes and unfunded mandates, people will have more money in their pockets. Through leveraging our seafood industry (through brand new USDA programs for capital) and improving our infrastructure we will become a more attractive state in which to do business.”
His aim is to help build a Rhode Island where residents and businesses can put down roots, plan for the future, and find opportunities to thrive.
RI House of Representatives - House Minority Office - GOP
Smithfield Republican Town Committee
Glocester Republican Town Committee
State Rep State Representative Paul Santucci
