Falkowski Ward 3 Q&A

WARWICK, RI  —  Republican Ward 3 Warwick City Council challenger John Falkowski, owner of Falcon Pest Services in Warwick, has been aiming for the seat for some time.

Falkowski has run for the Ward 3 race before, in the 2014 primary to compete against then Councilwoman Camille Vella-Wilkinson, and against Howe for the seat in 2016 when Vella-Wilkinson ran for state rep.

On his website, Falkowski pledges to work to improve Warwick’s roads and schools, and restore Warwick among the most desirable places to live in the state.

Warwick Post.com emailed the same 10 questions to each Ward 3 candidate Oct. 26 and gave them until Friday, Oct. 30, to respond. Each was asked to acknowledge receipt of the emailed questions, and their intent to answer them.

Due to a communication error, Falkowski was only reached Friday night by Facebook messenger. Given the mistake, WarwickPost.com offered Falkowski an additional two days to respond, and asked him to acknowledge the questions messaged Friday. He did not confirm receipt, and did not respond to further messages Saturday and Sunday seeking to discuss timing on holding the Q&A for his answers.

Here are the questions:

1) During the May 27 budget hearing, Mayor Solomon failed to answer or to pledge to answer several questions posed by citizens and Council members, as reported in the Warwick Post article: Warwick Budget Hearing Questions Unanswered.

What would be your approach to handling this behavior if it were your questions ignored? What if a citizen or fellow council member’s budget question went unanswered?

FALKOWSKI: Falkowski was unable to respond in time to contribute to this question.

2) Warwick City Council subcommittee meetings often run over time, delaying the start of the full Council meeting. What is your assessment of this process? Should it be changed, and if so, how?

FALKOWSKI: Falkowski was unable to respond in time to contribute to this question.

3) What other processes of the City Council would you argue to change?

  FALKOWSKI: Falkowski was unable to respond in time to contribute to this question.

4) During a recent City Council meeting, Councilman Ed Ladouceur complained of his inability to get the City to properly repair Lipitt Park following a recent car crash that damaged it. The meeting ended with his successful resolution forcing the City to make the repairs.

Should citizens expect that their council representative must pursue such measures to secure City services? How would you address this problem?

FALKOWSKI: Falkowski was unable to respond in time to contribute to this question.

5) Looking back at the 2019 Warwick Schools budget crisis, how would you handle city and school communication differently?

  FALKOWSKI: Falkowski was unable to respond in time to contribute to this question.

6) Millions of dollars have been budgeted the last few years for repairing Warwick’s roads, yet only a fraction of that amount is ever used. For instance, in the article, Schools’ Budget Ask Would Have Added $104 to Median Tax Bill, DPW Director Mat Solitro reported there was $3.1M unspent from the $5M in the previous year’s paving budget. This year, the paving budget was reduced to $500K, but a $10M bond has been secured for paving.

Will you continue to vote to approve budgeting paving funds in amounts the city typically fails to use?

FALKOWSKI: Falkowski was unable to respond in time to contribute to this question.

7) How would you make the city’s road projects more accountable and transparent to citizens? 

8) Was the surprise Dec. 20 special meeting to ratify the Firefighter’s Contract called by the Warwick City Council, catching one Council member on a flight, and ultimately ruled illegal, a wise decision?

FALKOWSKI: Falkowski was unable to respond in time to contribute to this question.

9) Considering the Warwick Firefighters’ union’s past history with contractual agreements, was it wise to pass the document with uncorrected errors?

FALKOWSKI: Falkowski was unable to respond in time to contribute to this question.

10) President Donald J. Trump has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the election, and has violated First Amendment protections with repeated attacks against the press and use of tear gas against peaceful protesters.

What is your position on upholding the Constitution of the United States of America, including the First Amendment? What of the country’s unbroken record of the peaceful transfer of power?

FALKOWSKI: Falkowski was unable to respond in time to contribute to this question.