Submitted by Keith Damsky and Jenny Jones, Cos Cob
We are Keith Damsky and Jenny Jones. We are parents with kids in the Greenwich School system, and we are running for the RTM in District 2. We want them, their friends, and all children in our schools to learn in buildings that are safe and accessible.
We are also finance professionals in roles familiar to everyone in Greenwich. Our daily business roles require us to be data-driven.
So, let’s focus on the facts.
Our baseline proposition is not revolutionary:
– Safety requires investment before buildings are declared too dangerous for human occupancy.
– Accessibility requires all schools to be available to all children, including children with disabilities.
– Both of the above require more capital than the BET has actually approved
An alternative viewpoint has been put forth by BET Republicans with an interesting conclusion. In their view, not only is the approved capital adequate:
– Those who would approve more “…want an unlimited credit card, and propose expanding town services and expenditures in a huge spending spree.” (Karen Fassuliotis, cited Heated Finance Board Debate: Zingers, Accusations and Raised Voices Oct 19, 2023)
Would a greater level of investment be equivalent to an irresponsible spending spree?
The data shows that we can all agree that it would not. At least, we can all agree on this in the year before we have to make good on the capital plan. It is only when it comes time to deliver that the BET’s ruling party cuts the plan in half and labels the opposition as populists:
• The BET’s own 15-year plan from last year called for a 2023/24 school budget ($156.3 million), but it approved little more than half that amount in May ($86.2 million)
• The BET’s own plan is still greater than the amount approved, even with the additional appropriation for Central Middle School ($42.0 million)
– It fits a pattern:
• FY 2022-23 school budget: prior year 15-year plan called for $53.1 million, but the BET only approved $28.3 million
• FY 2021-22 school budget: prior year 15-year plan called for $54.4 million, but the BET only approved $15.5 million
• FY 2020-21 school budget: prior year 15-year plan called for $31.3 million, but the BET only approved $16.4 million
It may be surprising that the BET Republicans can rail against capital budgets in line with their own plans, so much so, some folks might describe it as “talking out of both sides of your mouth.” If investments beyond the slashed capital levels would constitute a spending spree, the BET has drawn up 4 consecutive years of long-term spending sprees.
If the 15-year plans were reasonable and data-driven, then perhaps complaints about excess from Ms Fassuliotis and her colleagues can quiet down accordingly, and we can get back on track.
And these are facts.
Note: The deadline to submit a letter to the editor about candidates in the Nov 7 Greenwich municipal election was Oct 30, 2023 at 12;00 noon