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West Warwick council approves ballot language for up-to-$71 million school bond referendum
Summary
After months of planning, the Town Council voted to place ballot language on an upcoming referendum that would allow issuance of bonds not to exceed $71 million to fund school building projects, with officials promising more detailed public information before early voting begins.
The West Warwick Town Council voted Tuesday to approve ballot language for a proposed school building bond referendum that would allow the town to seek up to $71 million in state-authorized financing for renovations and additions to local schools.
The vote moves language approved by the council to the Board of Canvassers for certification and then to state authorities for placement on a fall ballot. Council President Jay Richardson presided over the meeting as members debated timing, tax impacts and next steps.
Karen, a member of the School Building Committee, told the council that architects and the project manager are finalizing stage-two materials and preparing outreach materials for the public. “We feel very confident in our answers and responses and that we will actually get that final approval for stage 2,” she said, describing planned flyers, open houses and tabling at community events to inform voters.
The bond counsel’s guidance shaped the language the council approved. Council members said bond counsel required the ballot question to show an amount “not to exceed $71,000,000,” even though project planners expect to draw down less than that. A council member summarized the counsel’s direction: “You can’t do 65 because … the language is ‘not to exceed $71,000,000,’ and she said that’s the number that has to be on the ballot.”
Officials and committee members gave several estimates for how the bond could affect the tax levy. Staff said a $70–$71 million bond would translate roughly to a 2.29% increase in the tax levy in the first year under the town’s 4% levy cap, with the second year potentially seeing another increase depending on operational costs related to redistricting and staffing. A council member provided an illustrative figure, saying the bond portion “is $199 a year” on an assessed home value of $500,000 under the estimates presented. Committee and council members repeatedly said they will prepare clearer, position-by-position operational cost estimates — for administrators, custodians and related services — before the public outreach blitz.
Council members emphasized that the bond question must be certified by the Board of Canvassers and meet state election calendar deadlines. One council member said the board will meet Thursday to certify the council’s action; election staff advised the council that if placed on the ballot it will require early voting and mail-ballot procedures under state law.
Several council members and the school committee stressed that removing fifth grade from the middle school is a primary driver of the project and described other urgent capital needs such as window replacement and building renovations. Supporters called the funding a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity, while some council members urged more detailed operational figures to share with taxpayers before ballots are mailed.
The council approved the ballot language by voice vote; members indicated support and the chair declared the motion carried. The council also directed the school building committee and staff to prepare outreach materials and to return with more detailed cost and staffing estimates at upcoming meetings.
If certified on schedule, early voting for the referendum could begin in mid-September, and the council and committee plan a series of community forums and informational materials between now and the election.
The council plans to revisit the item with refined estimates at its September meetings and during planned public events ahead of certification deadlines.
