It’s good to see that local politicians have the taxpayer’s “best interest” at heart. That being the case, here is my list of reasons for people to be thankful this holiday season.

• Some city employees are thankful they only have to buy socks next year since they will be receiving new work boots paid for by Warwick taxpayers at a cost of $7,500.

• Warwick Fire Chief Kevin Sullivan is grateful that even through his department has blown through over half of its $1.7 million overtime budget in under five months; he still was allowed to purchase a top-of-the-line Ford Expedition for approximately $40,000.

• Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian is thankful that during his testimony on consolidation at the state house, legislators didn’t find out resolutions were passed by the City Council and School Committee a few years ago giving him the authority to hire outside experts to develop a plan to consolidate city and school Information Technology functions, which he refused to do.

• Warwick homeowners who are struggling financially are thankful that the $600 annual cap on out-of-pocket municipal employee, family, prescription drug fees is only costing taxpayers $1 million this year.

• Warwick Personnel Director Oscar Shelton is pleased that taxpayers do not realize the city does not have a plan to finance the $365 million unfunded healthcare liability, equating it to paying the city’s electric bill for the next one-hundred years.

• Warwick citizens are gratified that the City Council Finance Committee adheres to the state open meeting laws most of the time, holding illegal budgetary meetings at a members home only once each year.

• Rhode Islanders are thankful they do not live in a state like Michigan with double-digit unemployment and dismal projections for future job growth.

• Warwick teachers are grateful they pay only an $11 per week co-pay for family plan healthcare. Warwick Independent School Employees are grateful they pay nothing.

• Rhode Islanders are thankful legislators will return to the State House soon - albeit to conduct annual holiday parties instead of addressing the $219 million expanding state budget deficit.

• Engaged Warwick citizens are pleased that the City Council leadership recent decision to schedule a City Council meeting at 2:30 PM on a work day to promote additional participation by residents, didn’t seem to work.

• Citizens are thankful that the Warwick Sewer Authority will repay the approximate $6 million interest fee debt they own taxpayers by 2042 and while taxpayers are accrued interest for late payments, developers have paid no interest on their balance for authority-completed work.

• Warwick senior citizens are thankful that their tax dollars are paying for automatic Cost of Living Adjustments for some retired city worker pension plans when they themselves, will not receive a COLA from Social Security.

• Rhode Islanders across the state are thankful that more and more people are feed-up with poor leadership, have begun to realize that the status quo is unsustainable, unacceptable, and are finally willing to do something about it.

Robert Cushman is a former Warwick City Councilman and former Chairman of the Warwick School Committee. Contact him at CushmanR@cox.net.