Don’t vote for RTM candidates until you know where they stand
Newsletter Volume 2 • Number 18
While you were away, or maybe stuck in endless traffic in Glenville, worrying about the rising cost of renting an apartment in town, a quiet revolution has been in the works.
Far-right members of the Republican party in Greenwich plopped scores of petitions on the Town Clerk’s desk at the last minute in mid-September, nominating something like 100 neophytes to run for the 230 member Representative Town Meeting.
This is the same MAGA faction that has tied the town legislature in knots.
- The leaders are the same ones trying to force the Board of Education to slash the size of Central Middle School and deny funding for Old Greenwich School;
- They nearly blocked a nonpartisan, $500,000, capacity-building grant awarded jointly to our Republican and Democratic registrars of voters;
- They forced Greenwich to return a $2.8 million grant from the state that would have made Greenwich Ave. more accessible to people with disabilities. Now taxpayers are on the hook for that work.
- They tried to kill the latest teacher’s contract, which included a win for the town — a below-inflation wage increase.
Don’t be caught by surprise this November. Vote for RTM candidates you know and trust.
They were not as successful as they could have been, despite the fact that Republicans already comprise over 50% of the RTM, but just 28% of town voters. That’s because a bipartisan coalition of Democrats, concerned Republicans, and independents joined together on important votes. (Democrats represent 34% of the RTM, and 30% of the town’s population.)
Voters will find no clues on the ballot to identify who’s who
Now that coalition of Dems, Republicans and independents is in danger if Greenwich voters fail to get informed in advance, because RTM candidates on the ballot are not identified by party.
In campaign materials, this far-right group advertises themselves by what they are not: the “common sense,” or “sensible Greenwich” or “support schools” slate. You’ll find the same platform repeated on the Greenwich Republican Committee social media and the Greenwich Patriots blog. A quick scan reveals that, to them, “common sense” is backing the January 6 attack, and upholding Trump’s Big Lie; “support schools” means demonizing them as hotbeds of indoctrination on critical race theory, and our teachers as “groomers.”
How to get informed
- There is a bipartisan group that’s trying to get the word out, as reported in the Greenwich Time.
- A bipartisan lists of candidates that include Republicans, Democrats and independents has begun to circulate, which, to our eyes, includes many of the people whose voting records set them at odds with the far-right.
Don’t let an extremist RTM takeover hijack Greenwich’s future.
It’s time for action. Get informed. Share your recommendations with friends.Vote. And don’t go into the polling booth before you do that. A Democratic win for Board of Selectman, or Board of Estimate and Taxation, would be hard-pressed to build a better Greenwich if the RTM were in the hands of an extremist fringe.
Campaign Calendar
Write to Voters
Let’s give that writing hand a workout to get out the vote! Sign up here to write letters to voters, or for help organizing your own writing party, or to join someone else’s party. Voter to voter outreach is proven to boost turnout, which we must do to win big on November 7.
October 19 and 24 Phonebank
Help us get our Democratic slate elected in Greenwich this November! Come make calls with us at our headquarters at 23 Benedict Place, rear entrance, between 5:30 and 7:30 pm on Thursdays through November 2nd! 23 Benedict Place, rear entrance.
October 21 and 22 Day of Action
Join our candidates and fellow volunteers for a day of door-knocking to help us tell voters about our vision for Greenwich. Two time slots this Saturday, 12-2 and 3-5.
Please bring a charged smart phone and comfortable walking shoes. We’ll provide scripts, training, and water. 23 Benedict Place, rear entrance.
Community Calendar
October 24, 6:30 pm
YWCA candlelight vigil to memorialize those who have lost their lives due to domestic violence and honor the strength and resilience of survivors. YWCA, 259 East Putnam Ave.
Lawn sign, anyone?
Show your support for the team with a better vision for our town. Request a lawn sign here.
REQUEST YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT
Don’t forget to request your absentee ballot! And don’t think your vote doesn’t matter. In a recent election, a candidate for the Board of Education won by one vote. It only takes a moment to make your voice heard.
| Volume 2, Number 18 • October 19, 2023 |
| Paid for by the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee. |
| Greenwich Democratic Town Committee P.O. Box 126 Greenwich, CT 06836 |