Submitted by Democratic members of the Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation, Elliot Alchek, Matt DesChamps, Scott Kalb, Leslie Moriarty, Stephen Selbst and David Weisbrod
The recent budget decisions emanating from Greenwich’s Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) represent not merely a fiscal miscalculation, but a profound betrayal of the community’s trust.
A partisan majority, six Republican members wielding their narrow electoral advantage, enacted a budget that recklessly disregards the pressing needs of our town, demonstrating a chilling indifference to the consequences of their actions. The process itself was a travesty.
Last minute amendments, sprung upon the board with scant time for due diligence, slashed funding for vital services and infrastructure with little justification. The demand for reasonable and customary review, for the exercise of our fiduciary responsibilities, was met with obstinate refusal. 
The result is a budget that dismisses safety improvements, preparedness for future storms, necessary infrastructure and recreation projects, and even critical teachers may be let go. These are not luxuries; they are fundamental investments in the wellbeing and resilience of our community. The purpose for these cuts was never vocalized, so we can only surmise it was done for two reasons – hubris and a myopic pursuit of short-term tax relief which will boomerang with larger tax increases in future years.
What was concerning throughout the three days of meetings was the dismissive disregard for expert opinion and for the reasoned recommendations of town employees and engineers. There was no advance disclosure to senior management of the amendments or discussion of the impacts of those cutbacks. There was no discussion on what it means for future budgets – not in public meetings or behind closed doors. The fact that the First Selectman decried these cuts provides clear evidence of six people imposing their will and ignoring any other source of information. Equally important was their total disregard for public opinions expressed through public hearings and thousands of emails.
The assault on Greenwich Public Schools is particularly egregious. A $4 million reduction to school budget request leaves a budget that does not cover contractual wage increases for the current staff. How is this action justifiable when the budget was proposed with overwhelming bipartisan support from the Board of Education and our Republican First Selectman? Despite many opportunities to better understand the rationale of the proposed school’s budget, Republicans instead returned to repeating old disproven data. Every year, the school’s administration provides data countering these false claims, yet they return nonetheless like weeds in a spring garden. BET Republicans clearly have no understanding of the impact of this cut. Instead, in their remarks, they chose to denigrate our teachers by questioning their commitment to the profession, to Greenwich, and to our children.
And make no mistake, compromise and negotiation was never on the table. Tossing out lower numbers for public consumption was all an act. They presented a facade of compromise, while the underlying damage remained. Republicans’ refusal to engage with school administrators, to understand the real-world impact of their decisions, is an abdication of responsible governance, and something none of us could endorse.
The BET is not a supreme authority. Its role is to scrutinize, to analyze, and to ensure fiscal prudence within a framework that recognizes the long-term needs of our town.
The current economic climate, with its inherent uncertainties, demands a measured and strategic approach to budgeting. Instead, we have witnessed a display of ideological rigidity, a disregard for sound financial planning, and a prioritization of fleeting tax reductions over the enduring health of our community.
Maintaining our historic practice of keeping taxes among the lowest in the region is essential but doesn’t have to come at the expense of our children’s education, our public safety, and the critical infrastructure that sustains our town. This is a false choice and simple minded.
The residents of Greenwich deserve better. They deserve a government that listens, that respects expertise, and that prioritizes the well-being of the entire community.
The opportunity to restore responsible governance will arrive on November 4th. Until then, the damage inflicted by this terrible partisan budget will reverberate through our town, a stark reminder of the cost of ideological intransigence.
Your Democratic BET Representatives for all Greenwich,
Elliot Alchek
Matt DesChamps
Scott Kalb
Leslie Moriarty
Stephen Selbst
David Weisbrod