Town budget is controlled by little-known voting procedure

The “kicking the can down the road” practice is placing our town at peril by ignoring critical infrastructure that has made our town a much-desired place to live and work and recreate and educate our children.

Our Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation is not representing the best interests of our town and it is the result of one person who is not directly elected by us. Why? Because the party that receives the most votes in the election of BET members automatically gets an additional vote. The current BET chairman has the tie-breaking vote over how much should be spent on infrastructure, schools, and services for town residents. Do you know what is not being funded?

• Much needed renovations for Julian Curtis and Old Greenwich elementary schools and adequate funding for Western Middle School. Schools are a major reason why residents stay in our town and why people want to move here.

• Fire safety for northwest Greenwich, a critical infrastructure need, and a new fire ladder truck requested by our fire chief. Safety for town residents in their homes is imperative.

• Funds for mitigating coastal damage from climate change-driven flooding, a growing liability for all of us who live along our rivers or near the shore.

• Much-needed funds for the Department of Public Works to conduct highway maintenance. The upkeep of our roads is not negotiable.

• And so much more! The control of our budget must be given to individuals who represent the best interests of our town, for the short-term and the long-term. The “kicking the can down the road” practice is placing our town at peril by ignoring critical infrastructure that has made our town a much-desired place to live and work and recreate and educate our children. We can no longer ignore these projects … just as we could not ignore a leaking roof on our house or bald tires on our car.

What can we do? We must ensure that we all participate to ensure that critical projects receive critical funding. We can do this by:

• Attending public hearings on the budget. The meeting calendar can be found at greenwichct.gov.

• Contacting members of the BET to let them know about which projects are YOUR priority. You are a taxpayer and your voice is important. BET members can also be found at greenwich.gov.

• Voting on Nov. 7 for all six Democratic candidates since they have proven to have proper focus on our community’s continued vitality. Remember, the tie-breaking vote comes from the party with the most votes.

The philosophy of cutting necessary projects has not worked, and will not work for us longterm. In fact, it is detrimental to our town, just as it would be for our family budget if we ignored critical projects in our household! So pay attention to the upcoming budget proposal and let your priorities be known. And remember to vote on Nov. 7 for only those candidates who represent the best interests of our town.