Submitted by Cheryl Moss and Peter Cruikshank
Due to long standing concerns about the lack of accurate Capital Budget planning, on June 9, 2025, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) voted overwhelmingly (107-32-11) to request that:
1) the First Selectman and the BET Chair present at its September 15, 2025 meeting their detailed plan to ensure that the next 15-year Capital Budget is in compliance with all 3 BET affordability guidelines, and
2) the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) Chair propose how to engage all BET members in developing the annual operating budget guidelines and to solicit public input before the guidelines are final.
The RTM’s concerns stem from the fiscal cliff our Town is headed for (requiring a massive mill rate increase) caused by years of Republican controlled BET mismanagement: ignoring needed repairs until something falls apart or someone get hurt. Analysis shows that the 15-year Capital plan violates all 3 of the BET’s own ‘affordability guidelines’ in multiple years. In particular, the RTM was especially concerned that only 1.4% of the capital projects for Fiscal Year 2028-2029 could be funded by the Capital Tax Levy, millions of dollars short of the 10% minimum, creating a ‘debt cliff’. That is fiscally irresponsible.
This is why the Republican controlled BET has been using its tie-breaking vote to ram through spending cuts and deleting over $140 million in major projects from the capital plan, including zeroing out funding to replace the Hamill rink, flood protection for Grass Island sewage treatment plant, and to renovate North Street School. Instead of analyzing the projects to get a more accurate picture of future costs, they said the projects should be deleted altogether. That is fiscally irresponsible.
The Republican BET Chair has refused to convene the debt policy committee since December 2020, so there has been no in-depth analysis of our capital funding needs for nearly 5 years. This is the Republican BET’s idea of fiscal planning. Is that how you budget your family’s expenses? College is coming up, so let’s just ignore that bill until they head out the door? That is fiscally irresponsible.
The First Selectman and the BET Chair had 90 days to work together with the Finance department and Town departments in order to respond to the SOMR.
Instead, the BET Chair’s written response was “… in regard to the SOMR itself, it does not pay heed to the budgetary process set forth in the Town Charter. The RTM has a role, but not prior to that budgetary process.” Rather than responding to the legitimate concerns of the RTM, Mr. Fisher hides behind the Town Charter and “process” instead of doing the job he was elected to do. That is fiscally irresponsible.
Our First Selectman stated “I am open to, and encourage, suggestions, constructive criticism, and anything else to improve the system, but we will be done with this plan (e.g., the capital plan) in due time, so that’s all I have for you now.” That is fiscally irresponsible.
It is time for a change. We need real leadership and fiscal responsibility.
Vote Row A for the fiscally responsible Democratic party candidates who will listen and respond to Greenwich residents.
Cheryl Moss, Chair of District 8 & the Public Works Committee
Peter Cruikshank, member of District 8 & the Finance Committee
(The views expressed are our own.)