MONTANARO: Democratic anger, spite and divisiveness spewed at RTC is misguided

Submitted by Joe Montanaro, Greenwich Republicans, Vice-Chair

On Friday April 21st , CMS Building Committee Chairman Tony Turner and Vice Chair Clare Kilgallen went to a CMS PTA Board meeting and tasked them with a strategy to organize and mobilize parents with the message that CMS needs more money to be built. It is highly inappropriate for Building committee members to engage in lobbying activities, especially with a 501c3 organization like the PTA.

This lobbying of parents, like what we saw at the dog and pony show posing as a BET public hearing, only takes away from town progress. It delays projects. It hurts the community. It divides neighbors. Not to mention, why would a committee chair want to raise the budget before getting a bid? That is irresponsible and incompetent. Either way, a terrible strategy for a Building Committee chair. These individuals need to step down, step aside and let project-oriented members take over.

Speaking of inappropriate, the Democrat spokesman for Greenwich is State Rep. Steve Meskers. He goes on endless social media rants and recently called Republicans “a miserable group who hates our kids.” He doubles down on this rhetoric by repeating it on other posts. That is a huge problem and he should be held publicly accountable for his repeated actions: especially since he is the voice of Democrat agendas at our RTM meetings and BET public hearings, not to mention a Greenwich Representative in Hartford.

On a personal note, I have been involved with this RTC for almost a year and a half. All the anger, spite and divisiveness spewed at it is completely misguided. Everyone I have encountered through the RTC has been nothing but kind, welcoming, community oriented, family driven, hard-working, fully supportive of high-quality education, fiscal responsibility, local zoning, protecting their homes and keeping safe communities. Nothing about this RTC fits the narratives of the handful of naysayers: even the naysayers who put the disclaimer of “I am a Republican” immediately before or after they make a statement. Those people should be the ones rethinking their alliances, not us. Fight the nonsense with common sense. Join us.

For too long Republicans have taken the position of duck, hide and hope everything blows over. That is not us.

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Joe Montanaro
Greenwich Republicans
Vice-Chair