Greenwich is at a crossroads, and you will decide which direction we go on November 7th.
I am running for First Selectperson to restore the tradition of stable, strategic governance to our town. I am a bipartisan, fact-based leader who takes into account the interests of the community as a whole. I’ve seen a lot in my time as a business professional, elected official, town resident, and public school parent.
But nothing like this.
Extreme political ideologies espoused by some on the Republican Town Committee are infiltrating our town and influencing local government leadership. Misinformation is being spread with impunity. We need a reset.
On the town’s finance board, the Board of Estimate and Taxation, where I currently serve, the majority party has engaged in a pattern of delays, deferments and denials. This isn’t smart fiscal leadership. It’s shortsighted, ends up costing taxpayers more, and increases risk, as town facilities and equipment either require more expensive upkeep, or need to be replaced.
Left, Laura Erickson, candidate for First Selectperson. Right, Janet Stone McGuigan, incumbent candidate for Selectperson.
We deserve real leadership
I will deliver a clear strategic vision and a planning process. I have over twenty years of experience in town government, and in my second term on the BET, serving on the Budget Committee. I’m a former Chair of the Board of Education, and joined the RTM in 1999 serving on the Finance and Health & Human Services Committees for 13 years.
My husband Dave and I have made Greenwich our home for 30 years. Our three kids attended Greenwich public schools K-12, during which I was an active school volunteer and PTA Co-President at GHS and Riverside School. My professional background is in banking.
I care deeply about this community.
A record of bipartisan leadership from the center
I have a track record of collaborating with others, regardless of political affiliation, to address issues. I was the Chair of the Board of Education when the new New Lebanon School came before the Board of Selectmen. Not everyone was on the same page. But we problem-solved, worked through it, and the community now has the new school it so desperately needed.
There is no question it costs a lot to buy a home or rent in Greenwich. Rents are skyrocketing in part due to a shortage of a diverse housing inventory. Our teachers and first responders increasingly are priced out of the market. I will address serious issues that have not been prioritized, and listen to residents first.
Leadership for a better Greenwich
This town is graced with natural beauty from the backcountry to the shoreline and benefits from transportation routes to major hubs and destinations. We have a diverse population, strong neighborhoods and a reputation for excellent public schools. I will meet our challenges head on, listen, heed input, and lead us forward.
So, as I said at the outset, you have a choice on November 7. I urge you to trust the experience and qualifications of the Democratic slate of candidates on Row A. As a team, we have the vision and the competence to reset, to be responsive, and to proactively get us moving in the right direction.
I appreciate your consideration.
Laura Erickson
Candidate for First Selectperson
| Volume L1, Number 1 • September 30, 2023 |
| Paid for by the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee. |
| Greenwich Democratic Town Committee P.O. Box 126 Greenwich, CT 06836 |