Greenwich Republican primary plays out in letters to the editor

The Republican primary voting starts next week, with 12 candidates vying for six slots on the town finance board (BET). The letters to the editor keep flying like leaves from a gas blower on a Greenwich Fall day. Don't be confused by the sample ballot. It doesn't tell the real story. Three of the party-endorsed candidates on row A have split up and joined with three of the candidates on row B, to form two slates.

One slate consists of Sally Bednar, Josh Brown, Harry Fisher, Joe Kelly, Joe Pellegrino and Leslie Tarkington. They penned a letter to the editor here. They are backed by party leadership including First Selectman Camillo and believe they are the most electable. They believe in a better BET that is more sensible and consensus-building. They say they all have significant financial experience and public service.

The other slate consists of David Alfano, Nisha Arora, Lucia Jansen, Alessandra Brus, Phil Dodson and John Hopley. They penned a letter to the editor here. They say they are independent and not long-time entrenched insiders who protect the establishment. They say they are all seasoned financial experts with decades of community service. They believe that the insiders on the other slate are unprofessional. They say the other slate has sided with Democrats on spending initiatives and costly contracts.

Early voting starts on Tuesday September 2 at Town Hall and election day is September 9 at your local polling place. You can learn about each candidate here to make an informed decision.

Between the Lines: Let's identify the candidates who are smart enough to understand the numbers but also have the fortitude needed to make the hard tradeoffs that come with budget making.

Info here