GREENWICH — Control of the Board of Estimate and Taxation, arguably the most powerful government body in Greenwich, is on the ballot this year.
The BET sets the town’s budget each spring. It also approves funding requests throughout the year and the political party that controls the board has the ability to shut down projects by withholding their support.
The BET has 12 members, six Democrats and six Republicans. All 12 seats are open this year, but there are only 12 people running, so they will all get a spot. But the BET election is important because the party that wins more votes gets to pick the chair of the board, a position that comes with the power to break ties when the board splits 6-6.
Republicans have dominated the BET for the past century. They only lost control in one cycle, in 2017, but won it back in 2019 and have held it ever since.
“For the past 100 years, Republicans (in) leadership in the BET have helped create one of the most desirable communities in the country if not the world,” Republican candidate Karen Fassuliotis wrote in response to a candidate questionnaire.
But Democrats say this isn’t the case. “The current single-year budget focus has resulted in millions of dollars of higher project costs, delayed implementation of needed facilities, and greater risk to the town,” wrote Democratic incumbent Leslie Moriarty.
Politics have become nasty in Greenwich and partisan sniping has been commonplace at BET meetings this year, particularly around questions of funding building projects at Central Middle School and Old Greenwich School.
In prior years, when partisanship on the board was less fierce, the tie-breaking vote was deployed sparingly. But now, it is used at almost every meeting of the BET, including dozens of times during the budget making process in April.
The six Republicans running for the board now — incumbents Nisha Arora, Fassuliotis, Harry Fisher and Leslie Tarkington plus newcomers David Alfano and Lucia Jansen — are generally arguing that the BET has functioned well over the past century and that they will continue to guard against tax hikes and overspending.
“Our funding approach using cash and short-term borrowing (has) resulted in the town having the highest ratings and financial standards for municipalities in the country and has made Greenwich the envy of the rest of the state,” Fassuliotis wrote.
Nisha Arora (left), Harry Fisher, Karen Fassuliotis, Lucia Jansen, Leslie Tarkington and David Alfano are Republicans running for the Board of Estimate and Taxation in Greenwich.
Contributed / Chichi UbinaRepublicans said electing them will ensure that Democrats cannot raise taxes.
“Fiscal discipline is under attack by partisan Democrats,” Arora wrote. “Despite passing the largest capital budget ($112 million) in the town’s history, Democrats are arguing this is not enough. Democrats want to spend more, and Democratic BET members are running on a platform to take on long-term debt, raise taxes, and spend without constraints.”
Click here to read more from Republican BET candidates and from Democratic BET candidates in their own words.
Democrats said this line of attack is baseless, as they too live in town and care about keeping taxes affordable, while still funding the town’s needs. Democrats running for the BET are incumbents Moriarty, Stephen Selbst and David Weisbrod, plus newcomers Elliot Alchek, Matt DesChamps and Scott Kalb.
“These investments can be made with minimal impact, if any, on tax rates,” Moriarty said. “And it is not just about cost. Greenwich’s reputation as the premier location in Fairfield County for young families has taken a hit with the lack of commitment to fix our aging and non-compliant school facilities.”
The Greenwich Democratic Town Committee has recommended a full slate of candidates ahead of the Nov. 7, 2023 election. Matt DesChamps (left), Scott Kalb, Stephen Selbst, Leslie Moriarty, Elliot Alchek and David Weisbrod are running for seats on the town’s Board of Estimate and Taxation.
Kenneth Greenberg / SubmittedSome of the biggest political fighting in town this year has centered around school spending, particularly the fact that Republicans on the BET have not supported allocating construction funds. Republicans have said these projects are not ready, while Democrats argued that their funding is long overdue.
The BET split 6-6 on funding $39 million for Old Greenwich School repairs on Oct. 17, with all Republicans opposed. Without majority support, this request failed.
The BET voted to approve $42 million in additional construction funds for Central Middle School on Oct. 24, with all Democrats and two outgoing Republicans voting for the funding.
None of the four incumbent Republicans running for the BET voted to fund CMS last week. Arora, Fisher and Tarkington abstained and Fassuliotis voted against it.
Click here to read more about other races in the 2023 election, including the office of first selectman.
Kalb, one of the incoming Democratic candidates who has extensive experience in finance, said Republicans have a “terrible track record” running the BET.
“In the real world, if you had a financing team that wasted millions of dollars on frivolous lawsuits, delayed spending on needed infrastructure driving-up costs, increased health and safety risks while decreasing services, turned down millions of dollars of grant money, ignored the advice of experts and the concerns of children and parents, lurched from short-term crisis to short-term crisis while failing to plan for the long-term, they would be fired.”
The election is on Nov. 7.
