To the Editor:
Greenwich PTA Council is stunned and gravely worried about what the drastic $4,048,621 million reduction to the proposed schools budget will do to our students, teachers and the entire town.
The budget process this year has been challenging and the vote to reduce the budget devastating. The PTA Council Board does recognize and appreciate the opportunities provided to us and the community members to speak and express our views and priorities on the proposed budgets. The introduction of this year’s BET Public Hearing dedicated solely to the GPS budget was welcomed. In that meeting, it was clear that the Greenwich community loves our schools and teachers and wants top-tier educational environments and learning outcomes.
We urge the entire BET to come together and reconsider the GPS operating budget. We sincerely hope that a bipartisan compromise will be reached to restore necessary funding for the schools. As PTAC President John Fisher recently wrote in a personal note to the community, “If the BET restores that $4.05 million to the schools budget, the mill rate would increase by just 3.76%. The difference is just $136 in additional property taxes on a median value home.”
We urge every Greenwich family to write to the BET to express their views on this budget issue.
We urge every Greenwich family to submit emails/messages to the RTM to advocate for the RTM to add an agenda topic to the April 21 agenda to have the RTM request that the BET reconsider the operating budget vote for fiscal year 2026, to better meet the financial needs of Greenwich Public Schools. Community members can also sign up to speak to the RTM for both adding the items to the agenda and in favor of having the RTM request that BET reconsider the budget.
2024-2025 Greenwich PTA Council Board Of Directors
