Democrats are ready to lead the BET
This is the second in a series profiling the Democratic BET candidates. Click here for the first part.
This November, Greenwich voters will choose which party controls the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET), the body that manages the town’s $520 million budget. The BET’s decisions shape everything from schools and public safety to long-term capital projects.
Democrats are fielding a unified slate of six candidates with deep experience in finance and law. In this second part of our series, we talk to Matt DesChamps, Doug Fenton, and Stephen Selbst about how things will differ under Democratic leadership.
Decision-making will be fact-based
It takes a lot to surprise Matt DesChamps. His bio includes a black belt in martial arts, service as a volunteer firefighter, and 30 years of finance experience at Morgan Stanley, PricewaterhouseCoopers and as a founding partner at Kepos Capital. But when he joined the BET in 2023, his Republican colleagues threw him for a loop.
“What surprised me most is how the Republican team makes decisions without any data analysis or thoughtful review,” he recalls, citing cuts to schools, fire safety, police equipment and flood prevention. “In my 30 years of experience on Wall Street, and as a finance professor at Fordham University, I have never seen that kind of poorly informed decision-making lead to good outcomes,” he reflects.
Instead of analysis, DesChamps says, Republicans substitute anecdote and personal bias. “Expert reports which the town spent money on are not even read because they don’t care what they say,” he adds.
Analysis will guide their work
Doug Fenton, a finance veteran and member of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Budget Overview Committee, began producing analyses of the school districtwhen budget cuts threatened the Advanced Learning Program. “Given the talents of Greenwich residents, I assumed this was already happening, but realized decisions were just based on vibes,” he says.
Fenton’s analysis drew interest from RTM members and Democrats on the BET, but “outreach efforts to BET Republicans received barely a response.” The $4 million cut to schools ultimately drove him to run for the BET. “There is clearly a better way,” Fenton says. “We can protect and improve the services we value while also keeping taxes low and sustainable.”
They will listen to you
For Stephen Selbst, the most painful moments come at public budget hearings, where residents testify about their needs—be it modernized schools, safe sidewalks, or ADA compliance—only to be met with Republican indifference. BET Republicans have been photographed sleeping or scrolling on their phones during testimony.
Selbst has served on the BET since 2021, and is a nationally recognized attorney with Herrick, Feinstein LLP. “The Republicans’ monolithic view is that the only thing that matters is keeping the tax rate as low as possible, no matter the consequences. That single-minded priority makes them quite insensitive to what the people want and need.” says Selbst. “It’s heartbreaking, because I view our job as finding a way to express the will of the people.”
They will use planning to keep taxes low
BET Republicans’ ploy in every election is to frighten voters about rising taxes. But this scare tactic flies in the face of reality. When Democrats last controlled the BET, taxes rose at a lower rate than under Republicans.
“Anyone can cut a budget to the bone. That’s not hard. What’s hard is keeping taxes low while also having a plan for the future—a plan that delivers the services residents expect,” says DesChamps.
Democrats pledge to deliver exactly that: thoughtful long-term planning while keeping taxes low.
Let’s choose leaders who listen, plan, and deliver results. Vote for all 6 BET Democrats on Row A. Early voting starts October 20 and Election Day is November 4.
The tiebreaker
The superpower that shapes Greenwich isn’t flying, invisibility, or mind reading, it’s something far more real and impactful, your vote. And in the upcoming Greenwich town elections, your vote carries real weight, especially when it comes to the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET), our town finance board.
At first glance, the BET seems perfectly balanced, but it’s not. In the town elections, whichever party racks up the most votes for its six BET candidates wins the chairmanship and the power to break a tie. When there’s a deadlock, the chairman casts an extra, deciding vote. For 98 of the past 100 years, the chair has been a Republican, giving them the final say on critical matters that impact you. Of late, unfortunately, the chair’s power has been used to override the will of residents and in defiance of other elected town bodies.
The BET, once known for its collaborative spirit, has taken a sharp turn. For example, current Republican BET Chair Harry Fisher used his tiebreaking vote 25 times during this year’s budget process to cut essential funding requested by the Republican First Selectman and the bipartisan Board of Education.
What’s at stake for you
There’s a lot at stake when you decide who holds the tiebreaking vote. The BET controls the entire town budget, impacting everything from the pothole on your street to your neighborhood school. This power shapes our daily lives and our town’s future.
This November, by voting for all 6 BET Democrats, you can give them the tiebreaker and give Greenwich the responsible, collaborative leadership it deserves. Splitting your vote between Democrats and Republicans for the BET may tip control of the BET to the Republicans. Read more about the BET Democrats and their platform here.
Action calendar
September 19. Listen.
Tune in at 9:30 a.m. to hear Anthony Moor, Democratic candidate for First Selectman on the Tony B radio show WGCH 1490 AM or stream at www.wgch.com
September 20. Apply.
Not going to be around to vote? Online applications for absentee ballots opens September 20. Click here to apply.
September 28. Volunteer.
Come join us at our Greenwich Dems campaign headquarters for our canvass kickoff! No experience necessary. We will pair you up. 9 Greenwich Office Park – 3rd Floor, 10:00 a.m.
September 29. Register.
Register for the League of Women Voters’ candidate debate forums, starting with the Board of Selectmen candidates. 7:00 p.m., Town Hall Meeting Room. Seating is limited. Sign up here.
| Volume 4, Number 14 • September 18, 2025 |
| Paid for by the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee. |
| Greenwich Democratic Town Committee P.O. Box 126 Greenwich, CT 06836 |