To the Editor,

I learned that an anonymous bid process was used 15 years ago when I was on the city council. I voted for it. I shouldn’t have, and I regret that mistake.

While on the council I put the interest of the taxpayers first. I fought to expose questionable bids and proposed legislation to reform active and retired employee benefits that are bankrupting the city. My proposals were strongly opposed by special interests in the city. No one could accuse me of having a cozy relationship with these groups.

It leads me to wonder if elected officials in Warwick have compromised themselves by accepting thousands of dollars in contributions from these parties.

Promises to prioritize these select few over Warwick senior citizens, children, and taxpayers are a form of corruption. In my previous commentary I used the term “corrupt” in this figurative not literal sense. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

The mayor went to extraordinary means to research my 2007 council vote. Is he willing to do the same research to account for some of his questionable fiscal decisions in office?

Does he understand the budget trends that have led to the fiscal crisis in the city? Does he even believe we have a problem?

Soon voters may be asked to approve $350 million in borrowing to build two new high schools. How are taxpayers going to be able to afford that and the millions more needed to maintain existing services?

 The mixed messages from the mayor are troubling.

 He won’t release property revaluations because he believes taxes will increase. And people can’t afford that? Yet his administration continues to increase spending at record levels. Can taxpayers afford that?

It’s ironic the mayor calling me, and another councilman out for voting on anonymous bids years ago, but never acknowledges his staff prepared the firefighter anonymous bid on his watch. When is he going to accept responsibility for that mistake?

Now is not the time for the mayor to use the play book of past mayors, where problems were covered up and ignored.

 Warwick needs a leader with the financial acumen to recognize, understand and propose reforms to solve these issues.

Robert Cushman

Warwick