Facts. Analysis. Transparency.

Warwick property taxes do not increase for just one reason. School spending, city spending, school construction debt, employee pensions and healthcare costs, state aid, property revaluations, and decisions made by elected officials all play a role. Understanding these factors helps taxpayers see why their tax bill changes—and what can be done to keep Warwick affordable.

This section compares Bob Cushman’s plans to keep Warwick affordable, reduce unnecessary spending, and provide meaningful taxpayer relief with Councilman Foley’s voting record on taxes, spending, and the city budget.

See where each candidate stands and decide who will best represent Ward 1 taxpayers on the City Council.

For more than twenty-five years, Warwick City Hall has often responded to immediate problems without fully accounting for the long-term costs. Labor agreements intended to preserve short-term labor peace included employee benefits that continue to cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Explore how these decisions were made and continue to be made today and why taxpayers are paying the price with diminished city and school services, poor roads, inadequately maintained recreation facilities and higher taxes.

Today Warwick taxpayers are paying a “mismanagement tax” because school and city leaders ignored problems that developed over the past twenty years. This report examines the effect of failing to align school staffing and building utilization with historic declines in student enrollment.

Warwick will not become more affordable unless residents elect City Council members who are willing to challenge the status quo and advance a taxpayer-friendly agenda. With the current Council president running unopposed, the council’s leadership—and its priorities—are unlikely to change unless voters replace several entrenched members. Without that turnover, Warwick can expect two more years of the same decision-making: higher taxes, growing spending, costly employee contracts, limited tax relief for seniors and veterans, and too little attention to long-term financial planning. Electing independent, pro-taxpayer council members is the first step toward creating new leadership that will question unnecessary spending, demand accountability, and put the interests of Warwick residents ahead of City Hall.