Having lived in Warwick for 18 years, Roger Ceresi is hoping to represent his neighborhood in the city’s government.

Ceresi, 71, is one of two independents and five overall candidates in the Ward 7 field, which is the most crowded of any of Warwick’s races. He and his wife Lisa are residents of Arnold’s Neck.

For much of his life, Ceresi said that he had little interest in politics, preferring to focus on his main career- music.

“I was never a big political guy, but I always wanted to do the right thing for people,” Ceresi said. “A lot of people that get into politics, they’re just streamlined, you know? I think it you’ve dealt with a lot of different people- a lot of different age groups, and you’ve been around everyone, you have more of a mind for how to deal with different situations and not get freaked out…My music makes people happy. Politicians don’t.”

Should he be elected to the Council, Ceresi said that his top priorities would be economic- something that he believes the council has neglected recently- saying that he would vet every expense that the city would make.

“Over the years, the council has continuously failed to properly scrutinize expenditures of the taxpayers, things that were never vetted thoroughly, which ultimately became the burden of the taxpayer,” Ceresi said. “The city’s occurred a massive debt which has compromised the fiscal stability of this community and ultimately will be passed down to future generations.”

His approach, he said, would differ from Ward 7’s current representative, City Council President Stephen McAllister, who he accused of breaking promises he made about his ward to him about matters including putting up stop signs and speed limit signs in Ceresi’s neighborhood.

Ceresi said that honesty was of the utmost importance to him, and should he be elected to the City Council, he would strive to keep every promise he made.

“I want to be truthful with people, and if I say I’m going to do something, I don’t care what it is, I’ll do it,” Ceresi said. “If I can’t, I won’t promise it… I can’t just take it upon myself to do things, but I won’t lie to people.”

Another change that Ceresi wants to make is to the Council’s public comment policy, Rule 41 of the Council’s Amended Adopted Rules, which currently stipulates that councilmembers cannot respond to comments made by members of the public.

“There isn’t such a thing as point-counterpoint,” Ceresi said. “You say your piece, and they just look at you. They don’t react to what you’re saying. I’ll converse.”

With less than three months left until November’s election, Ceresi is planning on meeting more Ward 7 residents and talking about his policies with them.

Making those connections, Ceresi said, is key if he wants to earn the trust of the ward’s voters and fully enter the world of politics.

“You have to hear the people’s voice, listen to what the people are saying,” Ceresi said. “That’s my path to victory.”