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Budget season has arrived, and the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET)—the committee entrusted with responsibly managing our tax dollars—is in chaos. With municipal elections approaching this November, Selectman Fred Camillo is using his influence to prioritize his spending agenda, one that appears to lack broad support from Greenwich residents. Meanwhile, Democrats have their own spending ambitions. The result? A free-for-all of unchecked spending: $pend, baby, $pend.
At the heart of this dysfunction is Harry Fisher, a registered Republican who failed to gain the support of his Republican caucus to chair the BET. Undeterred, Fisher went around his own party and struck a deal with the Democrats, securing their votes to become chair. This political maneuver effectively handed Democrats—who lost the 2023 municipal election—a functional majority on the BET, giving them the leverage they failed to earn from voters at the ballot box. Fisher, who was initially brought into the Republican BET by Camillo now appears to serve Camillo and the Democrats thereby breaking his promise of fiscal responsibility of taxpayer dollars. Voters supporting a fiscally conservative BET have effectively lost the vital check and balance that a responsible BET provides to $pend, baby, $pend.
Adding fuel to the fire, longtime Republican BET member Leslie Tarkington, appears to now be aligning with Fisher, encouraging others to "spend like a Democrat" to secure re-election. This brazen political opportunism leaves four principled Republicans—David Alfano, Nisha Arora, Karen Fassuliotis, and Lucia Jansen—fighting as the minority voice of common sense. These four have consistently stood by their commitment to fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability, even in the face of unscrupulous opposition and backroom deals. Promises made, promises kept.
The Harry Fisher chaos has a very real consequence for Greenwich taxpayers. As spending spirals out of control, residents can expect higher taxes this year. The power play between Camillo, Fisher, and their Democratic allies is coming at the expense of taxpayers, further eroding trust in local government.
While much of the nation has embraced fiscally responsible leadership and a return to common-sense governance, Greenwich is regressing. Greenwich deserves better than this broken system. As November’s election nears, let Fisher, Tarkington, and Camillo know that broken promises and backroom deals have consequences.
Let your voice be heard: email [email protected] to demand accountability and remind local officials that the trust of taxpayers is earned. It’s time to hold those in power responsible and demand leadership that puts the people of Greenwich first.
