Submitted by Brian Raabe
The letters from those supporting the budget cut to schools have thumped their chests with pride.
They have claimed that “private conversations suggest a $2-$3MM cut” in submitted numbers could easily be had.
That we’ve all experienced padded budgets and there has to be fluff in there.
They have beamed and grinned over semantics, “the budget rose $8MM” which should be adequate “even if the remaining $4MM was not approved.”
They have danced a jig over a mill rate that is only lower in one town in Connecticut, one with a population of 4,000 versus the 60,000 plus that is Greenwich. (I had to double check because I thought 4,000 might have been a count of livestock, nope – people).
I hope these same folks attend the meetings during which the $4MM cut will be made operational with real numbers. You know, facts.
Facts like the need for $0.5MM for another kindergarten class in the fall of 2025. Town is growing. Youngsters! That’s good. That’s a fact.
Facts like the BET $1.7MM error in calculating town salaries (they used a flat 3% for all town employees versus contractual increases for teachers).
Facts like the suggested cutting of $2MM in substitute teacher costs would mean no substitutes. None. Not sure that’s prudent. Facts like “bring down the teacher wage scale” as advocated is not only illegal (you can’t bias your interview process against the more experienced) it seems beneath us as a town when we start skimping on the quality and experience of teachers.
So, there is a group that is proud of what they’ve done. Giddy over the notion that the losers in this budget round will “lick their wounds and plot their next move.” (DADAKIS: Facts About Greenwich’s Budget April 15, 2025) Jeepers creepers get some air.
There’s no wound licking. There’s no plotting. This isn’t “School of Thrones.”
There’s just a bunch of facts that lead to our kids getting a great education.
There is a six-month countdown to doing something if you are opposed to how the budget has been managed by one half of the BET.
Vote against them.
Vote to preserve the institutions that make Greenwich great.
Vote for YOUR children’s future.
Vote for fully funded public schools.
If that’s “plotting,” guilty.