Master of Business Administration - Bryant University
Graduate education focused on finance, management, strategic planning, and organizational leadership.
Bob Cushman
Independent Candidate • Warwick City Council — Ward 1
Independent Candidate • Warwick City Council — Ward 1
I am running for Warwick City Council because I believe the taxpayers of Warwick deserve a voice at City Hall. Too many residents are feeling the pressure of rising property taxes, unsustainable spending, and short-term decisions that make it harder to afford living in Warwick. Senior citizens on fixed incomes are struggling to remain in the homes, while younger families are asking whether they will be able to afford to build their future here. The decisions we make today will shape not only today's taxpayers, but also the financial future we leave to the next generation of Warwick residents.
I served on the Warwick City Council more than twenty years ago, where I raised many of the same concerns about long-term financial planning, responsible spending, and government accountability that our city continues to face today. Although I left elected office, I never stopped working on these issues. Through research, public records requests, attending City Council and School Committee meetings, testifying at budget hearings, writing for the Warwick Beacon, and publishing The Cushman Report, I have continued to study Warwick’s finances and advocate for practical solutions.
I am running because I believe Warwick can do better. My goal is to bring an independent, taxpayer-focused voice back to the City Council, improve transparency, encourage long-term planning instead of short-term fixes, and ensure that every resident—not just special interests—has a seat at the table.
Every role I've held—whether in business, city government, public education, or community leadership—has prepared me to ask the right questions, analyze complex issues, and make informed decisions. Together, these experiences have shaped the leadership, judgment, and commitment I will bring to the Warwick City Council.
Graduate education focused on finance, management, strategic planning, and organizational leadership.
More than three decades translating complex business problems into practical, measurable solutions through research, analysis, and planning.
As a member of the Warwick City Council, I worked to address Warwick's long-term financial obligations by advocating for responsible budgeting, structural reforms, and policies that reduced future liabilities.
The philosophy I embraced then—planning beyond the next budget, protecting future taxpayers, and addressing long-term financial challenges before they became fiscal crises—continues to guide every decision I make today.
As Chairman of the Warwick School Committee, I advocated for long-term planning, school consolidation, and responsible budgeting years before Warwick's current fiscal challenges emerged.
The principles I fought for then—aligning staffing with enrollment, controlling costs, and making difficult but necessary decisions—are the same principles I continue to advocate today.
Since 1983, I have helped lead the Cranston Street Hockey League as a nonprofit community organization, providing thousands of children and adults with an affordable place to play Street Hockey. Most recently, I led the effort to completely resurface the facility with a new state-of-the-art playing surface, ensuring future generations can continue enjoying the league for decades to come.