There is an old truth in American democracy: decisions are made by those who show up.
It is a lesson as old as the New England town meeting, as enduring as the letters John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, worrying about whether the people of the new Republic would understand the responsibility of self-government. It is a lesson found in the words of Thomas Jefferson, who believed that “the government closest to the people serves the people best.”
It is a lesson for Greenwich to remember now.
The Connecticut legislature is in session, and the decisions being made in Hartford will have lasting consequences for our town. The future of zoning, taxation, education, and energy costs is being debated in committees and back rooms. The fiscal discipline that has stabilized Connecticut’s finances in recent years is at risk. There are proposals that would concentrate power in Hartford, limiting the ability of towns like Greenwich to govern themselves. And there are also ideas that could strengthen Connecticut’s economic footing—if they are allowed to succeed.
These debates demand engagement, because the future belongs to those who take part in shaping it.
There is an old habit in politics of assuming that the right people, the responsible people, will steer things in the right direction. But that is not how democracy works. It is participatory, or it withers. If history teaches us anything, it is that bad ideas flourish when good people assume they will be stopped by someone else.
Some of the most consequential decisions in Hartford concern Connecticut’s fiscal policies. The budget guardrails—rules put in place to prevent the state from spending beyond its means—are under attack. For years, Connecticut was caught in a self-destructive cycle: spend more, run deficits, raise taxes, lose residents, repeat. It was unsustainable. In 2017, legislators of both parties agreed to put guardrails in place to ensure that Connecticut lived within its means.
They worked. Connecticut is more financially stable today than it has been in decades. The rainy-day fund is full. The state is paying down its debts. There have been no broad-based tax increases. The system is doing exactly what it was designed to do: prevent a return to fiscal chaos.
And yet, some lawmakers want to weaken these protections. The argument is always the same: This time is different. This need is greater. This moment requires an exception. But history tells us that once spending caps are loosened, once borrowing limits are bent, once the calls for “just a little more flexibility” are granted, there is no going back. Illinois, once a financial powerhouse, is now drowning in debt.
Warren Buffett once said, “The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.” Connecticut has finally broken the habit of spending what it does not have. It cannot afford to slip back.
Beyond fiscal policy, other debates in this session will directly affect Greenwich. There are proposals that would erode local zoning control, forcing towns to accept one-size-fits-all housing mandates that ignore the character of our community. There are education policies that could change how our schools are funded and managed. There are energy policies that could either lower costs or make them even more burdensome.
Greenwich has never been a town that stands by while others make decisions for it. We are a town of engaged citizens—residents who care about their community, who understand the value of self-governance, and who know that a strong voice in Hartford is the best defense against bad policy.
We urge Greenwich residents to participate in the process. The legislature is holding public hearings. Testimony can be submitted by email in a matter of minutes. Calls to elected officials are noted. The effort is small, but the impact is real.
When Alexis de Tocqueville traveled through America nearly two centuries ago, he marveled at the way small towns governed themselves. He saw in the New England town meeting the essence of what made the nation work. “Town meetings are to liberty,” he wrote, “what primary schools are to science; they bring it within the people’s reach.”
Greenwich has a voice made strong by thoughtful, engaged, well-educated, remarkable residents. We hope you use that voice to engage, educate, and enlighten Connecticut’s legislators.
