Friday, March 11, 2011

A local matter: High school auditorium project 'MISA'

Just like the Republicans in Washington, the local Republicans in my hometown of Greenwich, CT are doing what they can to defund spending on valuable public services, in this case education...

To the editor:

In a town that pays for human traffic lights on Greenwich Avenue, repeatedly plows roads that have already been cleared of snow, and resurfaces roads that are already in good condition, it’s disingenuous for the Republican members of the BET budget committee to claim that Greenwich doesn’t have the resources to afford the Greenwich High School Music Instruction Space and Auditorium project. While I enjoy the relatively low property tax rates in Greenwich, I would gladly pay more to fund worthwhile investments in the Greenwich Public School system.

MISA addresses a well-defined need, with long term benefits for our children and the community at large that have been thoroughly vetted in public forums. It has broad community support among those who care about the quality of public education in Greenwich The unfortunate message coming from Republican BET members is that public education is not a priority in Greenwich. It is time for First Selectman Peter Tesei to show leadership by actively lobbying for the project, and for voters in Greenwich who care about the quality of education to carefully consider who they elect to the BET next November.