Submitted by David Alfano, Nisha Arora, Karen Fassuliotis, Harry Fisher, Lucia Jansen and Leslie Tarkington
Republican Candidates for the Greenwich Board of Estimate & Taxation (BET) Republican members of the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) are committed to building Central Middle School (CMS), renovating Old Greenwich Elementary, and modernizing our school and town infrastructure. We are committed to making these capital improvements expeditiously and efficiently while ensuring our taxes stay affordable. We need your support to deliver these goals.
To date, many Greenwich capital projects have stalled due to inflated budgets and some advocating to have no checks and balances on budgets. In May 2022, given the urgency, the Republican-led BET approved $70 Million to rebuild CMS. The $70 Million budget was proposed by the Board of Education (BOE) and was approved unanimously by all 12 BET members. However, now the school cost has ballooned to $120 million while the project is still in the design phase. Understanding that a typical project escalates further during construction, one could expect a CMS project cost close to double the approved budget.
The cost run up is not surprising to anyone following the project. The scope has increased materially, and decisions around design have been made with minimal regard to budget. Republican BET members have requested the BOE and CMS Building Committee to find compromises on size and have provided suggestions to reduce costs. However, these suggestions have been disregarded, and Republican members vilified for providing cost-reduction ideas.
For example:
• The school building is being designed for 750 students, while enrollment is expected to average 450 over the next decade. Republican BET members suggested building for 600, 20% over the maximum enrollment while providing for an expansion design should school enrollment explode after a decade. This was rejected.
• The school’s proposed design calls for a larger footprint, closer to neighboring homes and requiring thousands of trees to be cut. Several members suggested a more compact design with different siting options that were more neighborhood friendly and more cost effective.
These ideas have been dismissed.
• Several members suggested selecting vendors with a history of cost control. CMS BC members, however, selected familiar vendors and/or those favored by the BOE who appear to have no constraints on cost.
There were numerous other compromises suggested to contain costs, but many have led to personal attacks on Republicans. It has been disappointing that such an important project is being used by some for election year politics. There should be nothing partisan about having cost discipline. As fiscal stewards of the town, we believe that all BET members should work together in a non-partisan manner to advocate for the best needed services at the best cost.
Democrats have argued that we are an affluent town, and our residents can afford to pay higher taxes. Contrary to Republicans, our opponents demand that the BET take on more long-term debt.
This argument is flawed and is a major departure from what we are advocating. There are 15 schools in Greenwich, all of which need to be modernized over the next few years. If we lack cost discipline, our capital budget will balloon in the coming years and the 15-year BOE Master Plan could easily double in cost i.e. the $1 Billion BOE Master Plan could easily become $2 Billion.
Our Democratic colleagues are spreading a misconception that such a spending spree would not lead to higher taxes because we can “borrow for the long term” – as if borrowings do not have to be repaid. The truth is that the additional costs incurred from long term borrowing would significantly increase our future property taxes. This approach is irresponsible financial planning that has brought down many Democratic-run towns in Connecticut and across the country.
We cannot allow Greenwich to go down this dangerous path of spending without constraints.
Our town residents deserve to have modernized infrastructure AND affordable taxes. We firmly believe that this IS achievable. We need to come together as neighbors and residents, and support compromises. We must treat public funds with respect and work together to find solutions. A ‘my way or the highway approach’ is not acceptable and serves only to delay and to create contention.
With respect to the CMS project, with your support, we will endeavor to find compromise with the BOE, to allow us to break ground on CMS this coming spring and get the students in a new school within 24 months.
On November 7th, we ask you to vote for a vision of Greenwich, which is for everyone. We ask you to vote for a vision where we invest prudently and effectively, while keeping your taxes affordable.
On November 7th, vote Row B for all six Republican BET candidates.
NOTE: Deadline to submit letters to the editor regarding the Nov 7 election is October 30, 2023 at 12:00 noon. Not every letter will be published. Include your phone number and address (not for publication).