Warwick council defeats proposal to ask state for special election on $350M high‑school bond

Council President Sanappi and the Intergovernmental and Appointments Committee held an extended public hearing on PCR 15‑25, a resolution asking the Rhode Island General Assembly to permit a special municipal election that would seek to revoke the city’s authority to issue further indebtedness under the $350 million bond approved in 2022 for two new high schools. The intergovernmental committee first moved the resolution to the full council without a recommendation.

The subject drew sustained public comment both for and against the resolution. Supporters of PCR 15‑25 said voters who approved the 2022 bond did not see the current or projected cost increases and urged another public vote. Michelle Comar, a Ward 1 resident, said the project’s projected overrun and uncertain taxpayer impact justified sending the question back to voters. Several other speakers, including Rob Cody (Ward 7) and Joyce Winstead Butler, urged rescission or a new referendum, citing rising project estimates and concerns about property‑tax impacts on seniors and small businesses.

Opponents, including parents, municipal employees and school officials, argued a revote would waste months and millions already spent on design and risk losing state reimbursement. David Testa, chair of the school building committee, told the council that approximately $13 million had already been spent and that guaranteed state reimbursement tied to the current plan would be jeopardized if the project stopped. Teachers, parents and trades representatives warned delays would increase costs and reduce competition among construction bidders.

After debate on the full council floor the council recorded votes on motions to oppose and to carry other actions; the final disposition recorded by the council was that PCR 15‑25 was defeated and will not proceed as a request to the General Assembly. The council previously held the matter open through the evening so public testimony could be collected; several speakers asked for updated budget and tax‑impact projections. The school committee and administration said they would continue to provide updated cost and reimbursement information at public forums underway every two months.

The public hearing and subsequent floor debate highlighted three recurring themes: (1) whether the current conceptual designs the public voted on in 2022 can be delivered near the $350 million cap after construction‑market escalation; (2) the effect of any delay or stop on state reimbursement and work already completed; and (3) the tax‑rate implications for Warwick households and businesses. Council members pressed the administration for clearer, up‑to‑date estimates of expected tax impacts and bond timing; administration staff said bond sale timing and interest rates will determine the final tax impact and that figures presented earlier were estimates based on the then‑current valuations and interest‑rate assumptions.

The council moved other items forward at the meeting; the intergovernmental committee had forwarded PCR 15‑25 to the full floor without recommendation to allow the full council to consider the matter after extensive public comment.

Ending: With the council’s action, the current school projects will continue to proceed under the planning and procurement steps already underway; the council and school department said they would provide further public cost updates as the project advances and as reimbursement calculations firm up.