Submitted by James Waters
As we’re painfully aware, politics these days is often zero sum, ramming things through on party lines. We’re sick of it. Indeed, the past two years have uncovered urgent problems with how Greenwich’s town government is serving residents:
A town capital plan in disarray, careening driverless towards a cliff. Enforcement issues galore, departments stretched too thin to do their job. Intransigent leadership on our finance board (the BET) that listens to no one. Shoddy “analysis” to push school budget cuts resulting in chaos.
These problems mostly stem from communication, or lack thereof, and failure to embrace basic job requirements. Leaders refusing to listen to those advising them, failing to communicate with those they serve, unwilling to put in the time and work to do things right.
Fortunately, in our town legislature (the RTM), we’ve found a different way. The rest of town government would be wise to take notes.
The RTM Budget Overview Committee has many differing political affiliations and yet we regularly reach consensus. We have open and honest discussions on topics – and zero tolerance for grandstanding or agenda-pushing. We listen to each other, roll up our sleeves, and actually do some work. The outcome is clear: BOC has voted unanimously 82% of the time this term; nearly 90% of the time if you include 11-1 and 10-2 votes.
The RTM has similarly voted in a bipartisan manner, with lop-sided margins on topics that seem to result in paralysis elsewhere. Examples include:
• A Sense of the Meeting Resolution (SOMR) passed in April demanding the BET reconsider its 7-6 vote to cut the school budget. The SOMR passed the RTM with 80% support, a vote of 147 to 37 (BET leadership ignored this overwhelming vote).
• A SOMR passed in June asking the First Selectman and BET Chair to provide a detailed update on the town capital plan to ensure compliance with the town’s affordability guidelines. The SOMR passed the RTM with 77% support, a vote of 107-32 (the First Selectman and BET Chair ignored this overwhelming vote).
You don’t get 75-80% support on the RTM without consensus building and setting aside politics in favor of serving residents.
To me it’s clear: if people would stop playing political games, arguing about literal pennies on the mill rate, we could get great things done in Greenwich. Until that happens, the RTM will settle for holding feet to the fire on your behalf.
When you vote on November 4, please turn over your ballot and support this better way demonstrated by the RTM. If you believe in fiscal competence and want practical leadership that protects our schools and plans for the future, please support The Bipartisan Coalition’s recommendations for RTM.
The candidates recommended are bipartisan, with proven track records. They might not see eye to eye on everything – but they are the embodiment of a better way. You can trash the partisan RTM picks sitting in your inbox from political committees; we all know that’s not the better way.
What the RTM is doing is working – and I’m in this until we fix it throughout town government.
James Waters is a Greenwich native and resident. A Republican, he works at a private investment firm and served in the Bush Administration’s White House Office of Management and Budget and then as a US Navy SEAL officer. He is an incumbent candidate for Representative Town Meeting in District 12, serving as Chairman of the RTM Budget Overview Committee. He also serves as the Chairman of the Old Greenwich School Building Committee. The views in this letter are his own and aren’t endorsed by any of the town bodies on which he serves.
Note: The deadline to submit letters to the editor about candidates for consideration in the Nov 4, 2025 municipal elections is Oct 28, 2025 at 12:00 noon.