Reasonable People,
Fiscally Responsible & Sensible Policy,
Welcome
We are running for the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting (RTM).
The RTM is the legislative body of Greenwich. For details on the RTM Click here (external link).
Many important local issues come to the RTM, and this site can help you find who to vote for.
We are a group of bipartisan like-minded candidates running for the Greenwich RTM.
We may not agree on everything, but we are
committed to bringing a sensible approach to all aspects of Town government.
Below you will find information on who we are and issues we support.
Greenwich CT Local Issues
We believe these issues are important to a thriving Greenwich
Click on each to learn where we stand
Keep Greenwich Green
Greenwich is a suburban community. We moved here for the open spaces, tree-lined winding roads, small commercial zones and historic charm. We will resist efforts to turn Greenwich into yet another cookie cutter city like Stamford, White-Plains, or New Rochelle.
We like our open spaces and private homes and will fight against urbanization and commercialization of our bucolic town.
Zoning & Property
Property values are the major source of savings and wealth for our middle class and as well as a major source of upward mobility and retirement income for all.
Some in CT's Far Left, with support from large real estate developers, are attempting to override local zoning laws to force our Town to provide low-income housing in areas which don't have low-income jobs, nor suitable shopping, transportation, sewer, water and other infrastructure. Small towns simply cannot support unbridled development.
We oppose this effort to outsource urban problems to suburbia, destroying property value and creating a hidden tax burden on real-estate taxes. This increases taxes on the middle class while depressing property values in an attempt to export the mess that is apparent in our mismanaged cities.
Taxes
Greenwich has run on a "modified pay-as-you-go" tax model. This means that for over 100 years we have paid for what the town needs when it needs it, borrowing only minimal amounts for a very short term. This fiscal discipline has kept our mill-rate down, borrowing costs low and property values high.
Some advocate that we should break this model and start long-term borrowing and build a lot of new and very large facilities at an accelerated pace.
We believe this would be unmanageable, as well as both selfish and unfair. We have limited resources to oversee construction, and stressing those resources will result in significant waste.
Furthermore, we inherited a debt free town. We should not saddle our children with politically motivated and wasteful over-spending based on false urgency.
We believe the common sense approach is to spend on what we need with level headed decisions and a concerted effort to get the best value for our tax dollars, as we have done for a century.
School Academics
Greenwich schools have been falling behind in academics. SchoolDigger has our school district at 36th in CT down from 33rd last year.
We believe that our schools should:
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focus on maximizing competency in core academics.
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work with parents to increase parent involvement and transparency.
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NOT teach political and ideological fads.
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NOT deliver medical or mental health services without parental consent.
Divisive and controversial topics should be referred for discussion within families.
School Construction / Renovation
Our school buildings need work. In 2019 the Board of Ed developed a plan to renovate and refurbish our schools over time.
We support moving forward with renovation and new construction in a timely and well considered manner. The process should not be politicized and all avenues should be explored thoroughly.