A proven leader for this challenging moment
Connecticut Democrats of the 36th Senate District have endorsed Jill Oberlander for the Connecticut State Senate. At a time when so many people are tired of contentious politics, anxious about rising costs, and concerned that government is not keeping pace with all of the challenges facing our communities, we who live in the 36th State Senate District—including Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan—have an extraordinary candidate in Oberlander.
Oberlander is not new to public service. For 15 years, she has been one of our most respected civic leaders, bringing intelligence, integrity, and practical problem-solving to some of our most important decisions. Now, she is running for the State Senate to bring that thoughtful, independent leadership to Hartford.
A career rooted in public service
Oberlander has spent her career working at the intersection of government, law, policy and community service. After graduating from Cornell University, she began her public service career through New York City’s prestigious Urban Fellows Program, working in the Parks Department and Mayor’s Transportation Office.
Oberlander earned her doctor of jurisprudence degree from the University of Chicago Law School and practiced law with private firms, as well as with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the business improvement district reviving lower Manhattan following 9/11.
That commitment to public service continued after she and her family moved to Greenwich over 20 years ago. Oberlander has been deeply involved in local government and community life. She served six years on the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting, followed by four years on the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) where she helped oversee Greenwich’s finances.
In 2017, Democrats won control of the BET for the first time in nearly a century, and Oberlander became the first Democratic chair in the board’s recorded history. There, she earned a reputation for careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars, fiscal discipline, and collaborative leadership. Later, as the only Democrat serving on the Greenwich Board of Selectmen, she worked across party lines during the unprecedented difficulties of the COVID era to help guide town operations and decision-making.
Focus on affordability
Oberlander’s thoughts on leadership and government are especially compelling at this critical moment. She believes government should work for the people. She believes public service is a commitment to solving problems and improving lives, not scoring political points. And she understands that Connecticut’s future depends on balancing fiscal responsibility with ensuring residents have access to basic services including high quality education, affordable healthcare, and modern-day infrastructure.
Oberlander’s campaign is focused on the “ABC’s” — affordability and addressing the overly high costs of basic family needs, support for Connecticut businesses and economic opportunity, and safeguarding our constitutional rights. These priorities reflect the concerns facing families across Greenwich, Stamford, and New Canaan every day. Her goal is to ensure that our state prospers and its residents thrive.
A strong candidate
Oberlander’s candidacy for the open 36th District Senate seat offers Democrats and all voters a genuine opportunity. She brings exactly the kind of experienced, pragmatic, and forward-looking leadership this moment demands and which the citizens of Greenwich deserve.
Greenwich united against speeding, divided on speed cams
Greenwich residents packed Town Hall on May 14 for a public hearing on the school zone speed camera program, which remains suspended after the town failed to complete required state approval steps. The speed camera program was developed in May 2024 and implemented under First Selectman Fred Camillo in Fall 2025, before being halted in April.
The forum came after months of controversy, with residents sharply divided over whether the program is about safety or a taxpayer-funded “money grab.”
Many residents have expressed their surprise – or anger – to Camillo or to the police department after they received speeding tickets, claiming they did not know the program was in place.
During the relatively short speed-camera enforcement period, however, the program achieved a 92.2% reduction in speeding violations, said Mark Hutchinson, chief executive of Blue Line Solutions, the vendor providing the town’s system. He argued that it was designed to improve safety, not to generate revenue.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, a resident who supported the speed cameras proposed that cameras be used overnight—from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.—to target reckless and drunk driving. The comment drew loud applause from the audience.
While some participants praised the program, others voiced skepticism about privacy protections, data security, and the vulnerability of cameras to hacking.
Responding to privacy concerns, Hutchinson said Blue Line is certified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and that collected data belongs to the town — not the company.
Another audience member, a data specialist, said the camera placement recommendations in the town’s safety report did not align with the underlying data and suggested that some cameras be relocated.
Other speakers said the town had provided insufficient public notice before the program was launched, and called for clearer signage, additional pedestrian safety measures, and greater transparency around how camera locations were selected.
Still other residents argued that, rather than rely on automation, the town instead should restore a more visible police presence in busy areas, including Greenwich Avenue.
Questions were also raised about Blue Line Solutions itself, including allegations that the company was hedge-fund owned and financially motivated. Hutchinson assured the audience that he alone owns the company.
Top resident complaint
Greenwich Police Sergeant J.D. Smith said speeding remains the number-one complaint received by both the Police Department and the Board of Selectmen. He cited a pre-program traffic study showing 36,922 vehicles traveling at least 10 miles per hour over the speed limit in school zones.
By the end of the evening, residents appeared united on one point: speeding and pedestrian safety remain significant concerns across Greenwich neighborhoods.
The entire 145-page safety plan, which includes speed camera enforcement, heads to the Representative Town Meeting for a vote in June.
What we’re reading
Connecticut beaches have closed due to unsafe water quality more than 900 times over the past decade, with about 80% of the closures in Fairfield County. Byram Beach was closed more often (119 times) than any other shore area in the state.
Action Calendar
May 25. March.
Join the DTC at the Memorial Day Parade to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Gather at 9:30 a.m. on Lincoln Avenue, just off Sound Beach Avenue in Old Greenwich. Parade begins at 10 a.m.
May 27. Attend.
Get the legislative wrap-up from state representatives Hector Arzeno, Steve Meskers, Tina Courpas & State Senator Ryan Fazio. League of Women Voters, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Burning Tree Country Club, 120 Perkins Road. $30 includes tapas and drinks. Register here.
June 5. Wear orange.
Recognize victims and survivors of gun violence. Speaker: Earl Bloodworth of CT Against Gun Violence. 1-2 p.m., Town Hall Meeting Room, 101 Field Point Road.
June 6. Stand proud.
Raise the flag for Greenwich Pride, 4 p.m., Greenwich Town Hall, 101 Field Point Road.
| Volume 4, Number 47 • May 21, 2026 |
| Paid for by the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee. |
| Greenwich Democratic Town Committee P.O. Box 126 Greenwich, CT 06836 |