Leadership isn’t about making the easy decision in a quiet room. It’s about standing in the center of the storm and holding firm to what you believe is right. That’s what Chairman Harry Fisher and the Republican members of the Board of Estimate and Taxation did last week.
The budget they passed—the largest in Greenwich’s history—was not a retreat from responsibility but an affirmation of it. It added over $8 million to our schools, preserved raises for our town employees, and protected taxpayers from an unsustainable 6% increase. This wasn’t about party. It was about priorities—about making sure we invest in our future without mortgaging it.
Now, I understand some folks are upset. But let’s be clear: the decision not to allocate an additional $2 million to education was not because the funds didn’t exist. It was because some refused to compromise. And we’ve heard reports that this was strategic— that some wanted to use the outcome to stir anger and turn this into a political weapon. That’s not how we should approach education, or governance. We cannot let our students become pawns in anyone’s political game.
This town is full of hardworking families who pay their taxes, go to work, and hope their local government will be fair and responsible. A 6% tax increase would have made that harder. The BET kept the increase below 3%. That matters. It’s real money in the pockets of real people.
And let’s talk about our teachers. They deserve our support. But if absenteeism is rising due to low morale, we owe it to our community to understand why. We’ve invested generously in our schools. Superintendent Toni Jones and the Board of Education must do more than point fingers—they must lead.
On Central Middle School, there was a push for long-term borrow ing that would have added to our town’s debt. That path may be easy in the short term, but it undermines the very fiscal strength generations before us worked to build. Republicans stood for the principle of paying our way. That’s a principle worth defending.
I want to thank Chairman Fisher. I know it’s not easy. I know it comes with criticism. But leadership—real leadership—isn’t about popularity. It’s about service. And last week, you served this town with integrity.
Laura Boutelle
