By Edward Dadakis
In a year of tough choices, Greenwich has passed the largest budget in its history—a testament to fiscal responsibility and pragmatic leadership from the Republicans on the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET). With the board evenly split and Republicans able to break a tie, Republicans delivered a budget that balances growth with restraint, supporting education and town employees, advancing capital projects all while protecting taxpayers.
There were battles for sure, especially over school funding where the Board of Education’s request far exceeded BET guidelines. After debate Republicans reasonably trimmed some of the excess showing their ability to prioritize without pandering. Meanwhile, Democrats stumbled through the process, prioritizing politics over people and nearly derailing the town’s entire budget process.
Let’s start with the numbers. The schools budget, even after being trimmed by $4 million, still ballooned by almost $6 million year-over-year. That’s a generous increase, reflecting the Republicans’ commitment to supporting schools while keeping an eye on the bottom line. Education remains a priority in Greenwich, and the GOP ensured that funding levels still rose significantly, hardly the draconian cut some want to claim.
Democrats took the opportunity to weaponize the budget for political gain. BET Chairman Harry Fisher offered a compromise—reducing the education cut to just $2 million—but he needed Democrat votes to do it. Democrats refused, locking in the full $4 million reduction. Let me repeat that– Democrats denied the schools an extra $2 million they claimed was vital.
Whispered admissions from certain Democrats reveal a chilling strategy: their refusal to budge was a calculated move to hurt students and teachers just enough to rally voters against Republicans in the next election. It’s a cynical ploy that puts party over pupils, and it’s a stain on their leadership.
Tax policy sharpens this contrast. Democrats pushed for a budget risking a nearly 6% tax hike—which the Greenwich Sentinel estimated would build up year after year saddling the owner of a $2 million home with an extra $48,000 in taxes over a decade. In a town built on hard-earned success, this was a nonstarter.
Republicans, wielding their tiebreaking vote like a fiscal lifeline, reduced that increase to below 3%– still tough for fixed income residents but a win for every homeowner, every small business, and every family planning for the future. The GOP didn’t just halt a massive tax grab; they upheld Greenwich’s tradition of fiscal discipline.
Then there’s the human element. All Democrats voted against the budget; the Republican tiebreaker saved it. Had Democrats succeeded in tanking the budget, the fallout would have been immediate and brutal: requiring layoffs for teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other dedicated town employees and all capital projects would have stalled.
Imagine the morale hit, the staffing shortages, the ripple effects on public safety and education. Republicans, as the adults in the room, refused to let that happen. By passing the budget, they ensured those essential workers—pillars of our community—will continue to have jobs which make Greenwich the town it is. It’s a practical, people-first approach that the Democrats seemed all too willing to sacrifice on the altar of political posturing.
Most galling was the Democrats’ push to saddle Greenwich with long-term debt for the Central Middle and Old Greenwich School projects—a first step, no doubt, toward indebting taxpayers for every project. This wasn’t about investing in education; it was about kicking the can down the road, forcing future generations to pay for today’s decisions.
Greenwich’s fiscal strength—built by our parents and grandparents who paid as they went, not by borrowing against tomorrow—stands as a model of responsibility. Republicans fought to protect that legacy, rejecting the Democrats’ reckless debt scheme. The contrast couldn’t be clearer: one side honors the past while securing the future; the other seeks to exploit yesterday’s prudence for today’s convenience.
The BET budget battle wasn’t just about numbers—it was about values. Republicans demonstrated a steady hand, navigating a difficult budget with an eye toward fairness and sustainability. They delivered raises for workers, kept taxes in check, funded large capital projects and held firm against debt, all while boosting education funding by millions.
Democrats, meanwhile, floundered in a mire of partisan gamesmanship, willing to harm students and strain taxpayers to score cheap points. Their refusal to compromise didn’t just cost the town—it revealed a troubling willingness to put politics above progress.
Greenwich emerges from this process stronger, thanks to Republicans’ resolve. The tiebreaking vote wasn’t just a procedural edge; it was a bulwark against fiscal folly and petty politicking. Residents can take pride in a budget that reflects our values—and a party that fought to protect them while preserving Greenwich as a great place to live, raise a family and retire.
The Democrats may lick their wounds and plot their next move, but for now, the GOP has proven who truly has Greenwich’s back.
Ed Dadakis has been involved in local Greenwich government for over 40 years.
