To the Editor:

On November 3 the citizens and taxpayers of Warwick have an opportunity to put an end to the one party rule that has dominated City Hall for 30 years. Electing four Republican members to the City Council will be transformative. For the last 30 years the Democratic Party machine has controlled the City Council chambers.

Pandering, nepotism, favoritism, infighting and back handedness is just the beginning of the list of words that describe their disrespectful behavior. Donna Travis in Ward 6 and Tim Howe in Ward 3 need to go. Mrs. Travis has been on the council long enough. Whatever she vows to do to improve the City and Ward 6 should have already been done. She has had 20 years. She got her State job and also secured City employment for family members while on the Council. We should thank her for her service and replace her on the Council with Tom Trudell the Republican challenger.

Tim Howe is the incumbent from Ward 3. We need Republican John Falkowski in that seat. Howe supported a “Christmas Eve” contract ratification meeting. It was a meeting he supported as a member of a faction on the City Council that takes its orders from the Mayor. Issues that affect Ward 3 have been piling up with no real comment or plan from him. The Warwick Boys and Girls Clubs Cooper Bldg. lease? The

McDermott Pool closure? The unused and rotting WSD Administration Bldg.? The neglected and deteriorating condition of the Mickey Stevens Complex? Does he have anything to say to the mayor about these matters? Except maybe, “Can I get help with a job for my daughter at the WSA?” How about the 2 recent, election year proposals to the Council? Marijuana Legislation he pulled before presentation that would have lowered commercial sales and rental values for property owners in Ward 3 by limiting the number of investors in the growing marijuana industry. Also, the bill to promote favored treatment of local businesses in the bidding process. In essence, legislation that has been in place for the 4 years he has been on the council. The legislation has been ignored and unenforced by Council members who pretend to be protecting the Taxpayer.

Finally Bill Foley. You have to give Bill credit for his loyalty to the Democrats and to Mayor Solomon. When Bill was asked to challenge Donna Travis 20 years ago for the Ward 6 seat he answered the call. Donna was a sitting Councilperson and a Democrat. She had opposed a vote for a preferred bidder and was punished by her own party. Bill lasted one term. Bill came back, at the behest of Mayor Solomon and

the Democratic machine, and challenged a sitting Democrat again. This time Rick Corley was the target. His crime was speaking up at Councilman Howe’s Christmas ratification party. Corley was shut out of the endorsement and defeated. WOW! What nerve! Pulling the same stunt 20 years later and expecting voters to believe you were asked to get involved for the good of Ward 1. I don’t think so. You were

asked to “take out Corley” and now you will owe the Democrat Machine should you win. Scott Phillips will work for the people not the “machine”.

You can’t make this stuff up. It is politics as usual in Warwick and it will never change unless the voters speak up. Please help change Warwick for the better. Re-elect no one. Elect the Slate of capable and selfless Republican Candidates on November 3.

Rick Cascella

Warwick GOP Chairman