Submitted by Adam Leader, Greenwich
To the Editor:
The Town of Greenwich is suing the Greenwich Board of Education, and you are paying for both sides! This lawsuit has already cost us approximately $200,000, and the meter is still running — with no spending cap and no appropriation approved by the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) or the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).
Here’s a principle everyone else in town can agree on: Greenwich elected officials and town bodies should not spend precious taxpayer dollars suing other Greenwich elected officials and town bodies. Suing anyone is bad enough. It’s even worse when we, the taxpayers, have to pay for both sides. To make matters worse, it seems like First Selectman Fred Camillo didn’t first attempt less costly and potentially more successful methods of dispute resolution.
In those rare and theoretical cases where a “Greenwich-on-Greenwich” lawsuit is absolutely necessary, the town’s fiscal appropriations process should be respected. Significant financial commitments exceeding tens of thousands of dollars should not be made before the BET and the RTM approve a suitable appropriation.
The current leadership of the BET and the First Selectman do not appear to be governed by these principles. I believe this is an imprudent use of our limited taxpayer resources. These elected officials should make greater efforts to use alternative dispute resolution methods—such as facilitated negotiation, mediation, or arbitration—or to resolve issues at the ballot box, instead of engaging in high-cost litigation.
For families concerned about school funding: consider how these tax dollars could enhance your children’s education. For taxpayers concerned about fiscal restraint, ask yourselves whether paying twice for internal disputes represents sound stewardship of your investment in Greenwich. For those who value effective government, shouldn’t we expect our officials to work together rather than against each other?
A Sense of the Meeting Resolution, which aims to address these issues, is coming before the RTM, and it needs your support to succeed.
It’s time for Greenwich residents to make their voices heard: Tell the BET and RTM that you don’t want Greenwich to sue Greenwich, whatever the situation. If you agree that this is an imprudent use of taxpayer dollars, I encourage you to contact the BET and the RTM now.
Should we spend another dollar on Greenwich-suing-Greenwich? I don’t think so.
Sincerely,
Adam Leader
RTM District 11 (Northeast Greenwich)
The views expressed are my own not those of the RTM or its committees.