Submitted by David Weisbrod
By now, you have likely received your July property tax bill and noticed that it may look different this year. That’s because two things happened at the same time: Greenwich completed a state-mandated town-wide property revaluation, and the Town adopted the Fiscal Year 2026–27 budget.
Whether your tax bill increased, stayed about the same, or even declined, this year’s bills understandably raise questions. Here’s how the revaluation and this year’s budget worked together to shape them – and what those tax dollars support.
The Property Revaluation: Reflecting Today’s Market
Our last revaluation was in 2021, right before the post-pandemic real estate surge. For the last few years, assessments didn’t reflect how much Greenwich property values had actually grown.
This year’s state-required update helps ensure taxes are shared fairly among homeowners
based on current property values.
● Above Average Growth: If your property’s value rose faster than the town-wide average, your taxes likely increased.
● Below Average Growth: If your value rose less than the average, your bill may have increased only slightly, stayed flat, or even declined.
The Budget: Investing in Our Community
This year’s budget is about maintaining and improving the schools, facilities, services, and infrastructure you rely on everyday.
Like every homeowner, the Town must decide when it makes sense to continue repairing an aging asset and when it’s more responsible to replace it. Delaying necessary investments may reduce costs in the short term, but it often leads to greater disruption and costs over time.
Several of this year’s capital investments reflect that philosophy. Among them are:
● Julian Curtiss School: Every Child, Every Classroom
Every child deserves the opportunity to fully participate in school, regardless of physical ability. Accessibility improvements at Julian Curtiss will allow students of all abilities to independently access the entire building, ensuring no student is separated from classmates or unable to take part in everyday school life because of physical barriers.
● Dorothy Hamill Rink: A Better Home for Families, Skaters, & Youth Sports
For years, the Town has kept the Dorothy Hamill Rink operating through repairs and temporary fixes. This investment moves beyond patchwork to replace an aging facility with one that better serves Greenwich families, youth hockey, figure skating, recreational skaters, and the broader community. It will provide a modern rink that meets today’s needs while continuing a tradition that has been a part of Greenwich for generations.
● Back Country Fire Protection: Keeping Homes & Families Safe
Many homes in Greenwich’s backcountry are beyond the reach of municipal water mains and fire hydrants. This investment provides firefighters with the equipment they need to deliver water quickly when every minute counts, helping to protect homes, families, and
property when fires occur.
A Transparent, Bipartisan Process
This budget received unanimous approval from the bipartisan Board of Estimate and Taxation after months of public review and detailed analysis. During that process, the BET reduced the First Selectman’s proposed budget by approximately $6 million before forwarding it to the Representative Town Meeting, where it also received broad support.
Our commitment to you remains unchanged: to manage your tax dollars thoughtfully, communicate transparently, and balance affordability with the investments needed to preserve Greenwich’s exceptional quality of life.
David Weisbrod is Chair of the Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation.