CT Senate Candidate Joe Kelly Engages with Liberal Greenwich Voting Mom
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Joe Kelly, a resident of Mead Point in Greenwich, CT, is running on the Republican ticket for State Senate District 36 (covering Greenwich, North Stamford, and New Canaan). Currently a member of the Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET), past Chairman of the Greenwich Board of Education (BOE), and active local athletic coach, Kelly is running an energetic campaign—including publishing his own podcast interviews to reach voters.
On a recent podcast episode, candidate Kelly hosted Emily Goodman, a resident of Riverside and the co-founder of the liberal-leaning Greenwich Voting Moms network. Goodman, an attorney working in digital assets and cryptocurrencies, launched the network and newsletter in 2020 to act as a unified voice for public school parents in Greenwich.
According to Goodman, the Voting Moms maintain a singular focus: supporting "moderate" candidates who prioritize public school funding over candidates she labels as fiscal conservatives or "far right." Armed with a robust mailing list of public school families, the group has successfully mobilized voters to back their recommended "bipartisan" candidate slate.
Key Takeaways from the Interview
While candidate Kelly expertly maneuvered through the discussion, the exchange highlighted a fascinating contrast between localized single-issue advocacy and the broader economic realities facing Greenwich residents:
Navigating Party Labels: When asked what type of Republican he is and whether he is influenced by the far right, Kelly emphasized autonomy, stating that while the party nominates him, he answers directly to the voters rather than party machinery.
The Housing Mandate Debate: Addressing the contentious 8-30g state housing statute, Goodman questioned how to maintain workforce housing for local teachers, firefighters, and police while navigating the law. Kelly defended workforce housing value while pushing back against top-down mandates from Hartford, insisting that local communities know best.
School Budgets vs. Legal Fees: Goodman pressed Kelly on why the town spent an estimated $500,000 on Board of Education litigation while simultaneously cutting popular paraprofessional positions. Kelly responded by advocating for middle ground and expressing disappointment over past board dynamics, noting that legal battles ultimately benefit no one.
Taxes and Cost of Living: Goodman asked whether high taxes hurt business. Kelly answered by sharing his personal experience of getting hit with a 7% tax rate upon selling a business, arguing that Connecticut needs to lower its state tax rates from around 7% down to 4% or 5% to stop losing residents and entrepreneurs to low-tax states like Florida or Texas.
School Rankings and Real Estate: While Goodman expressed surprise that Greenwich High School was recently ranked number two in the state, Kelly credited the community's strong capital investments in public schools—linking past BOE leadership to this result and recognizing that strong good schools help create strong real estate demand.
Property Taxes and the Mill Rate: Goodman questioned how to justify Greenwich's uniquely low mill rate (property tax rate), suggesting that a binary focus on mill rates does not serve the town well. However, this raises a crucial oversight: while the interview glossed over property taxes with Goodman suggesting they have only "crept up a little bit," average property taxes actually rose roughly 6% this year (and significantly more for many homeowners), placing a heavy burden on residents outside the insulated school budget bubble.
Local Infrastructure: The conversation wrapped up with lighthearted local priorities, touching on much-needed athletic field expansions for older youths, the future Strazza Field development at Hamill Rink Park, and calls to turn on the lights for night games at Cardinal Stadium.
Between the Lines: While single-issue advocacy groups remain hyper-focused on school budgets, athletic fields, and localized perks, a glance at the recent jump in your property tax bill and the dense high rise affordable developments going up around you in Greenwich—as mandated by the Democratic super-majority in Hartford—reveals a starkly different reality for Greenwich voters this year.