Council defeats effort to force special election to revoke $350 million school bond authorization

The Warwick City Council voted to defeat a resolution asking the Rhode Island General Assembly to authorize a special election that would allow voters to revoke the city's $350 million bond authorization for two new high schools. Council members who opposed the measure said the original bond had been approved by voters and the better course was to manage cost and scope through the existing project process.

The resolution, introduced by Councilman Ladiser and debated at length during the intergovernmental committee and at the full council meeting, sought authorization for a special election to stop construction of the two high schools. Supporters of the resolution argued that rising costs and design changes meant the public should decide again. Critics said a special election would overturn the result of the 2022 vote and risk losing state reimbursements and progress already made.

Why it matters: Voters approved the 2022 bond measure authorizing $350 million in general-obligation indebtedness to replace Pilgrim and Tollgate high schools. The project later showed a projected budget gap that proponents said could be narrowed; opponents said the gap and other budget pressures mean…