By Edward Dadakis
In May of 2024, the question was asked: “Did Ryan Fazio just save Greenwich?”
Well, friends, the answer is simple—yes, he did. Let me tell you why.
The House Democrats in Hartford passed a bill, HB 5390, that would have changed the very character of Greenwich. It would have allowed high-rise buildings to pop up all around our town—Riverside, Cos Cob, Old Greenwich—places we know and love. These developments would have been right near our train stations, and once they were built, there would be no turning back. Local zoning control over our own future would have been handed over to outside developers. That’s not just bad policy—that’s a threat to the values that built our community.
Our Democratic state representatives—Meskers, Khanna, and Arzeno—voted for that bill. Now, they’ll try to tell you that they made the best of a bad situation. But the truth is, they could have kept their word and stood with the people of Greenwich. They didn’t. Instead, they voted for a bill that betrayed Greenwich and the very authority we have to shape our own neighborhoods and protect our property values.
When people started asking questions, what did they do? They spun a story and wrote an op-ed claiming the bill didn’t really hurt local control. They pointed to an “opt-in” provision they had put in the bill. They tried to make it sound like a victory. But here’s the kicker: towns that didn’t go along with the bill would get pushed to the back of the line for state grants. That’s not an opt-in— that’s coercion. So if they’re so powerful up there as the majority in Hartford, why didn’t they just stop it?
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. While our local Democrats were busy explaining their vote, Ryan Fazio was busy doing something about it. On the floor of the Senate, Fazio fought against this bill, tooth and nail. And in the end, despite being in the minority, Ryan Fazio stood up for Greenwich and stopped the bill from becoming law. He saved our town from being overrun by developers, and he did it by standing on principle and working for the people he serves.
But we can’t let our guard down. The Democrats in Hartford are already planning to bring the bill back next year. And if they get a supermajority in the legislature, they’ll pass an even worse version. So when you head to the polls, you need to know this: your vote will determine the future of local control in Greenwich.
Let’s talk about Nick Simmons, Fazio’s opponent. He’s raised over $270,000 for his campaign—a huge sum for a state Senate race. Most of that money? It’s coming from out-of-state donors and thousands from real estate developers, folks who would love nothing more than to see local zoning rules wiped out so they can make a for tune. Simmons even has the backing of a pro-developer Super PAC. Now, does that sound like someone who’s going to stand up for Greenwich, or someone who’s going to sell it off?
Simmons isn’t just backed by the wrong people—he’s running the wrong kind of campaign. Instead of addressing real issues like local control, skyrocketing energy bills, overspending and overtaxing at the state level and rising crime, he’s gone on the attack. His campaign has been nothing but negative, filled with distortions and smears against Fazio. His approach has irritated voters, who see through the distortion of Fazio’s record.
He’s trying to scare voters with lies about abortion, even though Fazio has been clear— he’s pro-choice, and Connecticut law codifies a woman’s right to choose. The bill Fazio voted against had nothing to do with that. It was about ensuring women’s safety by not letting midwives perform abortions without medical supervision. Ryan Fazio wasn’t playing politics with women’s health— he was protecting it. And then there’s Simmons’ own record. This week a stunning revelation by Hartford Courant columnist Kevin Rennie showed that Simmons was arrested for exposing himself in public and urinating on a sidewalk in plain view of a large crowd. In a separate incident, police almost arrested Simmons for lying to them as he tried to hide a drunken friend who had entered a woman’s apartment lunging and trying to grab her. This kind of behavior isn’t just unacceptable, it’s disqualifying. A person who engages in this kind of conduct shouldn’t be trusted to represent the people of Greenwich and it certainly doesn’t make Simmons an advocate for women.
So, my friends, the choice is clear. We need to reelect Ryan Fazio, a man who has proven he’ll fight for Greenwich when it matters most. And we need to send new leadership to Hartford—people like Tina Courpas, Tod Laudonia, and Paul Cappiali—who will work every day to protect our town and keep local control in our hands.
The future of Greenwich is up to you. Make sure your vote reflects the town we want to be. The polls are open.
Edward Dadakis has served in local Greenwich government for over 40 years.
