Joseph M. Polisena (born June 27, 1954) is an American politician from

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

. He served in the

Rhode Island Senate The Rhode Island Senate is the upper house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, the lower house being the Rhode Island House of Representatives. It is composed of 38 Senators, each of w ...

from 1993 to 1999 and again from 2001 to 2007. He served as mayor of the Town of Johnston from 2007 until he was succeeded by his son, Joseph Polisena Jr., in 2023. He is a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

Early life and education

Polisena was born to Julia Marie and Joseph Anthony Polisena on June 27, 1954. He graduated from Johnston High School in Johnston, Rhode Island in 1972. In 1985, Polisena graduated from the

Community College of Rhode Island The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is a public community college in Rhode Island. It is the only community college in the state and the largest community college in New England. The college's primary facility is located in Warwick, wit ...

with an associate degree in nursing. In 1988, he earned a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in health services from

Roger Williams University Roger Williams University (RWU) is a private university in Bristol, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1956, it was named for theologian and Rhode Island cofounder Roger Williams. The school enrolled approximately 4,400 undergraduate and ...

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

. In 1998, he completed a

Master of Education The Master of Education (MEd or M.Ed. or Ed.M.; Latin ''Magister Educationis'' or ''Educationis Magister'') is a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum an ...

through

Cambridge College Cambridge College is a private college based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It also operates regional centers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Springfield, Massachusetts, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, and Rancho Cucamonga, California. There is a ...

Career

He was employed by the Community College of Rhode Island as a registered nurse and assistant professor. He also worked as a nurse at the Our Lady of Fatima Hospital. He worked as a firefighter for the Johnston Fire Department.

Rhode Island Senate

Polisena served a total of twelve years in the Rhode Island Senate, from 1993 to 1999 and from 2001 to 2007. He served as Deputy Majority Leader. He served on a state commission studying improvements to the state fire code following a fatal 2003 fire, and he sponsored a 2005 bill to clarify and strengthen the state's fire code.

Mayor of Johnston

Polisena served on a panel that studied Rhode Island's municipal pension system as one of the three required municipal officials, along with then-Mayor

Angel Taveras Angel Taveras (born August 18, 1970) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 37th mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, from 2011 to 2015. Taveras was the first Hispanic mayor of the city and the third elected and fourth serving Domi ...

of Providence and twelve other individuals. He has been an outspoken proponent of pension reform throughout the state. He has proposed a plan to freeze cost of living adjustments (COLAs) in retirees' pensions. Polisena was a strong supporter of Governor

Lincoln Chafee Lincoln Davenport Chafee ( ; born March 26, 1953) is an American politician. He was mayor of Warwick, Rhode Island, from 1993 to 1999, a United States Senator from 1999 to 2007, and the 74th Governor of Rhode Island from 2011 to 2015. He was a ...

's Municipal Relief Package for the cities and towns of Rhode Island. Polisena did not seek reelection in 2022, and he endorsed his son, Town Council Vice President Joseph Polisena Jr., who went on to win the general election. Polisena Jr. served as Polisena's 2012 campaign manager.

Personal life

He is married to Lucille "Lucy" Polisena. He was succeeded by his son, Joseph Polisena Jr., as mayor of Johnston in 2023.

References

, - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Polisena, Joe Living people 1954 births Democratic Party Rhode Island state senators Mayors of places in Rhode Island People from Johnston, Rhode Island Politicians from Providence County, Rhode Island Roger Williams University alumni Cambridge College alumni Community College of Rhode Island alumni 20th-century members of the Rhode Island General Assembly 21st-century members of the Rhode Island General Assembly