Submitted by Hale McSharry, Meghan McSharry, Mary Ellen Markowitz, Abigail Markowitz, Svetlana Wasserman, Talya Wasserman, Joan Thakor, Joanna Swomley, Sandy Litvack, Tyler Meyer, Chris Meyer, James Meyer, Rachel Khanna, Kieran Khanna, Anjali Khanna, Sophie Khanna
In an April letter to the editor published in the Greenwich Sentinel, Kim Fiorello and a group of other signatories pleaded with the Greenwich Board of Education, the Board of Estimate and Taxation and Board of Selectmen to “…to make every effort to reduce the town budget.”
It’s a familiar refrain for Ms. Fiorello who co-founded “Fiscal Freedom for Connecticut” — which has advocated locally for smaller government and reduced spending. She has also been an outspoken advocate of indiscriminate fiscal restraint at public meetings.
But at what cost to residents and our public schools?
In May of 2019, she voted to cut funding for Cardinal Stadium at Greenwich High School where the bleachers have been condemned— and in December abstained from the vote to dedicate funds for mechanical system upgrades there. In May of 2018, she voted to slash funds for Central Middle School’s field which has been in woefully poor condition for years. She also voted to delay work at the Hamilton Avenue School fields in January of 2019.
Last year, Ms. Fiorello voted “no” on replacing a boiler at Nathaniel Witherell, our town-owned skilled nursing facility— and is one of only a few RTM (Representative Town Meeting) members who voted to reduce the police budget in 2018.
She similarly opposed a resolution to explore a possible fire station in Northwest Greenwich in 2018, then last year voted to reduce funding for due diligence work on the matter, despite impassioned pleas from residents.
Her affiliation with “Fiscal Freedom” became problematic when fiscal responsibility “scorecards” for RTM members were published.
The criteria included whether members voted in favor of appointments, including that of Jeffery Medina, to serve on the Health & Human Services Board. Medina was under fire at the time for his inflammatory rhetoric online. She has since been named in an ongoing SEEC investigation related to Fiscal Freedom’s use of the scorecards and other material in the last municipal election.
Because of Ms. Fiorello’s insistence on putting her fiscal ideology ahead of the needs of those she would represent, we urge voters to say “no” to Kim Fiorello.
Editor’s Note: This letter was received in advance of the Oct 26, 12:00 noon deadline for letters about the election and candidates on the Nov 3, 2020 ballot.