Newport City Council Chair and Mayor Xaykham "Xay" Rexford Khamsyvoravong is seeking re-election to Newport City Council At-Large, emphasizing the need for continued action on pressing issues facing the city.In an interview with What'sUpNewp on Thursday, October 19, Khamsyvoravong highlighted the council's accomplishments over the past 22 months and outlined his priorities for another term."We need to focus on housing for our middle class here in Newport. We need to focus on resiliency, specifically going out, getting the federal dollars that we should be getting," Khamsyvoravong said. "And then finally, we need to be focused on public education."The council chair pointed to the city's success in securing over $40 million in state and federal grants during his tenure. This funding is aimed at addressing infrastructure needs and supporting initiatives like education and housing.Khamsyvoravong stressed the importance of taking action rather than just studying issues. "Perfect is the enemy of good," he said. "And residents right now are at the point where they are being pushed out because they can't stand any additional studying. They need action."He cited the council's efforts to increase housing opportunities, noting that applications for nearly 300 new units of housing have been put into the pipeline in the past 18 months. This marks a significant change for a community that has historically added only one net unit of housing per year over the past two decades.The council chair also addressed the city's infrastructure challenges, including a $500 million deficit in capital infrastructure needs. A $98.5 million bond question will be on the ballot to address some of these issues."That $500 million hole that we mentioned is not 500 million to make sure we're set for the next generation. That's just to get through the next five years," Khamsyvoravong explained.He emphasized the need for bold action and honesty about the city's situation. "I'm not kicking the can on this, and I know that these things are not easy or popular. Nobody likes to say, hey, your taxes are going to go up a little bit, and we have to borrow some money to do this. But I'm being realistic about where we stand."On education, Khamsyvoravong highlighted the Learn 365 initiative as a model for improving the city's school system. The program aligns after-school activities run by community nonprofits with classroom curriculum."I think that is the key to Aquidneck Island meeting its educational potential," he said.Khamsyvoravong also addressed the challenge of balancing the needs of residents with those of the city's 3.5 million annual visitors. He pointed to efforts to shift more of the financial burden onto tourists, such as increasing cruise ship fees and implementing dynamic pricing for downtown parking."We've got to actually shift that burden," he said. "That means staffing up to ensure we can go after those resources and then being aggressive about working together."As the election approaches, Khamsyvoravong urged voters to look critically at candidates' records and proposed solutions. "Look to see if people are putting their money where their mouth is. Look to see if the actual things they've supported today align with where you're coming from."The Rhode Island General election will occur on November 8. Early voting begins on October 16.Watch The Conversation

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