Submitted by Jim Finn, Cos Cob
When the RTM meets on Monday to consider the town’s 2025-2026 budget, I will cast an emphatic NO vote.
Here’s why…
Without rehashing all of the well-covered machinations of the BET’s path to “decision day” on April 3, it is fair to say that the Republican members of the BET ambushed their Democrat counterparts with a $4.1 million reduction to a bi-partisan, 7-1 BOE vote (that already included a $500,000 cut) and held them hostage as scuttling the BET budget on decision day would have resulted in defaulting to last year’s budget – which would have cut the BOE budget by $9 million, not the merely “ill-advised” $4+ million in Harry Fisher’s budget.
In response, the RTM passed a SOMR last month urging the BET to re-open budget discussions around the BOE cuts. Despite my skepticism over this highly symbolic vote, I voted for the SOMR.
Why was I skeptical?
First, in modern Greenwich history, no one can recall the last time the budget was re-opened after BET decision day.
Second, the Republican BET had been out doing a victory lap in local media saying they kept the budget to a 3% while Democrats wanted to “double your taxes” with a 6% increase.
But this is really disingenuous.
When the town started to consider this year’s budget last October, the Republican BET went right for its 3% number – despite the fact that this barely covers the operating side of the BOE budget (which is locked in in collective bargaining agreements around teacher salaries and pensions).
But why should I be surprised?
The Republican Party – from the national to the local level – is openly hostile to public education, something the League of Women Voter’s has written about extensively regarding the disastrous disinvestment over the last 30 years in public schools and infrastructure.
Happening in real time, we have private schools taking over more property in town which takes hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxable income off the table while they also come to the P&Z seeking approval for a nearly 75,000 square foot athletic facility when we can’t build a public hockey rink that’s falling down!
So, back to the RTM vote. The RTM vote is not the BET vote, where if Democrats dug in they would have hurt GPS more by defaulting to FY 2024-2025 budget.
That is not the case on Monday.
We are voting for Harry Fisher’s budget.
I will vote NO! in protest. But, pathetically, it doesn’t really even matter if I just stay home.
Why?
As you may know, the town charter doesn’t allow the RTM to add to the BET’s decision day – but it can reduce or eliminate certain line items ( a few of which will be considered).
But let this charter reminder from RTM moderator, Alexis Voulgaris, sink in: “The Charter also stipulates that if the RTM fails to adopt a budget by May 15 (either because we do not take a final vote on the budget or there is not a majority vote in favor of the budget), the budget as recommended by the BET, will take effect for the next fiscal year (absent some further action by the RTM prior to May 15).”
Ball game over.
Harry’s budget, as approved on April 3, is what we’re voting on. And if we don’t vote on Harry’s budget or vote against it, it simply doesn’t matter…that’s what we’ve got.
From geothermal at Hamilton Avenue to cuts in public education and safety, Harry and his colleagues are just not listening to the people whom we represent in the RTM.
So, what can you do as a taxpayer if you are unhappy about the current stewardship?
The off-year, municipal elections are always mill rate elections.
As we’ve just seen, the Republican BET starts with a number – 3% – and works backwards; that’s why we can’t have nice things like updated schools and ice skating rinks because it doesn’t fit in the pre-established 3% goal.
If you’re unhappy with the sustained assault against GPS, then come out and vote on November 4 and take the gavel away from Harry Fisher and his Republican colleagues. Do not vote for one Republican member of the BET.
Turnout will be a real issue as we typically get half the voters that we do in even year elections (i.e., 40% vs. 80%). But no more excuses…if you come out to protest on decision day, then follow through and vote…it might just mean the world to your kids’ future.
Jim Finn is a resident of Cos Cob and an RTM District-8 member
Update: Mr. Finn updated his letter to say that the RTM moderator, Alexis Voulgaris, said: “The Charter also stipulates that if the RTM fails to adopt a budget by May 15,” not May 12.