A Legacy Built on Principle Worth Protecting
For over a century, Greenwich has thrived under Republican leadership— delivering exceptional services, top-tier schools, and the region’s lowest property taxes—while avoiding the crippling debt that nearly bankrupted our town in the 1930s. This enduring success is built on fiscal responsibility, effective governance, and prudent resource management, making Greenwich a national model.
Republicans have traditionally safeguarded Greenwich’s unique character, ensuring it never follows the path of increasingly urbanized towns with higher taxes and denser development. Yet today, the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET), which oversees our $600 million taxpayer-funded budget, stands at a crossroads. With Democrats dominating the Representative Town Meeting (RTM), the BET is our vital bulwark against unchecked spending and tax hikes.
The Clear Choice on September 9th
On September 9th, Republican voters face a defining decision. The slate of David Alfano, Nisha Arora, Lucia Jansen, Alessandra Brus, Phil Dodson, and John Hopley offers principled leadership rooted in Republican values: fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability.
As Abraham Lincoln declared, “right makes might.” This team pledges to hold firm on spending, preserve independence, and ensure taxpayer priorities—not political expediency—guide the BET. They represent the fidelity to principle that George Washington described as the foundation of good government.
The Risks of Compromise in the name of Pragmatism
By contrast, the opposing slate embraces a bipartisan strategy that too often compromises Republican principles for the sake of shortterm consensus. In our town, ‘bipartisan’ too often has meant Republicans crossing over to advance Democratic priorities— higher spending, weaker fiscal controls, and appointments that dilute Republican leadership. Ronald Reagan reminded us that peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of principle. So too in governance: bipartisanship without principle is not unity, it is capitulation.
Should a Republican chair be elected with unanimous Democratic support and then appoint Democrats to key committees, shifting influence despite our party’s electoral victory? Is it Republican stewardship to push for spending expansions advanced through bipartisan votes rather than subjecting them to the rigorous fiscal scrutiny our principles demand?
Can voters place their trust in candidates linked to past controversies—such as a no-bid $50,000 consulting contract awarded to a family member— when strong ethical oversight is essential to managing taxpayer funds?
And what of voting with Democrats for the most progressive RTM moderator in Greenwich’s history, or supporting a Sense of the Meeting Resolution that attacked the Republican BET for not expanding the school budget well beyond inflation, despite declining enrollment and performance?
Even if well-intentioned, this approach risks importing Democratic policies—higher spending and looser fiscal controls—under a Republican label.
A Principled Republican Path Forward
The principled Republican slate—Alfano, Arora, Jansen, Brus, Dodson, and Hopley—is committed to methodical budget analysis, limited government, and fiscal restraint. They reject federal grants that carry longterm costs, stand against unsustainable borrowing, and will defend local control.
Their leadership reflects core Republican ideals: personal responsibility, limited government, and sound economic stewardship. Supporting them ensures Greenwich avoids continuing down the path of neighboring towns that have embraced urbanization, higher taxes, and cultural shifts that erode community character.
As John Adams reminded us, “Liberty cannot be preserved without… knowledge of the characters and conduct of their rulers.” In this primary, that knowledge must guide us.
Call to Action
This primary exposes a deep divide: between Republicans who govern with principle as their north star, and those who risk ceding ground to Democratic agendas under the guise of bipartisanship.
On September 9th, stand with Alfano, Arora, Jansen, Brus, Dodson, and Hopley. Together, we can protect taxpayers, preserve Republican principles, and ensure Greenwich remains the community we are proud to call home.
Carpe Diem, Joe Solari
By Joseph G. Solari III
Elected Representative, Republican Town Committee Former Greenwich State GOP Representative
