Warwick voters will return to the polls on Nov. 3 to decide the future of Ward 4 on the City Council. Incumbent Democrat Sal Deluise, a third‑generation bakery owner and former zoning‑board member, is running for a second term. He will be challenged by independent candidate Joanne Miller, who narrowly lost to him in the 2024 race.
Candidate backgrounds
Sal Deluise grew up in Providence, where his family has operated Deluise Bakery for three generations. He holds a degree in economics from the University of Rhode Island and served six years on the Warwick Zoning Board before winning his first council seat in 2024. During that campaign he emphasized support for small businesses, keeping high‑school construction projects on budget, and expanding affordable housing.
In the 2024 election Deluise captured 2,314 votes, or 50.3 % of the total, edging out Miller’s 2,261 votes (49.1 %). He attributed his win to a focus on fiscal responsibility and community‑focused development.
Joanne Miller’s platform
Joanne Miller has lived in Warwick for 39 years and brings a varied professional background that includes managing a drug‑rehabilitation center, overseeing restaurant operations, directing a mail‑order department, and supervising three retail stores simultaneously. She also owned a ballet studio and a pet‑sitting business before becoming a realtor.
Frustrated by rising housing costs and taxes, Miller says her life’s work has prepared her to address Warwick’s fiscal challenges. Her campaign proposals, posted to her Facebook page, include:
- Quarterly public meetings to hear resident concerns.
- Tax assistance programs for retirees and financially strained residents, modeled on successful programs elsewhere in Rhode Island.
- Pursuing federal aid and grants, such as the National Coastal Resilience Fund, to repair eroding waterfronts.
- Reducing lifetime healthcare benefits for former city employees to ensure long‑term sustainability.
- Protecting small businesses from additional tax increases.
Key issues for voters
The race centers on several issues that directly affect Warwick families. Both candidates agree that small‑business health is vital to the local economy, but they differ on how to achieve it. Deluise points to his record of keeping municipal projects on budget, while Miller argues that tax relief and targeted federal grants are needed to keep costs down for residents and businesses alike.
Housing affordability remains a top concern. Deluise’s prior platform called for more affordable housing options, and Miller emphasizes the need to curb rising property taxes that she says price families out of the market.
Healthcare costs for former city employees also surface in Miller’s plan, where she proposes cutting lifetime benefits to preserve the city’s fiscal balance. Deluise has not publicly detailed a specific stance on this issue, leaving voters to weigh the trade‑offs.
What’s at stake
The Ward 4 council seat influences decisions on zoning, local budgeting, and community services that affect everyday life in Warwick. With the election only weeks away, both candidates are intensifying outreach, holding town‑hall style meetings, and encouraging residents to participate in the democratic process.
Warwick’s election officials remind voters to verify their polling locations and to consider early‑voting options where available. The outcome will shape the council’s approach to fiscal stewardship, small‑business support, and housing policy for the coming term.
Original reporting: Warwick Post — read the source article.
