Fair questions, short answers.
Questions a skeptical resident or a supporter of the plaza might reasonably ask, answered with the City’s own figures and links to the page that holds the detail.
Isn’t a rink supposed to cost money?
It can be. Municipal recreation spaces are often funded because residents value access and community benefits, and a public amenity does not have to make a profit. The question here is narrower: the approved FY2026 budget expected rink revenue to cover its $723,546 in departmental costs, and the City’s later projection showed $150,000 in revenue against $635,503 in expenses. Read the fair context · Read our purpose
Isn’t the plaza good for Warwick?
Its value to residents and its financial performance are distinct questions. This site does not argue against the plaza. It asks whether expected costs and revenues were described accurately and whether performance is reported clearly. See the plaza page
Why not wait for the audit?
FY2026 ended June 30, 2026, and as of October 23, 2026 the City has not published actual or audited FY2026 results for the rink. Every figure on this site is labeled as a budget, interim figure or projection, and we will update the pages when actual results are released.
Opinion: the FY2027 request was built before audited FY2026 results existed, so asking now what assumptions support it seems reasonable rather than premature. See where the numbers stand · See updates
Who runs this site?
It is independent watchdog commentary and parody about fiscal accountability in Warwick. The site does not identify its author; its claims rest on the City documents it links, so readers can check every figure themselves. Read the disclosure and methods · Open the sources
Is this the Picozzi campaign?
No. This is not Frank Picozzi’s campaign website. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Frank Picozzi, any candidate, political committee, the City of Warwick, or Greenwood Credit Union, and it does not solicit campaign contributions. The question mark in the name is the point. Read the disclosure
What is Location 44?
“44” is the City budget accounting identifier for Apponaug Rink, the name City budgets use for the Greenwood Credit Union City Hall Plaza. It can help locate transactions in budget documents, but it is not the headline. See the Finances page
Why does the FY2026 revenue figure differ between documents?
We don’t know, and that is one of our questions. The approved FY2026 budget shows $723,546 in rink revenue. The proposed FY2027 budget’s comparison column lists the FY2026 adopted amount as $798,546, a $75,000 difference the documents do not explain. See the comparison table · See question 02
Is the $485,503 figure an operating loss?
No. It is the City’s FY2026 projected departmental expenses ($635,503) minus projected revenue ($150,000). It is not an independently audited operating loss. It includes a $61,795 miscellaneous capital expenditure line; without it, the difference is $423,708. Some related costs, such as benefits or shared services, may be recorded elsewhere, and sponsorship timing can change the picture. See how the gap is calculated
Doesn’t the partial first year explain the shortfall?
It may explain part of it. The facility opened during FY2026, so its first fiscal year was partial, and this site says so wherever the figures appear. The FY2027 request is a full-year budget, and it lists exactly $671,511 in both expenses and revenue. What supports that projection is a fair question either way. See the FY2027 request
What if a figure here is wrong?
If a figure here differs from a City document, the City document controls. Corrections are logged on the updates page with the date and what changed. Read the corrections policy