Submitted by Megan Harnett, Old Greenwich, Finance & Operations Executive, MBA, Fairfield University and Greenwich Public School Parent
To the Editor,
Greenwich is at a crossroads. As we prepare to elect new members to the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) this November, it’s time to move beyond short-term thinking and partisan distractions – and focus instead on the long-term investment strategies that will shape our community’s future.
In a recent letter to the editor, Greenwich RTC chair member Michan Hahn described Greenwich Public Schools as a “cost center.” (HAHN: BOE Democrats “Calculated Power Grab” May 9, 2025). That may be an accurate term in accounting, but it’s the wrong framework for public leadership. Schools are not liabilities to be minimized – they are assets to be grown. What Greenwich needs now isn’t more spreadsheet thinking; it’s investment-minded leadership that understands how to steward our community’s greatest resources with vision and care.
Viewing schools through an accounting lens might tally immediate costs, but it fails to capture the long-term value they create. According to the Brookings Institution, school quality significantly influences home values (Nguyen-Hoang & Yinger, 2011). The Learning Policy Institute shows that sustained investment in public education leads to stronger academic outcomes, higher lifetime earnings, and a more resilient local economy.
And beyond the financial return, public schools are among our most vital civic institutions. They bring together families from different backgrounds and beliefs to work toward a shared goal (something we should be exemplifying). They are where our community’s values – equity, opportunity, trust – are made real. Public schools are among the last shared civic spaces we have. They’re one of the few places where families of different incomes, backgrounds, and political beliefs still come together around a common purpose. Undermining that foundation doesn’t just affect students; it weakens the civic fabric that holds us together.
Unfortunately, Greenwich’s longstanding aversion to long-term debt financing means we continue to underfund essential infrastructure and place unnecessary strain on our operating budget. This forces painful annual cuts, even in the face of rising enrollment and aging facilities. It’s not a question of whether we can afford to invest in our schools. The real question is whether we can afford not to.
This should not be a partisan issue. Debates over “power grabs” and accounting functions are distractions from what matters most. We must rise above those talking points and elect leaders – across both parties – who have real investment management expertise and a commitment to long-term planning. Our budgeting process should reflect our values and our vision, not just our spreadsheets.
Greenwich is home to some of the best financial minds in the country. Let’s bring that expertise to the table in November and use it to build a smarter, stronger future for all of us.
Sincerely,
Megan Harnett, Old Greenwich, Finance & Operations Executive, MBA, Fairfield University, Greenwich Public School Parent
Citations:
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Nguyen-Hoang & Yinger, The Impact of School Spending on Property Values, Brookings, 2011
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Learning Policy Institute, Investing for Student Success, 2017
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National Academy of Education, Education for Civic Reasoning and Discourse, 2021