Letter submitted by Joseph Smith, RTM District 12
As a member of the RTM from District 12 (North Mianus), I want to thank each and every registered voter in my district who took the time to write and urge me to vote in favor of the Sense of the Meeting Resolution (SOMR) that calls for funding alternatives to the draconian budget cuts foisted on Greenwich by the Republican caucus of the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET).
Please be assured I will proudly cast my vote in favor of the SOMR, which is Item 7 on Monday evening’s RTM Call.
I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention that the emails I received were 100% in favor of supporting the SOMR.
Despite the efforts of Republican Registrar of Voters and District 12 Republican Town Committee Leader Fred DeCaro, in collaboration with District 12 RTM Member and GOP Candidate for 36th District State Senate Candidate Ryan Fazio and Board of Education member Peter Scherr, not a single registered voter and/or property tax payer wrote me – or to my knowledge any other member of the RTM – speaking out against the SOMR. The implied betrayal of trust the electorate placed in these individuals is indeed troubling.
As a final thought, I urge my fellow RTM members to vote against the proposed 2020-2021 budget. The stark reality is, at this juncture, the RTM has very little sway in the ultimate budget outcome. However, should the RTM vote against the proposed budget, the charter of the Town of Greenwich compels the town to revert to the prior year’s budget at the prior year’s funding levels. A “No” vote therefore would, in effect, compel no change in the mill rate, and thereby deprive the BET Republican caucus its shallow minuscule mill rate reduction “victory” and stop in its tracks any further budgetary or revenue reductions.
If ever there was a message that needed sending, this is the one.
Sincerely,
Joseph Smith, RTM District 12