City Council President Steve McAllister knows the election clock is ticking if he intends to run for mayor, but for the moment he’s putting it aside as he concentrates on the city budget.

“I think about it every day,” he said Monday when asked if would run for the office. He added a major responsibility of the City Council is to approve the city budget and that’s his priority.

McAllister’s name as a possible candidate for mayor popped up when Gov. Dan McKee and House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi co-hosted a fundraiser for him at the Crowne Plaza. Going into the event, speculation swirled that he would use the occasion to announce his candidacy. McAllister confirmed his interest in the post, observing that this would be the first time a Warwick mayor would be elected for a four year term. He felt that was important to successfully complete an agenda and bring positive change to the city. However, about two days before the party he ruled out an announcement, leaving people to wonder if he had gotten cold feet.

During his brief time in the spotlight as a possible mayoral candidate, McAllister said he received a lot of positive feedback and promises to work on his campaign. He feels he has the backing of the Democratic Party should he run. And while the Democrats have a hold on Warwick elected offices and would be a formidable force, incumbent independent Mayor Frank Picozzi is a popular maverick. Picozzi, known for his Christmas digital light display, has a strong following on Facebook. In 2020 when the state was shutdown by the pandemic, Picozzi decided to bring some cheer to residents with a traveling digital display to every street in the city. It wasn’t long before homeowners were asking him to run for mayor.

Picozzi turned down political endorsements and focused his campaign on city services, highlighting deteriorating municipal equipment including sanitation and fire trucks, beating incumbent Democrat Mayor Joseph Solomon. He works closely with the all Democratic City Council yet remains true to his independent roots. At a Warwick Rotary Club meeting, Picozzi summed up his distain for state politicians   trying to get him to join the club, “Anyone who expects me to kiss their ring can kiss my ass."

McAllister and Picozzi have worked together on a cross section of projects. He and Picozzi are in constant contact, although that has cooled since McAllister expressed interest in running for the job.

“It’s a big decision (if he was to run for mayor). I would lose my job.” McAllister is Vice President, Eastern Region for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and sees himself moving up the chamber ladder.

For the next several weeks, however, McAllister is focused on the city budget.

Drafted by the mayor and the administration, the budget that serves as the basis for the tax is handed off to the City Council by the second or third week in May. Customarily, public hearings are held over nights as the council goes over the spending package line by line and department by department. The School Department conducts its own public hearings. An overall school budget request is then forwarded to the mayor who amends or approves the total to the council. The council likewise has the power to amend the school budget, but it can’t dictate where cuts or additions should be made.