After losing a 2014 run for governor, Republican Allan Fung returned to Rhode Island’s third-largest city to face a brewing scandal within his police department. His office was roundly criticized in a state police report, which provided fodder for his opponents during his most recent reelection bid. Despite that, Fung easily won with 68 percent of the vote.
Fung said infrastructure repair will be one of his major priorities during his final term.
“We’re going to do a lot more to address our school buildings, we’re going to be able to do a lot more with our roads,” said Fung. “We just had passed a $20-million road bond, that’s going to hopefully allow us to double the amount of roads that we’re able to do annually.”
Fung said one of the Cranston’s biggest challenges remains underfunded pensions.
“We still have a very severely underfunded plan. When I first took office it was at a dreadful about 16 percent funded. Slowly, between the reforms, some improved investments; we’re up to about 22 percent funded.”
A lawsuit challenging a portion of Fung’s pension overhaul is working its way to the state Supreme Court. Fung was mum on any future plans to run for governor.
